THIRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 177 



the interests of this world than retiring, modest, pure, Christ- 

 ian mother who raised a family of children in a log-house in the 

 Red Haw district of Illinois, or the good, true, indulgent, loyal 

 husband and father who in the obscurity of his surroundings 

 protected that family, provided for their comfort and assisted in 

 making that home, though ever so humble, the most sacred place 

 on earth and a monument to the highest type of civilization, a 

 true American home. 



At the end of the bridge across the river at Saginaw, Mich., 

 there is a small saloon and written in great big letters are these 

 words, "Welcome to all Nations, except Carrie." It is not often 

 the exceptions are named and oftentimes it is difficult to tell who 

 they are. 



Now, in discussing the claim of the dairy cow, let us de- 

 cide whether she has any pull or not to make her welcome. Some 

 of you may say, who is she, what claim has she on our time, what 

 influence has she, what good can she do us? Listen, are you a 

 politician? She controls more votes than any other industry 

 represented in this convention. Are you a banker? She de- 

 posited more money in the banks of our country last year than 

 came from any other source. Are you a merchant? She 

 bought and paid cash for more merchandise last year than any 

 other item of agriculture. Are you a stock raiser? She is 

 stock. Hon. F. D. Coburn says, "She is the steer's mama. She 

 is the steer's sister. Her product is the foundation of a good 

 hog." Are you a farmer? Exclusive of stock raising as a 

 specialty, she has made more good farms out of poor ones than 

 all the other influences combined. She has changed more six- 

 bushel wheat land and 15 bushel corn land to 25 bushels of wheat 

 and 75 bushels of corn to the acre than all of the combined effort 

 of modern science. 



It seems to me that above all professions the farmer's has 

 had the most pronounced recognition. Did you ever stop to 

 think that the first farmer was Adam ? Did you ever think that 

 when God Almighty himself made this wonderful world, when 

 he created this wonderful habitation of ours, when he had com- 



