ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 13 



it occurred to me that this was simply a perfunctory part of the 

 program, one that would not require much to he said, simply to ex- 

 press our thanks for the kindness in the ordinary way : but the 

 cordial welcome given to the association by your mayor, and the 

 excellent way in which he discussed the problems and question- 

 relating to the industry which this association represents, induces 

 me to say s< >mething more than merely extending the glad hand in 

 reply to that very kind and cordial welcome to this beautiful 

 city of Rockford. 



So I have taken a little trouble to lay down a few things and 

 give you some facts which may interest him and all of you re- 

 garding the dairy industry, and also say a few words about the 

 Rock River valley. 



The Rock River valley to those who live around and in it 

 is practically God's country. They all believe there is no better 

 place to live than the Rock River valley for all that goes to make 

 up manhood and womanhood. I agree with them to the extent 

 that we have in our own country quite as good a land, quite as 

 desirable a land, which we call the Fox River valley. S< 

 are trying to even up on these things. 



When the pioneers of this country came from Chicago west 

 they found the first highlands west of Chicago along the Fox 

 River valley. They found the stream, found the river, a beauti- 

 ful river bound by springs on all sides, and they settled there be- 

 lieving that they had found something that was good, some- 

 thing that could not be improved. Some of the more enterpris- 

 ing and pushing ones went on further west. As you know, some- 

 body has said "Westward the trend of empire go^>" I I may not 

 have quoted that correctly), and they reached the Rock River val- 

 ley, where thev found another country, flowing" not exactly with 

 milk and honey, but a country in which it was a good place to 

 settle and in which it has been a good place to live for many 

 years; and their children have found it so, and Rockford today is 

 the result of those pioneers coming out here and developing the 

 agricultural interests, the natural agricultural conditions that 

 were found in the Rock River valley. 



