THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IX. 481 



Peesident : In one thing, if in nothing more, I expect my ad- 

 dress will please you and that is in its briefness. We have a pro- 

 gramme of some length and much interest to follow, 

 i 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



£. B. Shilling, Mason City, Iowa. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: When you elected me one year 

 ago as the president of this association I realized the fact at that time 

 that you had conferred an honor upon me, and since serving you a year 

 I have come to realize that it is not only an honor but it has been a great 

 pleasure as well. While the results have not been as great as I would 

 have liked to bring about, while some of the plans I have had for the 

 advancement of the dairy interests of the state have fallen short, yet I 

 believe we can congratulate ourselves that in the past year something 

 has been done to elevate the standard of Iowa butter. 



The year just past has been a notable one for several reasons; for 

 the number of successes and the number of failures, more particularly 

 the failures that attended the business. But the failures have taught us 

 some lessons that may profit us ultimately. One thing it has taught us 

 is that we must not start creameries where there is nothing to support 

 them. Of all the creameries, either individual or corporation, that have 

 failed during the past year, nearly every case was the result of weak 

 patronage or close promixity to stronger creameries who were able to out 

 pay them. 



The year has been notable for another reason, the inauguration of the 

 oleomargarine law, and now we can safely say for the first time in ten 

 years butter has had a fair show. 



Iowa does not hold a very enviable position in the point of excellence 

 of manufacture of butter today. This fact has just been referred to by 

 the honorable gentleman who preceded me. It is with feelings of humilia- 

 tion that I have to say to you that at the recent convention held in Mil- 

 waukee we occupied the very lowest position in the scale of excellence 

 of butter, receiving the lowest average score of any state exhibiting 

 butter. There are several reasons for this and I do not care to take them 

 all up at the present time. I wish to say this, and I say it without any 

 intention of reflecting upon any system. It is a well known fact that Iowa 

 being the oldest dairy state in the union has been the most fertile field 

 for the various separators. They have come into our state and the system 

 has been very widely introduced, and now whether we are on the threshold 

 of one of the greatest advances in the line of progress, or whether it 

 means further deterioration of the quality of our butter I am unprepared 

 to say. I believe there are arguments on both sides, but the fact of the 

 matter remains at the present time that wherever they have been 

 introduced it has had the effect of lowering the standard of the butter. I 

 do not wish to find fault with them. I can see no fault in the system, 

 or no reason why the cream should not be separated on the farm and 



