18 



association; but, in tlie opinion of the committee, oxpevienco sussests the 

 wisdom of concentration of effort upon some single compreliensive, but definite, 

 proposition, rather than an attempted support, necessarily weaker, at the same 

 time, of several more specialized propositions, however meritorious these in 

 themselves may be. This attitude of the association would not prohibit, of 

 course, such indorsement as it might be moved to give to other specific mea- 

 sures affecting technical echication and resoarch initiated by wise statesmen or 

 others. The mining-school l)ill has been l)t'fori> Congress for several sessions. 

 It is an extremely meritorious measure and has a number of earnest advocates. 

 If the association should so direct, no doubt arrangements may be made for 

 the introductit)n of this or a similar bill in the next Congress. Your committee 

 submits to the association, however, in view of the efforts which will be re- 

 quired in comiection with the proposition which will be made to increase the 

 appropriations to the experiment stations, whether it would not he wise to 

 withhold for the present specific instructions to your executive committee in 

 connection with the mining-school bill or similar measure, leaving the com- 

 mittee free to concentrate its efforts to secure the passage of the Adams bill, 

 giving, of course, to the mining-school bill, if introduced, such support as may 

 be practicable or conditions may .iustify. This done, the association might, 

 and in the judgment of the committee should, make appeal to Congress for 

 increased appropriations to the colleges for technical education in general, with 

 greater hope of success. 



Apropos of these suggestions the committee presents a communication re- 

 ceived by it asking action by this convention in connection with a resolution 

 adopted bv the American Forest Congress held at Washington, D. C, January 

 2-6, lOO,^,"^ urging appropriations by Congress " for promoting the teaching of 

 forestry and experiments in forestry in the agricultural colleges and experiment 

 stations of the United States." 



The most delicate, and, in some respects, the most important task assigned 

 your conunittee by the association at the last annual convention was embodied 

 in the following resolution : " In order that Congress may be properly informed 

 as to the work of the agricultural experiment stations and its great value to 

 agricultural practice and to promote satisfactory relations between the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture and the experiment stations, the executive committee of 

 this association is hereby instructed to request a hearing before the proper com- 

 mittees of Congress for' the purpose of presenting the work and claims of the 

 agricultural experiment stations, and to continue conferences with the honoraltle 

 Secretary of Agriculture relative to cooperation between his Department and 

 the statil)ns." In obedience to these instructions your committee sought a hear- 

 ing before the House Conunittee on Agriculture, which was granted at a special 

 session, January 18. 1905, most kindly and courteously arranged for by the dis- 

 tinguished chairman of the committee, Hon. James W. Wadsworth. of New York. 

 The published report of the hearing has been distributed to members of the asso- 

 ciation. It was distinctly understood that no argument was to be made for any 

 pending measures. The Adams bill had already been favorably reported by the 

 conunittee. Your conmiittee was advised to restrict its showing to the " work 

 of the agricultural experiment stations and its great value to agricultural prac- 

 tice." Director Jordan, of the conunittee. presented in writing an able and 

 elaborate review of the work of the stations. At the suggestion of your com- 

 mittee the honorable Secretary of Agriculture, the Assistant Secretary, and 

 other officials of the Department of Agriculture were present at the hearing. 



As the members of the association clearly understand, it has been feared that 

 there might be on the part of Congress a growing tendency to underestimate 

 the stations as a factor in agricultural progress and to regard them as occupy- 

 ing a subordinate position in the field of agricultural research ; consequently, 

 after mature deliberation, it was decided that the i)roi)er course in carrying out 

 your instructions was to deal with the Itroad (luestions of jiublic lieiiertt and 

 "public i)olicy and seek to estaldish in the congressional mind a certain jjoint of 

 \iew as to the relative importance of the stations and as to the wise distribution 

 of national aid to agricultural research. 



The situation, as it impressed itself upon us, appeared to demand, therefore, 

 the presentation of facts along two lines: (1) A somewhat conqirehensive re- 

 view in brief terms of what the stations had alre.ady acconii)lished for practi- 

 cal agriculture as a justification for enlarged supi>ort, and (2) a discussion 

 of the policy that should be followed in the development of agricultural re- 

 search in the United States, whether the prevailing one of centralization with 



