8 ILLINOIS dairymen's ASSOCIATION. 



and largely accounts for the culture and wealth of a majority of those en- 

 gaged in this specialty. 



Years ago, when the farmers of Ohio began to turn their attention to 

 the production of butter and cheese, there was an alarm sounded in the 

 dairy counties of Ng\y York, and overproduction was predicted. Later, the 

 farmers in portions of Indiana and Illinois, with high-priced lands, became 

 convinced that competition with farmers in the state to the westward in the 

 production of grain and meat would compel a change in the methods of farm- 

 ing ; and thus the boundary of the dairy district has extended until Iowa 

 and other states to the west are noted for the extent and quality of their 

 dairy products. 



Your meeting at this point, we trust, will induce the farmers of Central 

 Illinois to investigate the subject of dairy farming, and result in extending 

 southward the dairy section of this state. 



The farmers of Central Illinois have many advantages in the way of soil, 

 climate and access to markets, and will be able to successfully compete with 

 the dairy farmers to the westward; and they need not anticipate much 

 trouble from eastern dairymen if care is taken to provide the market with a 

 superior -article of butter and cheese. 



I much regret the absence of our mayor, who was appointed to deliver 

 the address of welcome, and can only partially express for him the pleasure 

 that it gives the citizens of Champaign and surrounding country to give you 

 a cordial and hearty welcome to our homes. 



RESPONSE. 



BY R. P. M'GLINCY, ELGIN, ILL. 



Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen and Citizens of Champaign : — On behalf of 

 the Illinois State Dairymen's Association I desire to accept for them your 

 fraternal greeting and hearty welcome, which has been accorded to this As- 

 sociation by your representative. I do not suppose that it would be neces- 

 sary for me to add another word by way of accepting the welcome that you 

 desire to have extended tons on this occasion ; I might close my remarks 

 here, and take my seat, and you would accept what 1 might say and be sat- 

 isfied, but I apprehend if I would do that, you would think that the response 

 had not been cordial, had not come from the heart and did not express our 

 feelings in regard to the manner iu which we have been received. 



But let me assure you that though my words may be feeble, and I may 

 not be able to make myself fully understood, let me say that I fully appre- 

 ciate the warm sentiments expressed by your representative and accept the 

 the same on the terms in which they have been offered to us. 



The Illinois State Dairymen's Association, as some of you perhaps are 

 aware, has been in existence about eleven years. We have in that time en- 

 deavored to educate the dairy as well as the general farmer so that he might 

 better his condition, financially, morally, socially and religiously, and in 

 every other possible way, because as an educating institution we hold that 

 the Association by reason of its annual meetings, has been enabled to point 

 out the better way for these farmers, not alone in our own immediate sec- 



