l82 MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



mainly writing on topics of special interest to the farmers and 

 industrial classes. Thirty-four, the latest number I have seen, 

 are employed in the Agricultural Department at Washington. 

 In this connection, I wish to remind you that near the beginning 

 of this College, there was a mere pittance expended by the 

 United States for agriculture, and the Senate had dropped its 

 committee on agriculture. Today, the government has a 

 Department of Agriculture, regarded by the mass of its citizens 

 as of equal importance to any other of its great departments. 



In my opinion, the creation of this department is largely due 

 to the work and influence of this and ether agricultural colleges 

 and experiment stations. I will not detain you to enlarge upon 

 its widespread and valuable services, as we are to have the 

 pleasure tomorrow of hearing Hon. James Wilson, its present 

 efficient secretary. 



My brother and sister, I appreciate that I have given jou 

 much with which many of you are familiar and that you will 

 regard most of it as ancient history. But experience and obser- 

 vation have convinced me that it is well to review at times the 

 history of the struggles of the Revolution and of the Civil War. 

 It increases cur appreciation of what it cost to establish and 

 maintain a government and so increases our patriotism and 

 anxiety to guard, improve, and perpetuate it. So of our Alma 

 Mater. She has had a long struggle and exists because of the 

 host of intelligent and farsighted men and women who have 

 through years of unwearying persistence and ]")atience stood by 

 her. All this has undoubtedly made her a more efficient and 

 helpful mother, enabling her to send out a stronger heritage. 

 She being older than her sister colleges, her children have gone 

 out in the past to work in other similar colleges in larger num- 

 bers than have the graduates of any other college. Hence, bv 

 this exceptional opportunity they are able to bring back to their 

 Alma Mater their cxpeiiences and observations upon nearly 

 every college and experiment station in this country and in some 



