FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 115 



beauties of nature are spread before us. All wonderful helps to the 

 development of all that is best and most desirable in human character. 

 Needful and helpful as money is, it may yet be acquired at too great a 

 price. Long pursuit of wealth as the chief aim of life will deprive man 

 of the ability to properl}^ use wealth when acquired. Well known truths 

 you sa}'? Yes, but of such tremendous import that their repetition is 

 justified. 



The proud boast of the local Farmers' Club is that its aim has always 

 been free from sordid considerations, and while it aids in the gaining of 

 money it teaches its noblest uses and enlightens the possessor of wealth 

 in its ministrations to the end that it shall assist in procuring that which 

 is of real and permanent value. 



A growing missionary spirit, a desire that the good enjoyed shall 

 be extended to others, is a sure sign that there is growth in the best 

 attributes of human character. Such a tendency was exhibited in the 

 formation of the State Association of Farmers' Clubs. The preamble 

 of the State Association declares as one of the purposes of the local 

 clubs in forming the central organization, ''to stimulate the formation 

 of other clubs" in order that the benefits which they enjoyed might be 

 extended to other communities. From the time of the organization of 

 the State Association the growth of the Farmers' Club movement has 

 been marvelous. Statistics of the organization prove the wonderful 

 numerical development, but afford no index to the development of its 

 l^ower which seems to have been advancing in a geometrical progression. 



The fundamental causes for these marked results, as has been shown, 

 are found in the purposes and methods of the organization. But a 

 further very potent contributing factor is the energy of a vigorous class 

 of men which was thoroughly enlisted in the cause. The Farmers' 

 Clubs bear united testimony to the efliciency of the department of the 

 Michigan Farmer devoted to their interests, and no enumeration of the 

 forces contributing to the success of the Farmers' Club movement is 

 complete without particular reference to the man who has so success- 

 fully and fearlessly conducted that department — Hon. A. C. Bird, our 

 present Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture — who in his pres- 

 ent position, as in all former positions, has demonstrated his ability 

 to bring things to pass. While we regret his retirement from the posi- 

 tion of editor of our department in the Michigan Farmer, we are grati- 

 fied that Hon. I. Roy Waterbury, a gentleman in whom the Clubs have 

 great confidence, is to succeed him. 



If we consider the matters which have engaged the attention of the 

 central or State organization, we shall find that it has been inspired by 

 the same lofty purposes which have characterized the local clubs. In 

 all its history it has never declared in favor of a selfish purpose. It 

 has never asked that an advantage be given it or to the class which it 

 represents. It is the proud distinction of the Farmers' Club that it has 

 never sought the accomplishment of a purpose which would not have 

 bestowed benefits upon every class equal to those which would have 

 inured to farmers. It has advocated and has aided in bringing about 

 changes which have resulted in direct cash saving to the people of 

 Michigan, but back of it all was a principle which was of greater im- 

 ]>ortance than financial considerations. (The speaker here cited several 

 reforms advocated by the Farmers' Club in proof of the foregoing state- 

 ment.) 



