Introduction. 



The suggestion of the conference, under the auspices of the 

 Governors of Xew England, was first made by Mr. Herbert Myrick 

 of Springfield, editor of the " New England Homestead." At the 

 suggestion of j\Ir. Myrick, various Massachusetts organizations in- 

 terested themselves in the matter. In accordance with their sug- 

 gestion. Governor Guild of Massachusetts issued an invitation to 

 the Governors of the Xew England States to meet him on Septem- 

 ber 14 at the Algonquin Club at luncheon. Every Governor was 

 present, with the exception of Governor Cobb and Governor-elect 

 Fernald, of ilaine, Governor Guild having accidentally chosen the 

 date of the Maine State election. There were present also Mr. 

 Myrick; President Kenyon L. Butterfield of the Massachusetts 

 Agricultural College at Amherst; President Fred T. Ley of the 

 Springfield Board of Trade, representing also the State Board of 

 Trade; and C. D. Eichardson, Esq., Master of the State Grange. 



It was agreed at this meeting that such a conference should 

 be held under the auspices of the Governors and Governors-elect. 

 It was further agreed that there should be invited as oflBcial dele- 

 gates the Lieutenants-Governor, the Attorneys-General, the Presi- 

 dents of the Few England Senates, the Speakers of the New 

 England Houses of Eepresentatives, the Members of Congress and 

 United States Senators from New England. To these official 

 delegates it was decided to add prominent citizens, to be named 

 by the Governor of each State, the allotment of each State to be 

 two for each Eepresentative and two for each Senator. Governor 

 Guild was unanimously requested to preside, and Mr. Frank L. 

 Dean of AVorcester was designated as secretary. At an adjourned 

 meeting at the Algonquin Club, on October 10, Maine was repre- 

 sented both by her Governor and Governor-elect, and assented to 

 the proceedings of the previous meeting. 



The programme and scope of the first meeting, including the 

 speakers to be invited, was there definitely decided. It was also 

 determined that discussion should be confined to the delegates to 

 the conference; that no resolution should be entertained for adop- 



