CHAPTER XII 



THE NATIONAL SWINE GROWERS' 

 ASSOCIATION 



BY MEBRITT S. MCFADDEN 



The devastating and long to be remembered foot-and-mouth 

 scourge which secured a footing in America in 1914 was the in- 

 direct cause of the formation of the National Swine Growers' Asso- 

 ciation. It has long been the custom for breeders of purebred swine 

 to look forward to their annual meetings during the International 

 Live Stock Exposition in Chicago, the first week in December. The 

 prevalence of the foot-and-mouth disease in 1914 made it necessary 

 to abandon the International that year, thus removing the attrac- 

 tion that had made possible representative gatherings of the de- 

 votees of the several breeds. It was to counteract this loss and to 

 offer an attraction that would bring forth representative gather- 

 ings that the Illinois Swine Breeders' Association in 1914 sent 

 forth an invitation to the swine breeders of America to attend a 

 meeting of their organization in Chicago on Dec. 2, 1914, the 

 prime object being the formation of a National association of swine 

 growers. 



At the time this step was taken J. Young Caldwell, William's- 

 ville, 111., was president of the Illinois Swine Breeders' Association, 

 and Charles A. Marker, of Auburn, L. E. Frost, then of Spring- 

 field, W. M. McFadden of Chicago, E. J. Evans of Chicago, L. E. 

 Troeger of Chicago, E. C. Stone of Peoria, W. S. Corsa of White- 

 hall, W. J. Carmichael of the University of Illinois and others 

 took an active and prominent part in crystallizing the idea of a 

 National Swine Growers' Association. 



Accordingly on the date set more than one hundred representa- 

 tive swine breeders of all breeds and from all sections of the country 

 sat at dinner at the Fort Dearborn Hotel in Chicago. Opinions 

 and suggestions were offered by nearly all of the leaders of the 

 swine business of that day who were in attendance. The unanimity 

 of opinion and the broadness of the spirit of those present re- 

 sulted in the organization of the present National Swine Growers' 

 Association. Wm. M. McFadden presided as chairman of that 

 meeting. A. C. Halliwell, at that time editor of "The Chicago 

 Daily Live Stock World," was elected president, J. L. Thatcher, 

 Davenport, la., vice-president, L. E. Troeger of Chicago, secretary, 

 and Geo. M. Cantrall, also of Chicago, treasurer. All of these 

 officers were elected by acclamation. The executive committee 

 selected at this meeting constituted a representative from each 

 of the various breeds, and the personnel was as follows: For 

 Hampshires, E. C. Stone, Peoria, 111. ; for Berkshires, W. S. Corsa, 

 Whitehall, 111. ; for Duroc-Jerseys, J. Young Caldwell, Williams- 

 ville, 111. ; for Poland-Chinas, J. E. Meharry, Tolono, 111. ; for Tam- 



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