34 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN S ASSOCIATION. 



are placed and especially, the men of the state of Illinois in 

 regard to the oleomargarine question. 



We have had to fight for what we have got, and now we 

 have to fight to keep it. It is a necessity, and an absolute ne- 

 cessity that our association should take such measures and de- 

 vise such means as will bring this matter to the attention of 

 our state authorities, that something effective may be done by 

 the next legislature of Illinois to give the dairymen of the state, 

 who are certainly entitled to it, representing as they do, the 

 most important productive interest of the state, the relief which 

 they so much need, and have needed for so long. In our conten- 

 tions for this righting of wrong and perfecting such measures as 

 will secure justice and equity for all parties concerned we must 

 not lose sight of a tendency to take narrow and partial views of 

 truth; a tendency to exaggerate and make random statements. 



Disproportion has been a capital mistake. Exaggeration of 

 small things; neglect of weightier ones; want of perspective in 

 judgment; amplification of technicalities and little attention to 

 any germane or allied interests in the solution of the question, are 

 errors to be shunned and avoided. It is a very bad thing to 

 fall into the vice of disproportion. It robs utterances of all their 

 power and such words are as an idle tale in the ears of discern- 

 ing men. 



The real issues of this question at this day are far more pro- 

 found and vital than those over which most of the noise is made. 

 They bring into play the greatest points of political economy 

 and involve the fundamental principles of our governmental or- 

 ganization as a Republic, one and indivisible, created for the 

 best interests of the masses and administered for the people^and 

 by the people. 



As producers we do not urge that any of the questions now 

 in prominence be disregarded. We ask that they have the at- 

 tention that rightly belongs to them and no more; we ask 

 that thoroughness characterize all and every proceeding 

 that may be necessary to arrive at a complete solution of this 

 question, which, under its present legal status is neither more 



