ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. g}£» 



You ask why the law has not be en enforced in the state? I will answer- 

 it in a way that you will understand the necessity of the move. we are mak- 

 ing. Oleomargarine is now being sold in quantites in nearly every tows;, 

 of consequence in the state, contrary toithe law. Our statute says that csii 

 complaint of any citizen, the state's attorney shall prosecute any violator,, 

 yet outside of the arrests made through officers of the Dairy Union,, ancl 

 one other organization, not a single prosecution has been undertaken any- 

 where. Why is this? The prosecution of an oleomargarine suit requires 

 a special officer who understands the proceedings, and who is furnished 

 with funds with which to pay traveling expenses and expenses of titer 

 chemical analysis necessary to successfully convict them. We have id) 

 such officer in this state. We started in our fight entirely too late iw-Gs. 

 years ago to get an appropriation through the legislature, and without an 

 appropriation a dairy commissioner would be helpless. 



When the writer was elected secretaiy of this organization two. nrantlis; 

 of the legislative session had passed, and his predecessor in office Iia*S: 

 positively refuse to enter a fight for an anti-color law, while leaders of the 

 organization as firmly xefused to enter a fight for anything else. TIksps— 

 fore our work was not commenced until March 9, 1897. 



This year, however, we are before the legislature early. We now have 

 a bill before the House, introduced by Representative Lyon of Lake- 

 County, creating a Dairy Commissioner and appropriating funds to t&es 

 extent of about eight thousand dollars ($8,000) per year for its maintgai.-- 

 ance. It now rests with you, the rank and file, to do what you can taai-Ci 

 in the passage of this measure by communicating with your senators- ancO 

 representatives in the interest of this bill. If you will co-operate wltfi: us 

 there is no question about its passage. 



Just a word about the legislature. As a rule the members of tHIs as- 

 sembly are willing and anxious to do everything they can for their farmer- 

 constituents. They are only too glad to make themselves useful to tfresse 

 whom they represent. But if you do not show any appreciation of" 'tfrsiF; 

 work and efforts or service, how can you expect them to enthuse over yaur* 

 interests. A legislator is a public servant. When he does something; f-QK- 

 his people he likes to know that they know he has done it. He knows tllsat; 

 every good and useful service raises him in the estimation of his people*, 

 and with the exception of the hopelessly corrupt politician, who has n<& 



