He moved with his parents to Alden, New York in 1887 where his grandfather lived, and it was there that he gained a first-hand knowledge of dairy farmers' problems and polished his oratorical skills by giving speeches to the corn stalks in the fields.
In 1887, he moved with his parents to Alden, New York, where his grandfather lived. It was there that he learned about the difficulties faced by dairy farmers and developed his public speaking abilities by giving speeches to the corn plants in the fields.