Eeport of the Delegates to the Farmers' 

 Katiois^al Congress,* 



At Indianapolis, Indiana, 1896. 



To liig Excellenc}^ Roger Wolcott. 



Sir : — We are pleased to acknowledge the courtesy of 

 your appointment as delegates from the State of Massachu- 

 setts to the Farmers' National Congress, which held its six- 

 teenth annual session at Indianapolis, Ind., on the 10th, 11th 

 and 12th of November, in the year 1896-, and submit the 

 following re})ort : — 



The Congress assembled in the Representatives Chamber 

 of the State House at Indianapolis, which had been assigned 

 for its meetings, and was called to order at 10 o'clock a.m., 

 on Nov. 10, 1896, by Hon. B. F. Clayton of Iowa, its 

 president. 



Delegates numbering about two hundred were present 

 from the following-named States : Massachusetts, Rhode 

 Island, Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Minne- 

 sota, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Indiana, Ten- 

 nessee, Kentucky, Wisconsin, District of Columl)ia and one 

 from Venezuela, — a less number than was in attendance last 

 year at Atlanta, Ga., but a dignilied and iniluential body of 

 men. 



Prayer was offered by Rev. D. R. Lucas of Indianapolis, 

 after which the Congress was welcomed, on behalf of the 

 city, by ]Mayor Taggart ; on behalf of the press, by J. G. 

 Kingsbury of the "Indiana Farmer:" on behalf of the 

 farmers of the State, by Hon. J. G. Offutt of Jackson 

 County, Ind. ; and on behalf of the State, by Hon. Claude 

 Matthews, governor of Indiana. 



* This report has been transmitted to the secretary of the State Board of Agricult- 

 ure by His Excellency the Governor, with the request that it be included in the 

 "Agriculture of Massachusetts." 



