2 54 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



a trained agriculturist, worth a respectable compensation whether in 

 business for himself or on a salary for others. What engineer, what 

 lawyer, what doctor, or what professor of literatue or art considers him- 

 self able to win success in his calling without an equal training. I tell 

 you, ladies and gentlemen, that if the farms of the United States do not 

 furnish worthy opportunities for men thus trained, the cause of agri- 

 cultural education is well nigh hopeless. I am equally convinced that 

 the farms of the United States do furnish such opportunities. By no 

 means all the five million farms of the United States, but a large enough 

 per cent of them to furnish opportunity for all the graduates that the 

 colleges are likely to send out in the next twenty-five years. 



Men of capital and business judgment are beginning to appreciate 

 that the farms of this nation are distincely limited and their money is 

 being rapidly invested therein. Already those who have to do with such 

 things are finding that there is a demand for persons to make the cap- 

 ital thus invested productive. 



It is by no means asserted that a man must be college bred to be a 

 man of ability or a superiorly trained agriculturists. Such a claim would 

 be both untrue and foolish. It is claimed, however, that a college train- 

 ing is more necessary to a thorough knowledge of his business than to 

 a merchant, a banker, or a manufacturer. It is asserted, moreover, that 

 a college training is a short road to success. If you are in Chicago and 

 want to get to New York, you may take a train or you may walk. Under 

 present economic and social conditions, you had better take the modern 

 method even if you have to borow the money. As a final word on this 

 phase of the subject, let me say if you cannot afford to prepare yourself 

 to be a farmer, do not farm. Enter some other business where the busi- 

 ness itself will teach you success. Far better be a corner grocer or a 

 street car conductor. 



As already suggested, numerous opportunities are now open to 

 trained agriculturists aside from the business of farming. Of the 320 

 young men mentioned a moment ago, thirty-six have graduated from the 

 four-year courses of the College of Agriculture during the past six 



