50 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



NOW IS THIS GOVERNMENT WORTH WHAT IT COSTS? 



I will make a statement of the expense of the government in another 

 way. We have two and one-half millions of inhabitants in this State, 

 and for the average of the last six years it has been about eighty cents 

 per capita, for each man, woman, and child in the State — that is your 

 average of taxes per year. Then you get back 42,cents in the way of pri- 

 mary school fund. Subtract this, and it leaves you about thirty-eight cents 

 per capita, for the entire expense of the State government of Michigan. 

 When you come to put it in that light, and think of the benefits you have, 

 do you believe it is a very expensive government after all? What do 

 you get for this expenditure? First, there are the ordinary expenses of 

 State government — the State officers, the expenses of the Legislature, 

 clerks of the various departments, etc. 



Next, come the educational institutions. We are paying one-sixth of 

 a mill — perhaps one-fifth is nearer — upon your aggregate valuation, for 

 the support of the University. You are paying a smaller amount for the 

 support of the Agricultural College; a considerably larger amount for the 

 support of the Mining School, and quite an amount for the support of the 

 State Normal School. I realize that in speaking of this, I strike a great 

 many people who doubt the wisdom of these institutions. At many times 

 the expenses of the educational institutions exceed what, as farmers, we 

 would think was necessary, but on the whole, it seems to me that you 

 would very much better pay what you do, than not to have them at all. 



I know that in the educational system comparatively few farmers' sons 

 get the benefits of these educational advantages, but you would hardly 

 want to enact laws in such a way as to make it possible for only rich 

 men's sons to get the benefit of a liberal education. All cannot have it, 

 but when you consider the aggregate of the tax — while in some cases 

 there is more than we realize — I don't believe the farmers of Michigan 

 desire to say, ''We will bar our sons, and the sons of our poorer neighbors, 

 from enjoying a liberal education, and give it entirely to the rich men." 



Our University is pretty broad. Possibly it invites too many people 

 from outside, it possibly has too many professors, but after all, it is a poor 

 man's college. The rich men, even of this State, are very liable to send 

 their boys to the eastern colleges which have, as they think, more reputa- 

 tion; yet so far as results are concerned, our University stands the peer 

 of any of them. 



With regard to the Agricultural College. It is hardly necessary to 

 mention that school in agricultural and horticultural meetings. It ought 

 to have the earnest, hearty support of every farmer in Michigan, and in 

 fact of everyone who wishes this commonwealth well. 



The influence of the Normal School reaches perhaps further than any 

 of the others, because that educates the teachers who, in turn, educate 

 our pupils. Up to this time, the graduates of this institution are 

 absorbed by the larger towns and schools in the State; but take away 

 the influence of the Normal School, and it would make a terrible inroad 

 into our educational facilities and results. 



The Mining School is located in the Upper Peninsula and is perhaps no 

 direct benefit to the farmer, but mining is a very great industry in this 



