^94 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



and always willing. I am glad, and I think you are, that you have pre- 

 vailed upon your President to accept his office for another term. 



I was invited to talk some time ago by the committee and I almost 

 promised to do so, provided I could be here when tliey wanted me, but 

 3 was sure at the time that my duties in court would keep me away. 



Your committee informed me that this was, as your resolutions stated 

 liere today, no platform convention, and that I would not be permitted to 

 talk about politics. I suppose they thought I might find some other sub- 

 jects on which I can talk, but I fail to find them. But I am glad of an- 

 other thing that in your resolutions you express the confidence, that I 

 liope every one of you feel, and that is that the citizens of this state and 

 ^his country ought to feel in the honesty and uprightness cxf our judi- 

 ciary. This system of government depends upon law and upon the en- 

 forcement of law. I know, and perhaps some of you have not thought, 

 liow difficult it is sometimes for a judge to decide a case as he would like 

 to decide it. If I could decide cases according to my sympathy it would 

 l)e an easy and a pleasant duty, ])ut I find that very often my ideas of the 

 law, as the ideas of every other judge, must come in conflict with the 

 sympathy of others, and must decide cases as the facts represented com- 

 ply with the law, and in declaring the law must understand it to be the 

 law of the case, as the safety of our welfare depends on that. 



A good government depends upon the observance of the law and 

 ■wTien a decision is once made, we have nothing to do but abide by it. 

 Many judges have decided cases different from what I have, but they are 

 Jionest in so doing, and I hope the time will never come when we as 

 American citizens shall have to doubt the integrity, the honest^,,, and' the 

 uprightness of our judiciary, for upon that depends the safety of our 

 institutions and our welfare. It is what we depend upon and fight for, 

 :>ur liberty, our safety, and security of our property. 



I have got nearer to making a speech than when I commenced and 

 1 ^on't know but some may think I am transgressing your rule. Insti- 

 Ttutions of this kind are for the benefit of the members and of the people. 

 I believe in organization; I believe in dairymen organizing and work- 



