POLITICAL VETERINARIAN ISM IN ILLINOIS. 
905 
been informed, unless it be influenza, which has been quite 
prevalent, but of a mild form, the death rate being quite small, 
most of the deaths occurring in neglected cases. Where there 
has been any outbreak of disease it has been confined to a small 
section of the State. Some of these local outbreaks have not 
been reported. Many of the stockmen of the State have lost all 
confidence in the work done by the State the past four years and 
will not consent to State interference if they can prevent it. 
The past year has been one of prosperity for the veterinarian 
as well as the stockmen of the State. The advanced price of live 
stock has made owners of stock more interested in caring for 
their sick animals, and money being quite plentiful the doctor 
has received more cash for his work and fewer accounts to 
charge and collect in the future. 
The prosperity enjoyed by the profession during the past 
two years will, undoubtedly, cause many of the young men to 
start in the work of educating themselves for the profession, 
notwithstanding the fact that the Governors of this State persist 
in refusing to recognize the graduated veterinarian. Our 
colleges will receive more or less benefit from the present 
prosperity, by a larger number of students, and the colleges 
offering the most complete course of study and receiving the 
most public recognition will, without doubt, receive the largest 
number of students. Our colleges should be the standard- 
bearers of the profession and should at all times refuse to recog¬ 
nize any man or class of men, who, by word or deed, strive to 
cast any reflection on the colleges or their graduates. 
The work of our colleges and the persistent work of scientific 
men in the past few years have elevated the scientific knowledge 
of the profession to a place worthy of the highest recognition of 
every American citizen. 
Gentlemen, as President of this association, I feel that there 
is a duty resting upon me—a duty that I would gladly shun, if 
by so doing I could feel that I was doing my duty to our pro¬ 
fession. The duty that I refer to is the standing of our profes¬ 
sion in this State, and I can assure you that if I did not feel it 
