FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 71 



clubs and the granges of Michigan working harmoniously side by side 

 for the same general purposes. In the discussion of this question it is 

 possible that I have not gone far enough in defining the need of farmers' 

 organizations. There may be those who think there are questions of 

 public policy which demand of the farmers of our country the organiza- 

 tion of independent political parties. It seems quite evident from the 

 records of the past and the nature of our general political structure 

 that such movement would be unwise and its promoters would fail to 

 realize their desires in that way. Any organization which seeks to bring 

 the farmers together for general mutual benefit must be careful not to tres- 

 pass in any way upon the religious and political rights of its members. 

 Along these lines the work must be educational. The tendencies of such 

 education will be in the direction of freeing farmers from party boss 

 dictation, and the exercise of greater independence in voting as their 

 interests may appear from the conclusions drawn from club and grange 

 discussions. Our conclusions are that the time is near at hand when from 

 the effect of a liberal discussion of public questions by the farmers' organ- 

 izations of the State there will be created such a large politically inde- 

 pendent force as will act as a guiding star to all party managers. It 

 seems clear that at the present time the most important work of our 

 farmers' organizations is to so educate as to permit this great percentage 

 of our population to exert an intelligent and just influence upon public 

 affairs. 



It is evident that farmers' organizations have come to stay, and through 

 their influence the agriculturists of America will maintain a social, 

 intellectual and influential standing second to no other part of our 

 people. If time would permit I would consider it profltable to lay before 

 you some of the achievements of farmers' organizations, for the record 

 is brilliant with successes. I would also lay before you some of the most 

 urgent duties. I cannot forbear one reference. Farmers of Michigan, 

 our district school system, which for efficiency, convenience and cost, 

 challenges comparison with any system in operation in any locality or 

 country in the world, is in danger. The farmers' organizations of Michi- 

 gan have stood as a rock for its defense, and on two or three occasions 

 their influence with the legislature of the State has been sufiicient to 

 prevent bills from passing which proposed centralizing processes. It 

 seems strange that now in this progressive age when the telephone, the 

 electric car, rural mail delivery, one-day institutes and farmers' organi- 

 zation are all headed our way, thus bringing these helpful agencies 

 close to our doors, that there should be a proposition so ancient and so 

 retrograding in character as to deprive us of our district schools and in 

 their stead to establish some centralized plan which will compel us to 

 tax ourselves for the hire of liveries to take our children to them. Our 

 farmers' organizations have proposed the giving of higher school privi- 

 leges to our district schools by adding another grade, thus giving our 

 children opportunities until their fourteenth to sixteenth year. This plan 

 demands a higher grade of teachers' certificate and better wages in propor- 

 tion. This plan would increase the enrollment in district schools fully one- 

 fourth. This demand from our people has been unheeded. I cannot 

 discuss the matter as its importance demands. Our farmers' organiza- 

 tions must stand firm for their own in this matter. There is a diploma 

 or reward of merit in existence somewhere in our State giving Michigan 



