Proceedings of Seventeenth ISTormal Institute 07 



the subject. In that case, without mentiouiug names, merely state 

 the facts on both sides of the question, and in no case express your 

 own opinion. 



to the farm bureau agents 



I wish to take this opportunity, at a gathering where the county 

 agents are assembled, to express a caution ; and I do this because 

 the state apportions, through the Department of Agriculture, six 

 hundred dollars annually for the work or salary of each county 

 agent. In some cases I feel that the county agent, in his enthu- 

 siasm for his own county, sees no further than the boundary of that 

 county. He forgets the fact that he is also a servant of the state 

 and the federal government, and that there is not the hearty co- 

 operation with the state department that there ought to be. 



In some cases where departmental matters affect an individual 

 or individuals in a county, the county agent has taken the side of 

 the individuals in his county, thus openly opposing and defying 

 the Department of Agriculture, of which he is a part. Generally 

 there are two sides to the question, and the better attitude for the 

 county agent to take would be to communicate directly with the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture; or, if possible, come immediately 

 to Albany in order that he may get the facts on both sides. Some- 

 times it happens that in taking the side of his county, the county 

 agent is not serving the best interests of his constituents, and cer- 

 tainly he is hindering the work of the department. 



Again, in some cases there is not hearty cooperation between the 

 representatives of the department in the field and the county agent. 

 Instead of working together they are woTking against each other. 

 Such actions should not be permitted ; and, where these differences 

 arise, the county agent and the department's agent should come 

 directly to Albany, where, together with Mr. Burritt, the differ- 

 ences may be adjusted. If the department representative is at 

 fault, you can be assured that the error will be corrected ; if the 

 county agent is at fault, it is best for him to know it. 



CONCLUSION 



I do not want to be misunderstood in what I have said this after- 

 noon, especially in regard to my suggestions for the institute 

 workers. Because I have mentioned the legal side only is no in- 

 II— 4 



