TWELFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII 341 



They further say that it is not dependable because two persons may 

 score the same animal and not get the same answer. That is true. I 

 will admit that if they were to score the same animal and get exactly 

 the same result it would be more convincing to the observer, but even 

 though they come out several points apart you will find if you examine 

 their cards that the relative points are about alike, thus demonstrating 

 about the same valuation upon each division. They claim that it is not 

 science or dependable for the reason that we do not get the same answer, 

 but the advocates of the score card admit that same thing themselves. 

 They do not claim that it is exact science, but it is the nearest approach 

 to it that we have and there is nothing that will place the ideal in the 

 mind of young breeders as quickly as the score card. 



Some think that if they can get a certificate that is about all they 

 need. The score card is not a thing to be defied. It is meant to be 

 used to place the ideal in the mind and let it go at that. It is also said 

 that it is made a hobby of by some and abused by others. If we make 

 a reasonable use of it I do not think there is any system known to men 

 that will place the ideal in the minds of young men more quickly and 

 one of the very first things a young man needs when going into business 

 is an ideal. He wants to have the ideal in his mind and then work up 

 to it. 



So I think that it is a mistaken idea to think that the score card is im- 

 practical, because I believe it is a great help to us and has been a great 

 aid in bringing the business up to where we have it today. We must re- 

 member one thing — that this is not a meeting of breeds or types, but a 

 meeting of swine breeders for the advancement of the industry as a whole. 

 If we are going into this and are going to attempt to revise the score 

 card we must take everything into consideration. Some think it should 

 be discarded, but I think only a few have that idea. There are a large 

 number of practical men who think that we should not change it at all, 

 because they think we have a good score card and we may make it worse. 

 Still I think we could make some slight changes that would be beneficial 

 and we should hear from everyone before we make any change. If we 

 are going into this we must place ourselves in the other fellows shoes 

 instead of trying to make a score card to fit our own individual breed or 

 herd. I want to say that I don't believe that the men who formulated this 

 score card which was adopted in 1886 were visionary, but practical men. 

 I believe they laid their plans wisely and well. But at the same time, if 

 the interest of the industry is to be advanced by a change I think we 

 should do it. I believe every one of those men would say the same thing 

 — that if this score card is not commensurate with the present conditions, 

 if the interest of the country would be advanced by making a change, by 

 all means go ahead and do it. I hope that we will go into it with this 

 feeling — that we are doing it for the good of all. I believe we can form- 

 ulate a score card broad enough for us all to stand on and have no con- 

 troversy. If we do revise or change the score card I hope that future gen- 

 erations can conscientiously say as we do of those who formulated the 

 card as it is, that the men who met here in June, 1911, were a good, prac- 

 tical set of men with broad and generous minds. 



