THIRD ANNUAL \EAR BOOK — PART IX. 531 



accepted in Washington that the representatives which Iowa send to Wash- 

 ington, that the position which they hold there is the result merely of 

 their being representative Iowa people. And Iowa is to be congratulated 

 on the position it holds politically in this country. There is little use 

 for me to say anything about the position she holds in dairy matters, in 

 agricultural matters. I believe and understand that it is generally con- 

 ceded that the state of Iowa has the best average class of people 

 of any state in the United States, fewer paupers, fewer millionaires; no 

 immense cities, but medium sized cities. And it always gives me pleasure 

 to come before an Iowa audience, although it is embarrassing to step 

 into an Iowa man's shoes when you are so incapable of filling them. 



I am on the program for a talk on the oleomargarine subject. The 

 subject for me is difficult to handle, difficult for the reason that there is 

 so much of it. I have been up against it to such an extent during the 

 past two years that it is difficult to make a satisfactory exposition of the 

 question in a short time, and I believe in short talks. The first address 

 I ever made in my life was made on this question at New Orleans some 

 years ago before the League of National Commission Merchants. The sub- 

 ject was new at that time. They told me they were very busy and 

 asked me to make my address as short as possible. After the meeting 

 was adjourned the president said to me, "Mr. Knight I want to congratu- 

 late you on the address you made." I thanked him profusely. I was 

 proud of my maiden effort. "Yes," he said when I thanked him, "some 

 people never know when to stop." 



We have worked upon this recent law for four years. We passed 

 the law and it was signed by the president the 9th of last May and went 

 into effect the 1st day of July. Well, they say that when a man gets 

 married his troubles begin. Sometimes he thinks the trouble is at its 

 height when he is trying to get the girl, but I will assure you that our 

 troubles began when the law went into effect. Now it would be a nice 

 thing, if possible, for the dairymen of the United States to go to congress 

 and write out a bill and present it to the chairman of the committee and 

 say: "Here is a bill we wish to have passed and we will be back to get 

 it at 3:00 o'clock." Probably we would get what we wanted if it could be 

 done in that way. But when you go to congress for a measure the first 

 thing you have to do is to get it prepared the way you want it. Get some 

 man of influence on the majority side to introduce it and select the com- 

 mittee to handle it. Size up the committee and see how it stands and 

 then endeavor to prevail upon that committee to report the bill. You 

 understand that when you hand in a bill it is merely a suggestion of what 

 you would like; they give you that privilege. The committee meets, seven- 

 teen members as a rule. The committee calls in all of the conflicting in- 

 terests throughout the country; lawyers come in from all the states; 

 all kinds of propositions are suggested, and then the committee proceeds to 

 tear this measure to pieces and build it up to suit themselves. I assure 

 you that very frequently it is exasperating to sit by and see how they 

 will cut out the points you think most important. If the committee sees 

 fit to report your bill to the house you have then to go before another 



