190 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



that the only product that is sold on our farms today where the 

 price is regulated by supply and demand is the dairy product. 

 Another thing I will say, and I say it without fear of contradic- 

 tion, that were it not for the work of the National Dairy Union 

 you would not be receiving the price today for your dairy 

 products ; you would be out of the dairy business. 



We are confronted by another proposition. You are aware 

 that at the opening of the present session of our national leigsla- 

 ture there was talk of a repeal of this law. The rumor first came 

 to us as a repeal, but after we investigated the matter we found it 

 was not a repeal ; it was asking for a modification of our law. 

 They asked for a reduction of the tax from 10 cents a pound to 4 

 cents. Mr. Knight, the secretary of the organization, the man 

 who has been at the front in this fight from the beginning, went 

 to Washington, and reported on investigation that there was 

 probably no question about this law being prepared; he found 

 out that this bill, with the provisions it carried with it, if it went 

 through as prepared, would nullify our law of today. 



But when they first commenced to prepare this bill they 

 did not take into consideration the splendid organization the 

 dairymen have (and I do not believe there is an industry in the 

 United States today that has as perfect an organization as the 

 dairymen) and when in less than thirty days the protests and 

 resolutions from the dairymen commenced to pour into Wash- 

 ington they found they had made a mistake. They found they 

 could not push a measure through without powerful opposition, 

 and since that time we are in this position — we do not know what 

 they are doing. We have information direct from one of the 

 senators to the effect that the fact of the dairymen rising up as 

 they did has taught their opponents that if they do anything they 

 cannot have a brass band and announce it. Another thing is 

 owing to the crowded condition of the work in the legislature, 

 some of their friends have warned them against further attempts 

 at this time. 



The matter is up to you now. There is no question but we 

 will have to fight this thing again sometime or other, whether 



