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that life. To my mind the fact that our men actively engaged in commercial 

 pm*suits are now anxious to study agricultural conditions and help solve 

 the problems there presented, is one of the most helpful signs of the times 

 in which we live. Because I believe, regardless of the splendid work of our 

 Agricultural Department in Washington, and state agricultural depart- 

 ments, and agricultural colleges, and our experimental stations, we need 

 the viewpoint and the initiative of the business man and his co-operation 

 is bound to be very helpful in giving to those various agencies his advice 

 and in carrying to them his enthusiasm in meeting and working out large 

 problems. 



Now as to one of the methods lately employed to raise the standard 

 of the business of farming; and right here I wish to say if any of you have 

 an idea that farming is not a business, disabuse yourself of that conception, 

 for the elements that go to make the successful farmer are those foimd in 

 the life of the successful merchant, professional man or manufacturer. 



I presume you wish to have from me a brief resume of the " Binghamton 

 Idea," not that we were the originators of the Farm Bureau Idea, but so 

 called by the Department in Washington because the Binghamton Chamber 

 of Commerce was the first commercial organization to co-operate with the 

 other agencies in the field and lend its financial and active support. 



The Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, Uke similar organizations, 

 had until two years ago occupied itself with efforts to make Binghamton 

 a better place to live and do business in. To locate new industries, to 

 develop local industries, to assist employers in getting labor, to develop 

 the trade of local merchants, wholesale and retail, to secure cheaper and 

 better transportation facilities; all with the object of making Binghamton 

 a larger and more prosperous city. With this programme we believed our 

 activities complete. 



A little over two years ago the secretary of our commercial organization 

 and a few of its members began to realize the importance of developing 

 the territory tributary to Binghamton. Only the most casual observation 

 was necessary to convince us the organization was neglecting the most 

 important industry upon which the prosperity of Binghamton depended 

 — ^the industry of farming, which gave employment to more people in the 

 territory tributary to Binghamton than any other industry or group of 

 industries in the city, and needed our careful consideration. 



Upon investigation one of the appalling conditions discovered was 

 the fact that the population of the entire section, exclusive of the cities 

 and growing villages, was less in 1895 than its recorded population in 1865. 

 To a commercial secretary nothing is so serious, nothing counts so much as 

 population. 



It only required a presentation of these facts to the Board of Directors 

 of our Chamber of Commerce to have them authorize the appointment 

 of a special committee to investigate this subject and to report back its 

 findings with recommendations as to the action which should be taken by 



