THIRTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VII 457 



a payment on the principal which he must repay, with the result that 

 after that mortgage has been running for forty or fifty, even sixty or 

 seventy years, with those low annual interest charges the entire obligation 

 is paid off. This makes it easy for worthy men to secure funds on long 

 time loans, sure that they will not be called upon to make payment at 

 any time when they may not be able to do so. The result of this is that 

 men who are of the right class and the right type are being attracted 

 into farming. 



I think, Mr. Chairman, that the true causes for the departure of worthy 

 citizens from this state are not thoroughly understood, and I think that 

 they should be made a subject of special study. I think there is no bet- 

 ter way to do this than by a special commission which should be formed 

 to take the matter up somewhat along the lines of the rural life com- 

 mission of which Mr. Henry Wallace of this city was a member. They 

 traveled over the whole United States looking into problems relating to 

 the welfare of the farmers. I believe if it is not otherwise provided for, 

 some such commission study as that might well be undertaken in this 

 state. 



Perhaps I ought to mention the state fair. I do not know whether 

 Secretary Corey expects me to say anything about the state fair or not, 

 but I shall pass that over with the remark that for me to come here and 

 discuss the state fair, would be like carrying coals to Newcastle. I believe 

 it is one of the institutions of this state which is serving the state well. 

 Its reputation extends far beyond the borders of this state, and you 

 probably all know it is one of the greatest institutions of its kind in the 

 whole world, and many persons not living in Iowa know the same thing. 



Let me say in closing, that one of the finest things I have found in 

 the state of Iowa, is the splendid pride existing among the people of 

 Iowa in their state and their institutions, and it is just that it should be 

 so. Statistics show that this great state produces 432,000,000 bushels 

 of corn; more than any other state. Illinois comes next with 428,000,000 

 bushels. Again, this state produced 220,000,000 bushels of oats; more 

 than any other state. Illinois again taking the second position with 

 183,000,000 bushels of oats. And again, these same statistics for 1912 

 show that there is not only a large yield in Iowa, but still better they 

 show the yield in Iowa per acre in each case exceeds that of practically 

 all of the other states in the union, the corn yield being 43 bushels per 

 acre as compared with Illinois' 40; and oats 44, as compared with 43 in 

 Illinois. Now, I believe that such a creditable standing as these figures 

 indicate will serve to give us an impulse to work to maintain the 

 splendid position this state occupies. I want to remind you that it 

 should serve to do this because other states are making strenuous ef- 

 forts to overtake Iowa, and gain first position. On a ten years average 

 we are obliged to admit that Illinois excels us in both corn and oats. In 

 Illinois every effort that the state can command is being made to ad- 

 vance their agricultural interest, and increase the agricultural output, 

 and to produce crops more economically and at a greater profit. Illinois 

 is expending well towards a million dollars annually in agricultural in- 

 struction. There are a large number of organizations in that state that 



