THIRTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 97 



Specific Recommendations. 



A careful scrutiny of present lines in which instruction was 

 given and a study of the records of attendance, made it evident 

 that none of the present lines could properly be discontinued. 

 The committee also became convinced that the items included in 

 the report under "New and Enlarged Lines of Work" were es- 

 sential. It should be understood that not all of these lines are 

 new, but that a part of them have been worked out in a small 

 way and that the progress of agriculture and general science, 

 and the demand from the people of Illinois requires their enlarge- 

 ment along lines specified. 



Classes of People in the State Benefited by the Agricultural College. 



It was understood by the committee that it might be claimed 

 that an enlargement and strengthening of the Agricultural Col- 

 lege was class legislation, and was singling out the farmer for 

 benefits denied the other citizens of the state. Secretary Wilson 

 of the Department of Agriculture has stated that eighty-five per 

 cent of all the materials used in manufactures, are agricultural 

 products. All of the railroads in the State of Illinois are depend- 

 ent for a large proportion of their earnings upon the transporta- 

 tion of the farmers' purchases from the cities. Every citizen of 

 the state is dependent upon the farms for his food supply, and 

 every move which increases the productiveness of the farm tends 

 to increase the abundance of his food supply and decrease the 

 cost of the same. In times of large crops the state is prosperous ; 

 in times of short crops the reverse is the case. It should be borne 

 in mind that while trade and commerce do not increase the ag- 

 gregate wealth of the country, but simply transfer it from one 

 point to another, the farmer is a producer and that every per 

 cent by which his crop is increased is so much added to the 

 wealth of the state, and is, therefore, of an advantage to every 

 other citizen in the state. 



However, while in certain of the new and enlarged depart- 

 ments of the college the activities will be directed specifically to 



