19 
'Athens, Ga., October .'/. 190S. 
" Hon. James Wilson, 
•• x- ,-,-, tary of AgricuUun . 
"Deak Sir: Ai the last annual meeting, the Association oi American Agricul- 
tural Colleges and Experiment Stations, after careful deliberation, expr ased in 
formal motion the conviction that the time had arrived when increased appropriations 
for the work of the experiment stations mighl be made, with greal advantage to the 
agricultural interests of the country, by Congress. The executive committee of the 
association was charged with consideration of proper measures in the premises. We 
arc aware that the Office of Experiment Stations of your Departmenl has, during the 
past year, made exhaustive inquiry into the conditions ami needs of the work of the 
stations in the United States. The report of the Director of the Office, soon to be 
submitted to you, will, no doubt, contain the statement of all necessary facts upon 
which a judgment may be based as to the propriety and desirability of asking such 
additional appropriations at the hands of the present Congress. As furthering such 
purpose] am directed by the executive committee to bring, respectfully, this matter- 
to your attention, and to beg that you will give consideration to such facts in this 
connection as may be presented in the report of the Director, and, in the event that 
the facts should seem to you to justify such action, you will be pleased to recommend 
in your forthcoming report to the President of the United States additional financial 
aid by the General Government to the agricultural experiment stations established 
under the act of Congress of March 2, 1887, commonly known as the 'Hatch Act.' 
Your kind attention to this request will be greatly appreciated. 
"In behalf of the executive committee, by 
" Very respectfully, yours, 
"H. C. White, Chairman." 
The report of Director True, recently submitted, exhibits a full and courteous 
response to the request of the committee. Due reply has been received from Secre- 
tary Wilson and the committee has in progress further conference with him. This 
matter is now referred back to the association for such further action as this conven- 
tion may consider advisable. 
Notwithstanding serious effort and considerable correspondence, your committee 
was unable to secure the consent of any institution represented in the association to 
undertake the conduct, under its auspices, of the Graduate School of Agriculture. 
Under the circumstances the committee did not think it wise to attempt to arrange 
for a graduate school during the summer of 1903, or to exercise the authority given it 
to assess upon the colleges and universities represented in the association a proper 
proportionate contribution to meet the expenses of a graduate school undertaken by 
the association independently of the initiative of some institution. The committee 
are of opinion that the interests of graduate work in agriculture are not unfavor- 
ably affected by failure to follow up, in a succeeding summer, the most admirable 
work of the graduate school at the Ohio State University in 1902. The time is, per- 
haps, not yet ripe for annual sessions of a Graduate School of Agriculture. Biennial 
sessions, at most, would perhaps at present be practicable or desirable. Your com- 
mittee earnestly urge the maintenance by the association of the graduate school, 
under some suitable arrangements which may be found practicable, and recommend 
the creation by the association of a standing committee on graduate work in agricul- 
ture which shall be charged with the special care of this important phase of educa- 
tional work, suggesting that such committee may, at this time, appropriately sup- 
plant the existing standing committee on "graduate work at Washington." 
On request of the committee on collective college and station exhibit at the St. 
Louis Exposition, your committee gave prompt and cordial consent to the addition 
to that committee of Hon. W. T. Harris, U. S. Commissioner of Education. 
On application on April 8, 1903, by Mr. F. D. Coburn, chief of live stock section, 
Louisiana Purchase Exposition, for appointment of two representatives of this asso- 
ciation on an advisory committee to said section, your committee, through the chair- 
man, nominated Prof. T. F. Hunt, of the Ohio State University, and Director ( !. F. 
Curtiss, of the Iowa Agricultural College, as members of the advisory committee, 
both gentlemen accepting appointment. 
Prof. H. L. Bolley, of North Dakota, on going abroad in the service of the F. S. 
Department of Agriculture, resigned his office of chairman of the Section on Horticul- 
ture and Botany. After consultation with Prof. H. H. Hume, of Florida, secretary 
of the section, who preferred not to undertake the duties of chairman, your com- 
mittee, through the chairman, requested Prof. J. C. Arthur, of Purdue University, to 
serve as chairman for the ensuing session. On June 26, 1903, Professor Arthur kindly 
indicated his willingness to act as chairman of the section. 
