THE INTER-RELATION OF CITY AND COUNTRY. 



Hon. Tho^lis P. Gore, 

 U. S. Senator from Oklahoma; Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture. 



Ladies and Gentlemen: I am obliged to your presiding officer for his 

 very courteous presentation. I must plead guilty to the suggestion that 

 I have been somewhat busy during the extra session and during the recent 

 weeks. Indeed, I might say that my desire to be present and to attest 

 my interest in your organization is proven by the fact that I have torn 

 myself away from an extra session of the Senate. At least, we like to 

 imagine that we are pretty busy dowTi in Washington, and especially do 

 we like to have other people imagine that we are pretty busy in Wash- 

 ington. Yet I believe that nothing which Congress ever does seems to 

 give such universal satisfaction as its adjournment. The people generally 

 seem to look upon the adjournment of Congress a good deal like an old 

 darkey I used to know in Mississippi. If any of you people come from 

 that region you know that there is nothing that the southern "darkey 

 enjoys better than a funeral. On one occasion an old Uncle was return- 

 ing from one of those outings, when he happened to pass one of the white 

 laborers by the way. The white man says, "Hello, Uncle, Brown is 

 dead?" He saj^s, ''Yes." He said, "What seemed to be the complaint?" 

 "Well, sir," he repUed, "I ain't heard no complaint yet; it seems to give 

 pretty general satisfaction." [Laughter.] That is the way the country 

 generally seems to look upon the adjournment of Congress. 



Now, my friends, I appreciate the opportunity to be present. I 

 have come to attest my interest in the purposes and in the objects of this 

 organization. As chairman of the Committee on Agriculture of the 

 Senate, I wish to set the seal of my approval, for whatever that may 

 signify, upon this organization, and upon all other organizations which 

 seek to promote the progress and prosperity of agriculture in this country, 

 and which seek to bring about a better understanding and a better relation- 

 ship between the residents of the city and the residents of the country. 



There are many organizations, and a gromng interest in this subject, 

 as proven by the multiplication of societies dedicated to the betterment 

 of rural life. I hope to see a consolidation of many of those societies and 

 many of those organizations, and I hope to see the co-ordination and co- 

 operation of them all. In division there is waste; in union there is effi- 

 ciency, and while we counsel the elimination of waste and the stimulation 

 of efficiency as one of the great means for the betterment of agriculture, 



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