28 
ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
Wednesday, 9 a. m. 
Convention called to order as per adjournment, and 
the discussion of the programme resumed. 
Topic No. 3—“ The supply and demand of dairy pro¬ 
ducts ; and their future market.” Upon which question 
Capt. W. H. Stewart read the following paper: 
CAPT. W. H. STEWART’S PAPER. 
Without going into statistical details of what the supply is- -or 
the demand, which I suppose is measured by the consumption, since 
there appears to be quite an accumulation of surplus,-it is sufficient 
to know that whatever may be the demand, for a long time at least, 
the supply will be readily forthcoming. 
The real question that crowds upon us is, how we may reduce 
the cost of the supply and increase the demand and consumption. I 
have no doubt that by a practical adoption of the rule of the “ sur¬ 
vival of the fittest”—by carefully weeding out from the herd all 
animals which do not come up to a high and advancing standard, and 
then, by warm and healthful quarters, generous and appropriate feed¬ 
ing and kind and careful handling, the cost of the raw material may 
be very much reduced and value increased. 
The question has frequently arisen, whether we would not soon 
get to indulging our American right and custom of riding a good 
thing to death. And the present stagnation and accumulation seems 
to excite suspicion that the dreaded time had arrived. Yet I think 
not, except accidentally. The general pinching financially compels 
the shortening of sail and running close. When cheese is used as an 
extra-a luxury-it goes by the board, and the drying up of the mil¬ 
lion little streamlets, each in itself of no great consequence but in 
the aggregate works a fearful shrinkage of the main river. For this, 
as dairymen, we can only wait and hope for the better time coming. 
While waiting, one thing—which I think is a greater, a more per¬ 
sistent and permanent cause of staying consumption—we may study 
with profit if it leads to action : Kinds of food generally are a matter 
of taste. Taste can be educated. Its gratification grows into a habit. 
Habit makes a necessity, and the necessity makes a permanent, 
