ASSOCIATION OF FARMERS' CLUBS 499 



more about public affairs. How can indifferent mothers bring up patri- 

 otic sons? Love of country is no masculine virtue. It belongs to men 

 and women alike. The women of 1770, the women of 1861, were per- 

 meated with loyalty to country. Terhaps were some issue involving 

 some great personal sacrifice before them, the women of 1896 would 

 prove as patriotic and as loyal as the dames of the revolution and the 

 civil war. But our country needs not the spasmodic exercise of patri- 

 otic devotion, but the steady and abiding interest of our mothers on the 

 events and issues that are making the history of today. For it is a 

 history-making epoch, as those will realize who live to look back upon 

 it through the perspective of the next decade. Therefore, I say, women 

 need these organizations, that they may hear about and help discuss 

 these crucial topics of public welfare in which all men are, and all 

 women ought to be, interested." 



At the session on Tuesday morning Professor Thompson of the Uni- 

 versity of Michigan addressed the Association in defence of the Uni- 

 versity. Prof. Thompson urged that the Farmers' Club endorse special 

 appropriations. Education in the professions, he urged, was a public 

 need. In this respect, the State University was performing a work 

 that no other institution did, a work necessary to the continued growth 

 and development of the State in art, science and civilization. The per- 

 sonal interest of the farmers in the University, he said, was greater 

 than that of any other class. Over forty per cent of the University 

 students were children of farmers. The agricultural class was the great 

 feeder of all the professions. Furthermore, the farmer had a peculiar 

 interest in the welfare of the University. The farmer's educational 

 facilities were the district school, and he was far more dependent upon 

 the University for higher education than any other class of citizens. 



The discussion of this paper was led by A. C. Bird of Highland, ex- 

 president of the Association. He stated that he was a warm friend of 

 the institution and fully appreciated the great work it is doing. The 

 main question for the Association to consider was whether or not it 

 •could afford to recommend any appropriation in the face of the present 

 condition of the farmer. He charged that there was a tacit agreement 

 last session that if the legislature voted the one-sixth mill tax, the 

 Universitj^ would ask for no special appropriations for several years to 

 come. 



The fifth clause of the declaration of principles was then taken up and 

 adopted by a unanimous vote, as follows: That not more than the 

 regular one-sixth mill tax be granted the University for the coming two 

 years. 



On invitation of the Association, C. V. Deland, State Statistician, 

 gave a short address on the subject of taxation. 



The future of the Farmers' Club movement was presented by A. C. 

 Bird, who predicted a steady, continuous growth for the movement. 



The relation of the State Association to the "Michigan Farmer" was 

 then discussed, the general expression being that the future work of 

 the Association must be largely done through the "Farmer." 



Tuesday afternoon the committee on constitution and by-laws re- 

 ported the following amendments: 



Constitution, Article IV. Changing the date of meeting to the second 

 Tuesday in December. 



