0<iO STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



sufficiently encouraging compensation will be paid to deputies to en- 

 courage them to develope the art of organizing, and to give the necessary 

 time to pushing the work. 



LEGISLATIVE WORK. 



Since last we met, the State Legislature has held its biennial session, 

 and in accordance with frequent reminders that farmers constitute about 

 one-half of the voting population of our state, and proportionately con- 

 tribute to the support of all its institutions, and further in accordance 

 with expressed desires of members of the legislature and this body, that 

 the wishes of farmers, regarding pending questions, with suggestions, be 

 transmitted to the legislature, that the members may the better represent 

 their constituency, the Executive Committee of the State Grange con- 

 sidered and selected certain measures as being in the interests of farmers, 

 and directed that they be presented to the legislature. Later in the ses- 

 sion, it seemed advisable to call out the support of the Grange on other 

 questions. 



The bills, known as anti-color, to prevent appeals from Justice Courts 

 where small amounts are involved, Traveling Library Appropriation, 

 Farmers' Institute Appropriation, and Continuance of Tax Statistician, 

 originated with the Grange, and were petitioned for. Of these, all were 

 successful except the Appeals and Tax Statistician bills. 



The appeals bill was championed by ^Representative John K. Campbell, 

 who had large odds against him. The bill was strongly opposed in the 

 House by our legal friends which was but natural to expect, for, if passed 

 into law, it would deprive the bar of frequent fat fees in cases of pro- 

 longed litigation, where the litigants were guided by grit instead of judg- 

 ment. The bill finally passed the House by a large majority, and was 

 sent to the Senate, where it rests in the unreported files of the Judicial 

 Committee. Senator Andrew Campbell worked vigorously to have it 

 brought up for action, but could not succeed. This bill was very 'worthy 

 of passage. Its provisions were such as not to deprive any citizen of at- 

 taining justice at law and was intended to save taxpayers much money 

 annually by preventing cases, where small amounts were involved, from 

 going to the higher courts. The bill had the indorsement of the State As- 

 sociation of Circuit Judges, and should have become law. It but awaits 

 the convening of the next legislature. 



The bill providing for a continuance of the investigations of the Tax 

 Statistician was brought before the Senate by Senator Andrew Campbell. 

 Us exact disposition by the Senate, I cannot report for want of the record. 

 It was there buried in some form, and never appeared in the House. It 

 was sought to continue this work, because of the intense interest the 

 farmers and people have in the matter of an equitable and just revision 

 and enforcement of tax laws. A statement of existing facts was con- 

 sidered necessary to bring about such revision and enforcement. The 

 Tax Statistician had been at work for two years with limited assistance, 

 collecting these statements of fact as to how the present laws operated 

 and the manner of their enforcement, and while it was thought by some 

 of the strongest supporters of the movement that the invesigations were 

 not as directly aimed at existing evils as should be, it was plainly seen 

 I hat the work had arrived at a point where the interest of the people de- 



