318 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Spared lor four years, largely depends upon the ways and means 

 that are devised by the County Chairman of Institutes in the differ 

 ent counties. I say that to you after four year's experience along 

 that line with all the manliness that I am able to bring to bear, I 

 want you at all times to give me your best and candid advice, 

 whether it might make me feel good or not, I want to know it. By 

 the uniting together of the best thought and the best practice in the 

 different counties and bringing it together at a meeting of this kind, 

 comparing notes in all the greatness and vastness of this work, we 

 can expect to succeed to the greatest extent. This is not my work. 

 1 am simply the agency for the time being to join with you in the 

 different counties in carrying on this great work which belongs to 

 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 



Now, my friends, a good Providence has very kindly dealt with 

 the farmers of Pennsylvania and this organization during the 

 past four years, when we come to remember that out of this body of 

 men, in the sixty-seven counties of the State, as County Mana- 

 gers, so far as I can recall at this time, there has just occurred five 

 deaths. Shall I recount them? Hon. Gerard F. Brown, of York 

 county, who met with us at Bloomsburg. You remember him. You 

 remember the kindly counsel which he always gave us and the manly 

 man that he was. And then, after him, the Hon. George E. Hep 

 burn, of Delaware county. He, too, was very suddenly taken away. 

 It was my pleasure to serve with him two sessions in the House of 

 Representatives, had a very intimate acquaintance with him, and I 

 bear testimony to his sterling worth. And then, Mr. C. F. Barrett, 

 of McKeau count}-, within the last year. My acquaintance with him 

 was not so intimate, but through years of correspondence I had 

 learned his value as an Institute Manager. Another one was Mr. D. 

 H. Pershing, of Fayette county. Many of you remember him and the 

 great interest he manifested in agricultural matters. He was one 

 of our leading Grange and Farmers' Institute lecturers. .He was a 

 man who kept himself well informed and, having always lived a 

 righteous life, tilled many positions of trust among his neighbors. 

 And then the other loss I shall name, so far as I can recall, is that 

 of J. L. Schreiber, of Lehigh county, now succeeded by the gentleman 

 on my right. You remember this manly man and his i^lain counsel 

 and advice. He often came to my office and gave me counsel, when 

 others knew not of it, of the kind that w^as intended to cement the 

 friendship of man to man and broaden my love for that true man- 

 hood which ennobles. These five have been called to join the Great 

 Majority beyond. Their work is finished here, but the fruits of 

 that work, I believe, will continue many years. Now, my friends, 

 1 simply recall this thought, bringing to our minds that T*rovidenc<' 

 lias been good and kind to us. 



