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270 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



tnre consider the propriety of imposing a slight tax on some of the 

 products of the State, the proceeds to be applied to the betterment 

 of her roads." 



These are wise words, but if it is not presumptuous T would sug- 

 gest that a tax of one-tenth of a mill be levied on all taxable prop- 

 erty of the State, the proceeds to be expended for the promotion of 

 agricultural knowledge. We sometimes complain because the pro- 

 ducts of the west glut our markets and not infrequently we at- 

 tempt to disparage this section by calling it "the wild and wooly 

 west." Iowa levied a tax of five mills on all taxable property for 

 the maiutenace of one institution — her state agricultural and me- 

 chanical college. Would that the East might get a little "wild" and 

 grow even a short crop of "wool," which would be better than 

 none at all. 



Have the rural citizens of the East lost their pride? Do they pro- 

 pose to stand aside and let the Western states, born when you were 

 an old Commonwealth, outstrip you? 



These words apply to New York as well as to the State which 

 keys the ai'ch. The assessable property of this State is .f3,528,585,- 

 578. A tenth of a mill tax would yield $552,858.00, and would mean 

 that upon each thousand assessed valuation a tax of ten cents would 

 be levied. 



Is such a fund necessary and could it be put to a good use? If 

 the great masses interested in rural pursuits are to be taught 

 many teachers will be required. But a teacher cannot teach ac- 

 ceptably unless he has been taught. Then, somewhere, there should 

 be a central college or laniversity devoted, among other things, to 

 training teachers. In this democratic county there is no good 

 reason why a college may not offer instruction in primary subjects 

 related to agriculture, thereby giving opportunity for the girls to 

 secure a better knowledge of cooking and of the English language, 

 and for the boys to studj' those subjects related to the art of hus- 

 bandry and English, and for other boys and other girls to take such 

 advanced courses as will make them equal in training and in a 

 knowledge of the sciences and languages to the graduates of the 

 so-called literary colleges. The leaders in agricultural affairs will 

 never be equal to the leaders in other professions until they are 

 equal. And to be equal, they must receive instruction, training, 

 discipline and development corresponding in quantity and difficulty, 

 though not exactly in kind, to that received in our great univer- 

 sities, training equal to that required for entrance upon other 

 difficult pursuits and professions of life. 



It all amounts to this — there must be wisdom showil in outlining 

 •ind planning equal to the vastness. intricacies and far-reaching 

 character of the work to be undertaken. When the work is planned 



