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permeatinfr every nook and corner <>f the State, inoculatini; the teachers of the public 

 schools with the' spirit of industrial ecUication; with tlie experiment stations manned 

 by men especially adai>ted to investiizatino; and to experimentinjjc, and relieved of 

 the greater amoulit of teaching that they are now required tp (io, and of all other 

 ad<liTional w<^rk that interferes with the continuity of their efforts; and with the 

 farmers' institutes as connecting links between them and the people, to keep them 

 in touch with the people and the people in touch with them, and seeing that not 

 onlv no force generated bv eitlier is unused by the i)eople, but that every progres- 

 sive movement of tlie age shall be appropriated by them as far as the forces are 

 adapted to their needs and conditions — I say, with these three organizations work- 

 ing in harmony for the uplifting and the betterment of our agricultural comnumities, 

 the time will speedily come when, with good ])ul)lic roads and beautiful rural homes; 

 with telephones and'free rural delivery, with all that they bring; with the universal 

 use of improved agricultural machinery and labor-saving implements; with the soil 

 restored to its virgin fertilitv and its greater yield of j^roduce and wealth; with 

 improved live stock and up-to-date plant breeding; with splendid i)ublic schools and 

 churches in every comnumitv of the State, agriculture will take its rightful position 

 of dignity and importani-e, and the country will contain the refinement, the culture, 

 and the wealth fif the land. Our city population will cease to be congested, and the 

 ambition of every rightful-thinking inan will be to live in the country, though he 

 may have accunudated his fortune in the city. The problem of keeping the boy on 

 the" farm will be solved, and American civilization will become stronger and stronger, 

 ])einir based ui)on progressive agriculture. 



Conirri'ss has recognized to a limited extent the claims of this work, and for the 

 l)ast several years has included in the agricultural bill an item for the salary of our 

 Farmers' Institute Specialist. Since Congress has recognized the principle of helping 

 this work, and having recognized the claims of the work, I feel sure that there will 

 l)e no trouble whatever in showing that body how inadequate is this help. Until the 

 work is i)laced upon the l)asisof a separate endowment, as outlined above, which I 

 hope and trust will be at an early date, the Secretary of Agriculture should have at 

 his dis])osal at least a dozen meii who should give their entire time to the work in 

 the different sections. 



I therefore recommend that this association appoint a strong committee to present 

 this matter to Secretary Wilson and to urge that he ask of Congress a sufficient 

 appropriation to place the work upon a progressive basis. 



I recommend that this association appoint a connnittee to suggest before this meeting 

 adjourns the number of standing and working committees that this association should 



have. ■ 1 •!• 



I recommend that a committee be appointed to consider the advisability of asking 

 for affiliation in the Association of Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations. 



FEnERAi, Am to Fakmers' Institites. 



F. H. Stadtmueller, of Connecticut. Federal aid to the agricultural colleges and 

 to the experiment stations is justified on various grounds. I can not agree with the 

 remarks of the president of our association that the institute work is analogous 

 to those two features or to those two cla-sses of work. In other words, is the insti- 

 tute work restricted to more purely local issues? And if that is so, have those 

 little circumscril)ed localities the right to bother and i)ester the United States Gov- 

 ernment for aid? I would be rather opposed to national aid to the institute work, 

 with the possible exception of perhaps extending the aid along the lines of assistance 

 in carrying out the work that has been suggested by the Farmers' Institute Specialist, 

 Mr. Handlton; and that is the gathering together, the grouping, of sections of the 

 country, to get the educational men or institutions to provide a sort of normal school 

 for the training, for the development, of institute people. I would not hesitate at 

 this time to oppose any further national aid than might be necessary to cover that 



ground. 



Wesley Webb, of Delaware. 1 think this recommendation for the appointment of 

 a committee to take action to establish an alfiliation between this organization and 

 that of the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations 

 is a very good one, and I hope that action will be taken tending in the future to 

 establisli such relations. 



