g ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 
welcome, hoping and trusting as we do that your sojourn with us wiIB 
result in good to all. 
The time allotted unto man for his abode on this earth is entirely 
too short for him to commence as our first parents did, at the begin¬ 
ning of the world, and study up, step by step, the various improve¬ 
ments down to the present day in farming generally, and dairying in 
particular. Therefore men are wont to learn the experience of others 
through the press or by personal associations with their fellow man. 
Taking a survey of our country generallv, we find those agricultural¬ 
ists or dairymen who are most in the habit of associating themselves 
with their fellow man, far better informed in that which pertains to a 
thorough knowledge of agricultural pursuits in their various forms, 
than those who choose to isolate themselves almost entirely from 
their social relations with their fellow co-laborer. 
Dairying serves to improve and elevate the mind of those who 
are engaged in its pursuits, on account of the daily intercourse which 
necessarily belongs to this branch of farming as now carried on in 
this section of the state. 
The dairymen, together with those engaged in other branches of 
agricultural pursuits, hold the most important position of any class in 
this country. We as a people can far better dispense with all others 
than with this class. 
Yet we see many of the young people of the farm rushing into 
the village or city and leaving the farm labor to be performed by 
hirelings (who usually iiave but little interest other than to pass the 
time and take their money and depart) or by their aged parents. 
The result of this in many cases is, the farm is neglected, contingent 
expenses arise, to meet which the farm has to be mortgaged, and 
sooner or later, should this state of things continue, will be swallowed 
up by the increasing dues and eventually go into the hands of the 
capitalist. In this we are only following in the footsteps of our illus¬ 
trious cousins in England, who have allowed 10,207 capitalists to own 
about two-thirds of all the realty in that country. 
We seriously question whether the God of nature ever made or 
man ever invented, a higher or better calling for the young, active 
person, male or female, than that of the honest farmer or dair} 
man’s life. 
It serves to more fully develop the muscular system than all 
other professions put together (if we except the mechanical), and 
