62 
I BATIOH Between the Stations and THE T\ S. Department of Agriculture. 
This being the special order for the hour. E. a. Bryan, chairman of the 
committee of the association od cooperation, submitted the following report: 
Your committee on cooperation between the stations and the D. S. Depart- 
ment of Agriculture would respectfully report that satisfactory progress has 
been made so far as the details of the arrangement of any cooperative work 
undertaken l>y the stations with the Department of Agriculture are concerned. 
Questions, however, of the most fundamental importance, involving the relations 
of the two institutions, having arisen, the executive committee of this 
elation, on the invitation of the Secretary of Agriculture, held certain con- 
ferences with the Secretary, a report of which has already been made to you. 
It therefore seemed expedient to your committee, pending the period during 
which the executive committee was dealing directly with the problem, to 
submit no further recommendations in the premises. There will doubtless 
continue many questions for adjustment which will require the services of a 
standing committee, there being a similar committee appointed by the Secre- 
tary of Agriculture for that purpose. 
E. A. Bryan. Chairman. 
E. A. Bryan. It has been evident. I think, to all members of this association 
that for some years a number of questions have arisen between the experiment 
stations and the Department of Agriculture which would require adjustment. 
It was perhaps with a view to these questions that a few years ago a committee 
on cooperative work was appointed by this association, which from year to 
year has made reports. These reports were usually brief and related mainly 
to certain details of the contracts which might be made between the experiment 
stations and the Department of Agriculture relative to any given piece of 
cooperative work which might be undertaken by them. As this report indicates, 
very satisfactory progress has been made in that direction, but it has not been 
so apparent that the wlwle matter is settled by the arrangement of these small 
details. In fact, it has become more and more apparent that there are still 
more fundamental questions that remain unsettled, and while the policy of 
the committee thus far has been rather to avoid than to court much discussion 
in this body, yet the time seems to be ripe for a full and free discussion of the 
Avhole question involved. 
The report was accepted. 
A lively discussion, conducted with frankness but good feeling, followed, in 
which it was maintained that a clearer definition of the respective functions 
and limitations of the Department and the experiment stations was essential 
to more effective cooperation, and that the complete autonomy and independence 
of the stations in administrative and in scientific work, but with increased 
funds, would tend to make them more effective cooperating agents. Full con- 
fidence was expressed that a way would be found to prevent any apparent an- 
tagonism or duplication. 
The following resolution, introduced by W. H. Jordan on behalf of the execu- 
tive committee, was adopted after debate: 
Resolved, That this association emphatically recognizes the great services 
which the National Department of Agriculture is new rendering to the science 
and practice of agriculture, and to the institutions here represented, by its help- 
ful cooperation with the agricultural experiment stations and by its able coor- 
dination and wide dissemination of the information secured within itself and 
by the experiment stations: and this association views with disfavor any move- 
ments which, either by legislation or otherwise, shall tend to disturb or lessen 
the mutually advantageous relations which now exist between the Department 
of Agriculture and the experiment stations of the several States. 
Resolved, That this association is firmly of the opinion that the continuation 
and development of these mutually helpful relations between the Department 
and the stations and the maintenance and progress of efficient research in 
agricultural science demand that the autonomy and paramount position of the 
