ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. x r 



We find plenty of competion and with modern Russia opening up 

 her vast empire, it will need all the American ingenuity and brains to be 

 able to produce cheap enough and live, when the season comes that we 

 will need to export our surplus. The home market is in splendid shape. 

 We would urge our manufacturers to keep up the high quality of their 

 products, especially cheese. More cheese could be sold in America today 

 than is made, providing you will give the people a full cream, close made, 

 meaty cheese, rich in flavor. Wisconsin and New York are making some 

 of this kind. If we could all do it, the demand would exceed the supply. 

 Since we last met together, the nation has been plunged into deep sor- 

 row through a mistaken, misguided, unbalanced wretch, who took the life 

 of' our beloved president, Wm. McKmley, whose personality and life was 

 an inspiration to those around and about him, in fact the nation. Al- 

 ways full of hope and faith that the right would prevail, and by working 

 with that faith he secured for us the first place among the nations. His 

 sucessor will be a worthy one, full of strength and courage to carry out 

 the wishes of the American people. 



I would call your attention to the Machinery hall, where may be seen 

 the newest and latest devices for the farm, dairy, creamery and cheese 

 factory, and gentlemanly attendants who will be pleased to explain 

 their working. 



As president of your association, I have had the pleasure of meeting 

 With the directors of the State Farmers Institute the past year, and I can 

 assure you I was warmly welcomed, and found the work performed by 

 the Institute certainly to be worth many times its cost to the state in an 

 educational way. 



The state furnishes us the usual appropriation, and we have had 

 printed and distributed throughout the entire state 3000 copies of our an- 

 nual report, which, if carefully read and digested, would be worth its 

 weight in gold, and we believe it is money well spent. Besides, the com- 

 munities in which the meetings are held receive ideas and information 

 that cannot be computed in value. We hope Freeport, surrounded as 



