ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN^ ASSOCIATION. 19 



receive more attention than any other and all others 

 put together. Unfortunately that is not the case ; all 

 other industries are grouped, disciplined, reduced to a 

 science, measures to produce the best returns are 

 adopted, concert of action is followed up. The farmer, 

 on the other hand,goes on on his individual plan, farming 

 substantially as his father did. It is true there are 

 improvements in farming, but those improvements are 

 small compared with the improvements in other lines 

 of industry. 



It augers well for the farmers that this and kindred 

 societies are organized, and it is well for the farmers of 

 this community that this convention meets here to-day. 

 We are not a large number, but many a large issue has 

 begun with a small beginning, and smaller bodies than 

 this have grown into great importance. Therefore, in 

 behalf of the village authorities, in behalf of the citi- 

 zens of this town, and at their request, I extend to you 

 a hearty welcome to Kewanee, each and every one of 

 you, and hope that this meeting may be productive of 

 an acquaintance that shall grow stronger with time ; 

 that shall be profitable not only to us, but to others 

 that may not be here. We are not a city, we are 

 simply a modest little village, in the midst of an agri- 

 cultural country that has no superior anywhere, but a 

 country that needs that which you are considering. 



It is not for the farmer of this section of the country 

 to compete with the stock raiser of the West, he can't 

 do it, he should give his attention to other things. 

 Instead of farming npon a large scale and in a loose 

 manner, he should consecrate and adopt the most pro- 

 fitable wajr of using his land. It is generally con- 

 ceded, I think, that the small things make up the great 

 ones. A few years ago the dairy industry was looked 



