iLLinois dairymen's association. 15 



no more. Laws are made for the purpose of punishing he who deigns to 

 counterfeit money, but they have no such tender words in them. He is fol- 

 lowed, if needs be, by the whole police force of the government, and only 

 finds rest from his nefarious business in the penitentiary. 



The man who dares to adulterate butter, cheese or other kinds of food 

 for human beings to eat is, in my judgment, by far a greater criminal than 

 he who adulterates money ; and why so? simply because he may put in food 

 that which may destroy the health or happiness of an individual or family 

 for a life time. The counterfeiting of the dollar is nowhere to be compared 

 with that of the food, as it barely affects the pocket for a time and leaves the 

 body sound. 



Imaginary lines have been drawn dividing the state into three grand 

 divisions. These lines are based upon the fancied or real productiens of 

 each of these sections. The most northern is known to-day as the dairy sec- 

 tion, the middle is called the corn and cattle section, and the southern the 

 wheat and also cattle section. 



Now I consider these three divisions as nominal as a large portion of 

 each of these sections may, and can, be made to produce nearly or quite the 

 same kind of products as eith^^r of the others. We were told far less than a 

 quarter of a century ago that good butter and cheese could never be made in 

 any portion of the State of Illinois. Dairymen claim, and I have no doubt 

 of its correctness, that where grass, corn and oats grow and mature, and good 

 water can be obtained without serious trouble, and also where stock will 

 thrive, that the ingenuity of man may overcome any and all other obstacles 

 in the way of making good butter or cheese. The question has often been 

 asked of what interest is the dairy of the north part of the state to the people 

 of the middle or southern portion? 



If I may be permitted I will here give you a few hints on this subject, 

 and allow you to draw your own conclusions as to their value. Whatever 

 increases the taxable property in the State or any portion thereof has a direct 

 tendency to lessen the per cent, on the whole property of the State. First— 

 The increase of cows and their value in Illinois during the last decade, as 

 well as other property in connection with the dairy interests, has swelled the 

 amount quite a little. Second— The cow of the dairy only lasts about six 

 years on an average, and as the dairymen of the north part of the State do 

 not raise their cows to any great extent it calls for the annual production of 

 about 100,000 cows to keep up the dairies of the State. Therefore the supply 

 has been largely drawn from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri, but 

 as these States are now largely engaged in dairying themselves, and their 

 increase will be wanted at home, therefore the dairymen of Illinois will have 

 to look in the future elsewhere for their supply. If the middle and southern 

 portions of the State were to turn their attention to raising such breeds of 

 cows as are profitable for the dairy it would seem they might profit by so 

 doing. Then again, the dairy districts do not raise cereals enough to feed 

 the people and their stock. Large amounts of flour and bran are annually 

 purchased in Minnesota which Illinois farmers ought to be able to furnish, 

 and if so it would have to come from the middle or southern portions of the 



