398 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



in£ the agricultural interests in this Board is conceded to be 

 wise, and the desire that the executive officer of these 

 bureaus should here be found is expedient, it is questioned 

 whether the future of the agricultural work bound up in and 

 confined to the forty men herein represented is wise and for 

 the best interests of the agriculture of the State ; in other 

 words, it is universally conceded that the secretary of this 

 Board should be ex officio the executive of these various com- 

 missions or bureaus that should centre here, but it is not eon- 

 ceded that better service will be found or stronger and abler 

 counsellors obtained out of this small number than out of 

 the larger field, — the State. 



It is not conceded, I think, that gratuitous service is 

 better or more honorable than is properly and fairly paid 

 service, or that such a gratuitous service is as creditable to 

 the prosperous State of Massachusetts or to the body that 

 accepts such service. It is not conceded, I think, that the 

 agriculture of Massachusetts is receiving such aid from the 

 State as calls for such sacrifice on the part of this Board, or 

 that it is best this method so undemocratic should prevail to 

 the exclusion of the practical farmer who cannot afford and 

 therefore will not accept these positions, though perhaps in 

 all respects admirably fitted for the duties. 



It is not conceded, I think, that a Massachusetts member's 

 usefulness on one of these commissions will be destroyed, 

 lessened or impaired by an agricultural society refusing to 

 re-elect him a member of this Board, or that the short term 

 of office that must necessarily follow from confining the ser- 

 vice to the short term on this Board will be to enhance the 

 value of the service, or accrue to the benefit of the State ; 

 instead, has it not been found that on this Board the best 

 results have been obtained from continuity of service and 

 experience in the work? As the position becomes more 

 important, and ts duties require more wisdom and more 

 skill, the reasons for continuance multiply, and the worth 

 of experience is more apparent and conclusive. 



It is not conceded, I think, therefore, that the agriculture 

 of the State will not suffer loss by these changes, when you 

 go beyond the principle of centring in this office the work, 

 and making your secretary the executive officer in each 



