EDITORIAL. 603 



organized in the South, several States largely developed their activi- 

 ties in extension, an organization of business interests was formed to 

 promote national legislation, and private funds began to be con- 

 tributed for conducting extension campaigns among farmers through 

 meetings and demonstrations. The agencies multiplied and the senti- 

 ment for such a nation-wide movement developed with marked 

 rapidity. The exploitation of the work of the experiment stations, 

 their disclosures of the inefficient, uneconomic and wasteful prac- 

 tices often followed, and the presentation of statistics of farm condi- 

 tions, enforced the conviction that agriculture was not keeping pace 

 with modem progress and that added means were indispensable for 

 reaching and influencing the mass of farmers on the land. 



The opening of the Sixty-second Congress brought a number of 

 bills proposing aid for extension work. Among these was the Lever 

 Bill, introduced by Hon. A. F. Lever of South Carolina, June 12, 

 1911, and the McKinley Bill, introduced by Hon. W. B. McKinley of 

 Illinois, August 10. Subsequently the Smith-Lever Bill was drawn 

 up and introduced by Hon. Hoke Smith of Georgia into the Senate 

 and by Mr. Lever into the House in January, 1912. This measure 

 was eventually modified in some respects and passed by the House 

 in August. It came before the Senate in December, but on January 

 31, 1913, after extended consideration, that body substituted for it a 

 much more comprehensive bill for vocational education and no agree- 

 ment was reached between the two Houses before adjournment. 



Substantially the original Smith-Lever Bill was reintroduced into 

 the Sixty-third Congress April 7, 1913, and on September 6, its 

 sponsors so modified its provisions as to provide for cooperative ex- 

 tension work between the agricultural colleges and this Department. 

 This measure, with some further amendments, passed the House 

 January 19, 1914, and the Senate February 7. After several months 

 in conference the report of the conferees was agreed to, and on May 

 8, as previously stated, it received the signature of President Wilson. 

 It goes into effect, therefore, on July 1, 1914, less than five years from 

 the time the movement for such a measure was inaugurated in Con- 

 gress. 



In its final form the Act provides that " in order to aid in diffusing 

 among the people of the United States useful and practical informa- 

 tion on subjects relating to agriculture and home economics and to 

 encourage the application of the same," there may be inaugurated in 

 connection with the colleges receiving federal aid under the ^lorrill 

 acts, agricultural extension work to be carried on in cooperation with 

 this Department. This work is to consist of " the giving of instruc- 

 tion and practical demonstrations in agriculture and home economics 

 to persons not attending or resident in said colleges in the several 



