112 HENRY HILL GOODELL 



with the board, a member of the standing committee on 

 Institutes and Public Meetings. This involved the selection 

 of subjects for discussion, and his wide and intimate ac- 

 quaintance with men eminent in agricultural matters helped 

 materially in selecting and procuring speakers. During the 

 ten years that the campaign against the gypsy moth was 

 carried on by the State Board of Agriculture, he made many 

 arguments in favor of appropriations for the extermination 

 of the pest. He eloquently warned the legislators of the re- 

 sults of a cessation of the work, and the present condition 

 of the war and its heavy cost are sufficient proof of the 

 wisdom of his unheeded warning. 



The real position of President Goodell in the estimation 

 of his fellow citizens is perhaps as well stated as it could be 

 in the following letter of introduction to President Cleve- 

 land from His Excellency, Governor Russell: 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, 

 EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, BOSTON, Jan. 9, 1893. 



HON. GROVER CLEVELAND, New York. 



MY DEAR MR. CLEVELAND, Mr. H. H. Goodell, 

 President of the Massachusetts Agricultural College, has 

 been appointed by the association of agricultural colleges 

 of the country as a committee of one to wait upon you and 

 lay before you its views in reference to making the office of 

 Assistant Secretary of the Department of Agriculture a per- 

 manent office, and to suggest the name of Major Alvord as 

 their candidate for the position. 



I am very glad to say that Mr. Goodell is a man of the 

 highest character and position here in Massachusetts, 

 thoroughly fearless and independent in his views of polit- 



