120 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



my wishes, and I, therefore have no apologies to make for standing be- 

 fore you at this time. 



At the time of the last annual meeting, your association was in a 

 thrifty, prosperous condition, and I am glad to be able to report that 

 it is still on the forward march, and that it has not lost its enthusiasm 

 nor taken a backward step during the' past year. 



The work during the past year has not been of a spectacular nature, 

 but more along the line of the regular work of the association in care- 

 fully looking after and guarding the farmers' and stockmen's interests. 



During the winter months I was engaged speaking at farmers' insti- 

 tutes, rally meetings, and other like meetings, and also spent consider- 

 able time in the legislature, in behalf of some measures that were pen- 

 ding, which were very important to our members and the farmers in 

 general. But before I go farther, I want to again impress upon our 

 members the value of cooperating with the farmers' institute people in 

 their meetings. This plan makes a better institute, a better Corn Belt 

 meeting, and tends to spread the gospel of the association much better 

 than it can be done otherwise. 



Now, as to the work of the past year. It will be remembered that 

 in my last annual address I called attention to the general advance in 

 freight rates that the railroads were at that time trying to put over 

 on the people, and the Important part your association was taking to 

 prevent those advances. At that time the case was still pending, and 

 it was finally concluded in January. And it then developed that Mr. 

 Thorne, the rate attorney for this association, had spent over one hun- 

 dred days on the case. Three hearings were held in Chicago, three in 

 Washington, D. C, and one in New York. This will give you some idea 

 of the magnitude of the case. The latter part of February the Inter- 

 state Commerce Commission gave out its decision, refusing to permit 

 the railroads to advance their rates as proposed. 



The one feature in connection with this case which was most grati- 

 fying to the association was the fact that the decision of the commis- 

 sion was apparantly based on the evidence presented by this associa- 

 tion through its attorne3% and when we realize that this decision meant 

 a saving of over two million dollars annually to the people of Iowa, 

 we can better appreciate the real value of the work done by this organ- 

 ization. 



The fact is, the farmers are not familiar with what this association 

 is doing for them, and on that account they do not appreciate its value. 

 I am quite sure that if men would post themselves on the work this 

 association is doing, the membership would increase very rapidly, as I 

 find that it takes but little persuasion, where men are acquainted with 

 the work we are doing, to get them to join our ranks. In this connec- 

 tion, I want to say that the Corn Belt Meat Producers' Association was 

 the only association representing the farmers, and producers' interests 

 to take the initiative in the fight against these rate advances. Later on 

 in the case the Farmers' and Grain Dealers' Association intervened 

 and furnished Hon. George C. White, of Nevada, Iowa, who rendered 

 some valuable assistance in the case. 



