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the old days. Every step, every forward movement in this State along the 

 agricultural line has been influenced by the wisdom of this man. This is not 

 a farewell address. It is true this man is to leave the State, and in a way 

 perhaps it is a farewell address in his official capacity; but I cannot help 

 but believe that the wisdom of this man is going to be extended personally 

 and by the use of the pen for many years to come. I want to present to you 

 now Dean Davenport it is almost unnecessary to mention his name in this 

 connection who will now speak to us. [Applause.] 



THE ILLINOIS FARMERS' INSTITUTE AND ITS JOB. 

 (E. Davenport.) 



It is now considerably over a quarter of a century since the Illinois 

 Farmers' Institute entered upon one of the most useful and forward looking 

 programs that ever engaged the activities of any agricultural organization. 



It is not my purpose 

 to attempt a review of 

 this notable service to 

 agriculture. My purpose is 

 rather to call attention to 

 some special features of 

 this work as they have 

 come to my attention, 

 partly by way of grateful 

 acknowledgment for per- 

 sonal and official assist- 

 ance, but more especially 

 to call attention to the 

 kind of work the Farmers' 

 Institute is especially well 

 prepared to undertake. 



I am the more encour- 

 aged to call attention to 

 the achievements of the 

 Institute in the past and 

 its opportunities for serv- 

 ice in the future because 

 the question is sometimes 

 asked: "Why do we need 

 so big a machine for so 

 small a grist; and cannot 

 somebody else hold the 

 institute meetings as well 

 as the State Institute, the 

 Agricultural College or the 

 Department of Agriculture, 

 for example?" 



In one form or an- 

 other I have been asked 

 this question many times, 

 and I have always an-' 

 swered in effect that if it 

 is only the county insti- 

 tute meetings that are in mind, or even the annual state meeting, like the 

 present great gathering, almost any public agency could make the arrange- 

 ments, hold the meetings, and run off the programs as well as can the State 

 Institute. I have even gone further and said that if we had nothing in 

 mind but public meetings, I am not sure but that the College could beat the 

 Institute. Indeed, I am not certain but that the State Department of 

 Agriculture could beat either of us for a time. 



DEAN DAVENPORT 



