THIRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 169 



and in addition are reminded of Alabama's negroes and mules, 

 and Dakota's wheat fields and cyclones and Idaho's copper and 

 Oregon's salmon and sheep and Montana's mines, and when we 

 are reminded that of all the states, Illinois stands pre-eminent for 

 her packing interests, her large cities, her beef and hog products, 

 when we remember our world-wide reputation because of the 

 enterprise manifested in the Columbian Exposition is it any 

 wonder that Illinoisans are proud of the state that is an empire 

 within itself? And yet with all our boasted wealth and natural 

 resources, I would have the dairy cow the most prominent cause 

 of Illinois's fame. 



I am not here today to introduce the dairy cow to Illinois 

 and Illinois people, for she is no stranger to this great state, but 

 I come to you with a message of interest in her behalf because 

 of what she has done and because of the rich promises she makes. 

 I come to protest against unfair discrimination in favor of her 

 brother and to demand recognition that will enable her to fulfill 

 her promises and her keeper to reap his reward. I look forward 

 to the time when her advocates, who have for years defended her 

 and sung her praises, will be made to feel like the boy who in 

 saying his prayers always prayed to God bless Aunt Harriet and 

 make her happy. One night his father was listening to him and 

 he heard him pray for everybody but her. He said to him, "You 

 forgot to pray for Aunt Harriet." The boy said, "She don't 

 need praying for any more ; she is engaged now." When Illin- 

 ois as a unit has become engaged in dairying, then will the 

 dairy cow's entry into good society be made easy and her influ- 

 ence courted by the officeseeker and her rights protected by the 

 officeholder. I am impressed that some of the characteristics of 

 the dairy cow are modesty, fidelity, patience, constancy and indus- 

 try and for these qualities she commands our admiration and is 

 entitled to our most generous consideration. It is interesting to 

 note her prominence in making history and the absence of any 

 mention of her in recording that history. It is seldom she gets 

 her picture on the front page of a newspaper. Mark Twain said 

 once about the Platte river, that it was a a mile wide and an inch 



