ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 81 



other successful methods and useful appliances, by the quick eye of business 

 perception and the enlightened intelligence of cultivated minds. 



I do most heartily and sincerely congratulate you upon, and take a lively 

 interest in your genius and Achievements, notwithstanding I am aware of 

 the fact that among many people I shall not receive that credit for sincere 

 interest that I would if I were only a plain, independent and private citizen. 

 For the misfortunes of our political customs and practices are such that 

 whenever one is elevated to high ofl3.ce by the favor and confidence of his 

 fellow men he is at once branded as a professional politician, and is thence- 

 forth, by many people, deemed incapable of taking an active interest in pop- 

 ular affairs except as a means of accomplishing selfish political ends. But 

 after a considerable time of real experience in public affairs, my once ex- 

 ceedingly sensitive mind is becoming insensible to these assaults, and by 

 practice I have reinforced and hardened my cuticular covering until I begin 

 to feel quite comfortable under the rain of the steel-pointed darts of calumny 

 as they fall broken and harmless from my side. The number of people en- 

 gaged in this business is so great and the industry so important, that it 

 should not only always receive executive recognition and favor, but should 

 be the object of special care and protection in our legislation, whenever such 

 protection is needed. Some salutary laws have already been enacted for the 

 protection of, and to enforce the principles of honesty in, this business, and 

 other legal protection might be suggested which would be proper. I find 

 upon reviewing the statute laws upon this subject that there is a strong inti- 

 mation therein contained that there may possibly be found in your calling, 

 as in all others, men who do not always do business with the rule of strict 

 integrity as their guide. 



I find it therein intimated that men have been known in the dairy busi- 

 ness who will adulterate milk with water and other " deleterious " substances, 

 and will even withhold '' strippings " from milk which they sell for human 

 food, or manufacture into full cream cheese. That it is even intimated as 

 possible that some might be mean enough to sell milk from diseased or swill- 

 fed cows, and palm off skimmed milk upon the hungry little cherub at the 

 family table, who eagerly seizes his cup to quaff the delicious draught, but 

 hastily sets it down again and gives vent to his indignant expression upon 

 the outrage. It is also therein intimated that there are some so mean and 

 regardless of common honor that they will commingle oleomargarine and 

 animal fats with colored butter, and strange to say neglect to mark upon the 

 package the component parts of the vile compound. In the statute concern- 

 ing the adulterations of butter and prohibiting the same as a crime, there is 

 a very amusing section, forcibly illustrating the generosity and tenderness 

 of the average legislator and his susceptibility to be misled by the wily fraud 

 who would adulterate butter ; for after gravely providing in the act that any 

 person who shall mix oleomargerine, suine, butterine, beef fat, lard, or any 

 other foreign substance with any butter or cheese intended for human food, 

 and offer it for sale without marking plainly upon the package its true con- 

 tents and component parts, that he shall be deemed a criminal, and for the 

 first offense may be fined $200, for the second $200 and be imprisoned in the 

 county jail, and for the third and subsequent offenses be fined $2,000 and 

 imprisoned in the penitentiary from one to five years. And then the gener- 



