No. 4.] ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 19 



farm a lonely routine of toil, of monotonous drudgery and of 

 meagre return, and to bring into that life all that can be 

 brought into it of thrift, of progress, of energy and of 

 prosperity'. We believe that this is the real end for which 

 you strive, and with our words of welcome bid ' ' God 

 speed." 



But last of all we welcome you as representatives of the 

 Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Commonwealth is 

 the mother of the many towns within her borders. Our 

 municipal existence is derived from the Commonwealth. 

 She has defined our powers and instructed us in the exercise 

 of them. We have no i)rosperity but what is her prosperity, 

 and no misfortune in which she does not share. We wel- 

 come you, therefore, as a child would welcome the coming 

 of a parent interested in our progress, and ready with wise 

 counsel and helpful suggestions to aid us. 



And with our welcome we wish to express our delight 

 with the programme of your meetings. The lectures can- 

 not fail to be a far-reaching help, not as discussions of theory 

 which will interest a few, but of practical suggestion of 

 e very-day importance to many. 



We also ask 3'ou to stay with us through all the meetings, 

 and longer, if }ou wish ; but especially we urge you to visit 

 the farm of our well-known townsman, IVIr. N. I. Bowditch, 

 on Thursday afternoon. We want you to notice the prog- 

 ress exemplified in a comparison between Danforth's Farms 

 of 1690 and Bowditch's farms of 1904. You will then real- 

 ize that the world moves, and moves onward even in Fram- 

 ingham Centre. Here you will find no shells of Puritanism 

 lying dead on the tide-deserted beach, but paths dropping 

 fatness ; pastures clothed with flocks ; valleys covered with 

 corn. 



And now, on behalf of the people of Framingliam, I bid 

 you welcome, and I extend to you the freedom of the town. 



