150 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
sweat. I believe it will urge them to better efforts, more intelligent 
farming, more intelligent breeding, and if it does that it will accomplish 
a great purpose. Don't you know it is more profitable to raise good ani- 
mals than it is to raise the scrub, the plug? As I said to you last night, 
a first class animal seldom has a second class owner. When you improve 
the breed you also improve the race of man who breeds these animals. 
Our agricultural experiment stations work in the field of research and 
investigation. They find out truths and scatter them broadcast. You 
learn their results; but suppose you don't put them into action in your 
everyday life, it won't do you much good. The state fair is the place 
that shows who has learned his lesson best and can deliver the goods; 
it is the comparison of ideas and results. As was said last night by our 
friend from Ames: The first time he went out with his cattle he thought 
he had the best there was; but when he got there and found his neigh- 
bor had so much better stuff he was discouraged, but he had new ideas. 
The fellow who never goes out imagines he has the best there is and is 
likely to be bigoted and stuck up. It is a good thing for everybody once 
in a while to be worsted. If everyone in this world could have just one 
half of what they would like to have they would have more than their 
share, wouldn't they? The state fair is one of the best places I know of 
to take the conceit out of men. If they think they have the best just let 
them go to the state fair; they will soon find out they have not. There is 
no better way to let the people appreciate what a great state you have 
than to come to the state fair. They see what other places or states are 
doing and think more of it. This business of agriculture, raising corn, 
wheat and live stock, is a breeder of patriotism as well. You know when 
you give a man a home, a fine house and fine animals of every kind, that 
man is a patriot. You know when this country has needed volunteers 
that the farm boys have come along and helped take care of "Old Glory" 
and kept the stars in the flag. Agriculture is a breeder of patriotism. 
Agriculture, the state fair, our farmers' institutes, our judging contests, 
our experiment stations, are all educators, and that is indeed the greatest 
purpose of the state fair. The state fair is the one place that teaches to 
distinguish what man, what brains, what push and energy can accom- 
plish. I wish everybody in the state of Iowa might read that splendid 
address made by President McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition at 
Buffalo, the day previous to his assassination. To Americans and Amer- 
ican institutions he pays a noble tribute. He said, "Fairs and expositions 
are the timekeepers which mark the progress of nations. They record 
the world's advancement. They stimulate the energy, enterprise and in- 
tellect of people and quicken human genius. They go into the home. 
They broaden and brighten the daily life of the people. They open 
mighty store-houses of information to the student. Every fair or exposi- 
tion, great or small, has helped to some onward step. Comparison of 
ideas is always educational, and as such instructs the brain and hand of 
man." History does not tell of a single fair or exposition during the 
dark ages. Point out the states and nations that have done most in 
fostering fairs and expositions, and I will show you the nations that have 
gained supremacy in the commercial world. If China ccrald have one 
good fair like you have, or like one of our world's fairs, it would do mor(« 
