ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN^ ASSOCIATION. 169 



This should not be, nor do I think it would under 

 a proper and thorough organization. Public activity 

 compels a careful study of the newspapers, magazines 

 and farm journals to keep the individual in constant 

 touch with others whose example and conversation 

 may prove a stimulant to him. But this involves a 

 considerable sacrifice of time and money, but it is a 

 paying investment. 



This fact in a great many cases seems to be a curious 

 drawback to self-education. One is sometimes aston- 

 ished at the information concerning events and things 

 that is picked up from the newspapers by the industrial 

 classes that have no time for systematic reading. 



While we may confess that there are many short- 

 comings amongst the farming and industrial classes, 

 yet we hold that they have proved themselves possessed 

 of considerable business ability and that this ability 

 could be revealed quicker and better through a proper 

 organization. 



Therefore, I concluded that if suitable machinery was 

 provided in the shape of organizations for its discovery 

 we would find among our farming and industrial 

 classes a mine of wealth in the shape of dormant and 

 wasted abilities, but it may be urged that the market 

 for such talent would be overstocked; on the contrary, 

 skill and talent in every department of life are 

 rising above par. In every trade, profession or 

 calling, some degree of success is attained by routine 

 commonplace faculties, but it does not rise to distinc- 

 tion. But whatever the amount of ability which 

 we find running to waste among our farming and 

 industrial classes it is certainly worth saving. And the 

 practical problem is to find a suitable channel into 

 which to direct it that it will be utilized to the best 



