THIRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 17 



seems very fitting that the State Buttermakers Association should 

 meet with us in convention. 



We come here to exchange ideas, and to listen to the best 

 speakers obtainable from all parts of the United States. And in 

 bringing to your door the experience and intelligence of these 

 men we feel confident that your community will feel the influence 

 of this meeting in all the years to come. 



We ask you to take part freely in the discussions of this 

 convention, and also to become members of the Association, and 

 push forward the organized efforts of the dairymen of Illinois 

 by your membership. 



The association stands for the best interests of dairying by 

 education and legislation. Dairymen are born, not made. By 

 that I do not mean that a man who was not raised on a dairy 

 farm cannot learn to be a dairyman, not at all. But unless you 

 like a cow, and are willing to hustle, you had better stay what you 

 are and be good at that. 



This reminds me of what Gov. Hoard said at the National 

 Dairy show: "If the cow could talk, she would be heard all over 

 this country bawling for a better breed of dairymen." 



Our common schools do very little to educate our young 

 people along dairy lines. The only place we can get such in- 

 struction is at our Agricultural College. 



It has been said that we should keep only one-half the cows 

 we do, but better ones. I believe we ought to keep the same num- 

 ber of cows, but those which are at least twice as good. We 

 must make this our ideal, and stick to it until we "get there." 

 This reminds me of the advice of Josh Billings to a boy. He 

 says: "My boy consider the postage stamp, and learn that its 

 usefulness consists in sticking to its object until it has reached 

 its destination." Succesful dairying is not obtained in a day 

 but comes through intelligently sticking to your object till you 

 "get there," or at least measuring up somewhat with your ideals. 



In the matter of legislation, there should be a bill passed at 

 this session of the Legislature to restrict the importation of 

 tuberculous cows into the state, and also to provide for the re- 



