234 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



most largely deal in this group of states, in the three or four states 

 surrounding Iowa, and Iowa, and I know that it rivals in its color and sur- 

 passes in its value all the gold dug from the bowels of the earth between 

 the two seas. And so it gives me the greatest pleasure to occupy your 

 time for a few minutes, — just how I do not know, but I will discover as 

 I go along. 



The first thing that I am moved to say is something with respect 

 to the State of which many of you are citizens. I welcome these men 

 from other states here, but it embarrasses me. I am glad they are here, 

 but I am always reluctant to say what I think about Iowa in the pres- 

 ence of citizens of other states, lest it shall hurt their pride and their 

 feelings; but I know that you will attribute anything that I say not only 

 to some desire to adhere to the truth, but to the pride and loyalty I 

 feel in the State of which I happen to be governor at the time being. ' 



Iowa occupies the most beautiful spot upon the earth's surface. 

 Now that is not the statement of one who is unduly fond of Iowa. It 

 is the statement of an accepted fact, not only here but throughout the 

 whole country. I believe it to be true that if you had the earth's sur- 

 face in which to carry on an investigation, if you had to select irom 

 every sovereignty and every people, and were to select that place where 

 Nature has bestowed her most benignant smile. I believe that territory 

 between the Mississippi river and the Missouri river and Minnesota and 

 Missouri would be chosen as the most blessed spot on earth. (Applause.) 



There is no equal area that incorporates so many of the things that 

 Nature has given to mankind for his use; there is no other territory in 

 the world of equal size of which this can be said — that there is 971-^ per 

 cent capable of successful and profitable cultivation. There is no other 

 State in the Union which approaches that percentage so closely as to 

 be a reasonable secona. 97 1^ per cent of all our area. — hillside and 

 valley, river and hill and prairie— 97^4 per cent of it may be put under 

 cultivation and will yield a profitable return for faithful labor! 



You have already heard with regard to its capacity in your particu- 

 lar direction, but I happen to remember a statement made not long ago 

 in my presence, and I believe it to be true, that the hens of Iowa cackle 

 every year over a product that is worth more than the whole agri- 

 cultural output of many of the states of the Union. (Applause.) That 

 may sound a little bit enthusiastic but it is actually true. But may I 

 say, before I float away further upon the waves of my own enthusiasm, 

 may I say that these treasures which God has hidden in our fields and' 

 upon our prairies, these wonderful riches that he has bestowed upon 

 us, they are not the shining, the crowning characteristics of the State 

 of which we are citizens. Her n.en and her women are the bright jew- 

 els in our crown of statehood. Somehow or other it seems to me that 

 Iowa, by the interposition of Providence, has been set apart for the 

 fairest and the best experiment in few instances among men. There are 

 fewer evil influences about the people of the State of Iowa than any 

 State in the Union. This is probably true because of the prominence 

 of the interests which you represent and which does not involve the 

 crowded, the very crowded population which are characteristic of many 



