232 Bureau of Fakmkk.s' Institutes. 



These are encouraging signs of the times, and when we read that 

 nearly forty per cent, of the voting population are farmers, and 

 may decide the result of every election, it is of great importance 

 that their power be wisely exercised. 



Farmers' organizations aid greatly in concentrating force. In 

 Michigan particularly, there are many prosperous and influential 

 farmers' clubs. Probably no other state in the Union has so 

 many. Several years ago these clubs were brought together into 

 a State organization, which has proved remarkably successful. 

 It is safe to sa}- no other organization in the State has a greater 

 influence upon legislation; and the result has been one of the 

 cleanest administrations that the State has known for some time. 

 It is strictl}' non-partisan in its demands and suggestions. The 

 power of combined farmers seems almost unlimited if exercised 

 in the right direction. 



We are accustomed to look upon the American railroad sys- 

 tem as of almost paramount importance in the interests of the 

 country; but I was much interested some little time ago in read- 

 ing the report which the Interstate Commerce Commission had 

 just issued. By comparing the railroad figures with those of the 

 agricultural products for the same year, it was found that only 

 the corn crop of one year would be sufficient to pay all the rail- 

 road w^ages and salaries for 1896, and leave a surplus of more 

 than 198,000,000. The railroad business does not begin to com- 

 pare in magnitude with that of agriculture. In fact, the railroad, 

 like all other business enterprises, lives on the products of the 

 soil and its money is made by handling and sorting what farm- 

 ers have grown and others have bandied. 



I have recently read several articles on the lack of good read- 

 ing in our farm homes. Now, from my own knowledge I think 

 many of these homes are as liberally supplied with good reading 

 as are many of those who are following other professions. That 

 there is a general lack in the majority of all homes of a careful 

 study of current topics, and a general knowledge of the life 

 around us is a fact to be deplored. Children who are early 

 taught in the home to become interested in the forms of govern- 

 ment and those who govern, are forming the basis of good citi- 

 zenship. Many housewives and mothers complain of their utter 



