THIRD DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL ASSOCIATION. 265 



ifornia — the idol and the hope of genius and enterprise throughout the 

 world — had turned her face backward upon the march of industrial 

 improvement, had rejected the means by which the people had lifted 

 themselves above the idleness, the ignorance, and the misery of the 

 Middle Ages. The best men of the State were despondent. The 

 members of the State Board of Agriculture were divided in council. 

 The County and District Agricultural Societies were demoralized. 



But the darkest hour of night is just before the break of day. 

 There were a few men in the State who had not and would not cease 

 to hope. A committee of the State Board of Agriculture, with dis- 

 cretionary powers, and with authority to act for the Board in the 

 premises, were at work. Legal advice was sought and failed to point 

 out any way by which the constitutional prohibition could be recon- 

 ciled with the evident wishes of the people. The idea of making 

 the State Board and State Society an exclusively State institution, 

 was suggested ; but against this action was urged the fear that it 

 would thus become a political machine and lose its practical efficiency. 

 More than half of the legislative session was past, and though 

 there were many warm friends of the State and District Societies 

 in both houses, no measure had been proposed looking- to a satisfac- 

 tory settlement of the industrial problem. At this juncture, two 

 members of the Committee of the State Board of Agriculture — one a 

 new and the other an old Constitution man, one a Democrat and the 

 other a Republican — were holding night sessions. All the constitu- 

 tional and political questions were thoroughly discussed, and so far 

 as the committee were concerned, compromised and settled. It was 

 agreed by this committee that one of the highest functions of a gov- 

 ernment is systematically to foster and encourage the industries 

 which at once give food, intelligence, and civilization to the people. 



It was also agreed by this committee that that patriotism that does 

 not rise above party and look solely to the good and the welfare of the 

 people, is not patriotism at all. It was further agreed and settled for 

 all time to come, that no man is fit to fill the high office of Governor 

 of the State of California who will allow his political bias or prefer- 

 ences to influence him in the selection and appointment of members 

 of the State Board, or District Boards, of Agriculture, and that these 

 appointments shall forever be made on account of the peculiar fit- 

 ness of the appointees to discharge the responsible duties devolving 

 upon them. 



Mr. President, were this committee right in its conclusions ? Well, 

 so thought the Legislature, and by its solemn act placed upon the 

 statute books laws indorsing and embodying these three fundamental 

 principles. And all honor to Governor Perkins, that in his appoint- 

 ments of members of the State Board of Agriculture, and of the 

 District Boards, he has never asked for the political faith of persons 

 recommended, but has always insisted that the appointees should be 

 men identified with and directly interested in the material industries 

 of the State. The State Board of Agriculture is composed of twelve 

 members, and each of the District Boards of eight members, and 

 there being eleven District Boards, making the aggregate just one 

 hundred appointees. And right here allow me to say, that from a 

 pretty extensive acquaintance with the farmers, mechanics, and busi- 

 ness men of the State, I ought to be a fair judge of the fitness and 

 qualifications of the men who have been honored with these respon- 

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