ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN.' S ASiSOCIATION.. 89 



good thoughts that have been presented here, but in this life 

 joj and sadness go hand in hand. Life is intermingled with 

 pleasant scenes, joyous hours and grievous burdens to be 

 borne. And, as farmers, you are accustomed to endure many 

 hardships. We have been enjoying what has been presented to 

 us since this company gathered in this pleasant place and 

 trust you will be able to patiently endure now for a little time, 

 and I will try to give you a few practical reasons, Why Farm- 

 ers Do Not Take Theii' Wives and Daughters to the Dairy 

 Conventions. 



I^erhaps some of you will expect me to say some very 

 unpleasant things about the much ridiculed farmer, by call- 

 ing hini a hay- seed, and tell you he does not care for his 

 family; does not care to have them go from home, to enjoy 

 the dairy convention, or to go any other place of pleasure or 

 profit. And make comments on his broad-toed shoes and 

 coarse garments and rough appearance. I have only one 

 comment to make along this line. Remember, diamonds are 

 found in the rough. I never throw stones through my own 

 windows except accidentally, so I will leave all unpleasant 

 criticisms to those of other professions, and will con- 

 sider the farmer's reason, also that of the wife and daugh- 

 ter, for not being found in larger numbers at the dairy con- 

 vention. I do not consider the farmer at fault in this matter, 

 but think them kind-hearted men, and just as willing to have 

 their wives and daughters to come here as men of other pro- 

 fessions are to take their wives and daughters to places they 

 are specially interested in. There is a great deal said about 

 woman's rights, and I think the women are scarce, yes, hard 

 to be found, who, if they really desired to go to the convention 

 within a reasonable distance of the homes, would not assert 

 their rights and go. But the farmers as a class are "stay-at- 

 home,'- hard-working men and women, and we find many of 

 them willing to make great sacrifices to give their children 

 advantages that they have been deprived of in early life. The 

 inventive genius of the age has made a great revolution on 

 the farm and in the farm homes of the kind of work and 

 manner of doing it. So in all branches of business, improve- 

 ments all along the line. We no longer see the gang of men 

 with scythe in hand cutting the grass, or the sickle or cradle 



