New York 
 
 State College of Agriculture 
 
 At Cornell University 
 
 Ithaca, N. Y. 
 
 Library 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS 
 
 HEARING 
 
 BEFOBE THE 
 
 COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY 
 
 UNITED STATES SENATE 
 
 SIXTY-SECOND CONGRESS 
 
 SECOND SESSION 
 
 ON 
 
 S. 4563 
 
 A BILL TO ESTABLISH AGRIOULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS! 
 
 IN CONNECTION WITH THE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES IN THE 
 
 SEVERAL STATES RECEIVING THE BENEFITS OF AN ACT 
 
 OF CONGRESS APPROVED JULY 2, 1862, AND OP 
 
 ACTS SUPPLEMENTARY THERETO 
 
 Printed for the use of the Committee on Agriculture and Forestry 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVEENMENT PBINTING OPI'IOE 
 
 1912 
 
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY, 
 
 United States Senate. 
 
 HENRY E. BUENHAM, New Hampshire, Ghairmem. 
 ■FEANCIS E. WAEREN, Wyoming. JOHN H. BANKHBAD, Alabama. 
 
 ■GEORGE C. PERKINS, California. THOMAS P. GORE, Oklahoma. 
 
 SIMON GUGGENHEIM, Colorado. GEORGE E. CHAMBERLAIN, Oregon, 
 
 ■CARROLL S. PAGE, Vermont. ELLISON D. SMITH, South Carolina. 
 
 ■COE I. CRAWFORD, South Dakota. LE ROY PERCY, Mississippi. 
 
 WILLIAM O. BRADLEY, Kentucky. HOKE SMITH, Georgia. 
 
 WILLIAM LORIMER, Illinois. OBADIAH GARDNER, Maine. 
 
 ASLE J. GEONNA, N6tth Dakota. 
 
 Edwaed I. LittlefieTjD, Clerk. 
 Charles D. Babnakd, Assistant Olerk. 
 2 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DE- 
 PARTMENTS WITH AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 
 
 FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 1912. 
 
 IjTsriTED States Senate, 
 Committee on AGRicur.TUEE and Forestry, 
 
 Washington. D. C. 
 The committee met at 10.80 o'clock a. m. 
 
 Present: Senators Burnham (chairman), Perkins, Page, Crawford, 
 Gronna. Gore, Chamberlain, Smith, and Gardner. 
 
 The Chairman. This meeting has been called to consider Senate 
 bill 4563, a bill introduced by Senator Smith of Georgia. I under- 
 stand several gentlemen are here prepared to make statements, and I 
 will ask Senator Smith to proceed in his own way in the matter. 
 
 Senator Smitii. I would be glad to have Dean Russell to present 
 his statement first. 
 
 STATEMENT OF DR. H. I. RUSSELL, OF MADISON", WIS., DEAN OF 
 THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WIS- 
 CONSIN. 
 
 I have explained to the committee several times that this measure 
 is really an outgrowth of the suggestions of the colleges of agricul- 
 ture and experimental stations. We will be able to bring before you 
 before the hearings are over the chairman of the executive committee 
 of the colleges, but he is engaged to-day before the House committee. 
 Now, Mr. Russell, will you be kind enough, in your own way, to 
 present your reasons for advocating this measure and your acquaint- 
 ance with the facts? 
 
 Dr. Russell. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, as in- 
 dicated by Senator Smith, this bill represents the ideas of the agri- 
 cultural colleges and experimental stations with reference to the 
 organization of this comparatively new line of work known as agri- 
 cultural extension. The facts of the matter are, gentlemen, that the 
 work of the Federal experiment stations, which was designed by 
 Congress to be mainly for. research purposes, results in the accumula- 
 tion of data with reference to agricultural uses, which is very valuable 
 indeed, but when carried on by the experiment stations as they are 
 now organized does not reach the farmer on the ground. The results 
 that are needed most are to get this work in touch with the farmer 
 himself. In the Federal experiment stations you have the dynamo- 
 creating energy, producing results that must be utilized to get those 
 results into practice. The man on the soil is the motor that does 
 the work. You know that the dynamo is of very little use in this 
 world unless it is connected up with the motor, and the wire that 
 
 3 
 
4 TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTTJBAL EXTENSION DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 makes the connection is the thing which converts the electrical energy 
 into motive power that results m doing something. This extension 
 movement is that live wire, it is the thing which connects the work 
 of the agricultural colleges and the experimental station with the man 
 on the ground, who gets this information. How have the agricul- 
 tural colleges been trying to do this work ? In the main, it has been 
 through the publication of literature, of bulletins of various kinds, 
 and I can perhaps illustrate in no better way the inefficacy of the 
 bulletin or the paper method of doing this work in comparison with 
 the demonstration method than to give an illustration from my own 
 experience. In connection with my own personal work with the 
 University of "Wisconsin it was my lot to handle the bacteriological 
 side of the work. In that we had to deal with animal disease, bovine 
 tuberculosis. In a great State like Wisconsin we had that subject 
 to contend with. We had studied this question and we had prepared 
 bulletins with great care and from a popular point of view, so as to 
 make them as presentable to the farmer- as we could possibly do. 
 
 We were getting on an average of about 1,000 tests of dairy cattle 
 per year, when it occurred to me, something like five or six years 
 ago, that if we were going to make any headway whatever in com- 
 bating the disease of bovine tuberculosis, we would have to hit the 
 farmer a great deal harder than could be done by the paper-bulletin 
 method ; so I devised a system of holding public post-mortem demon- 
 strations by going to a man's herd and testing his herd of cattle, and 
 we will suppose that 15 or 20 or 25 per cent reacted. We then took hold 
 of that farm and made a public post-mortem demonstration, gathering 
 the farmers in the community so they could see the condition of those 
 animals, both before they were killed and after they were killed ; in 
 fact, we showed them the actual goods. Now, what was the result of 
 that demonstration method, as compared with the paper method? 
 As I say, before that, although we had preached the matter up and 
 down the State, we were getting just about 1,000 tests a year. We 
 have over 2,000,000 cattle in Wisconsin, so you can see how long a job 
 we had before us. The first year we started out on this public post- 
 mortem demonstration we got 9,000 tests, the next year 23,000, 
 the next year over 50,000 tests, the next year over 100,000, and 
 the next year there were over 200,000 cattle tested in Wisconsin vol- 
 untarily by the farmers as a result of this public post-mortem dem- 
 onstration. Now, that, to my mind, gentlemen, illustrates the effect 
 of the paper-bulletin method as against the personal-contact method. 
 If we are going to have any results that are worthy of the use of 
 Federal moneys, they can only be accomplished by getting in touch 
 with the farmers and bringing them in personal contact with the 
 work which we want them to perform. 
 
 Starting on that theory, recognizing the importance of the work 
 along these demonstration lines, we started, some four years ago, in 
 Wisconsin, on exactly this kind of a movement which it is now pro- 
 posed to nationalize. We are getting $40,000 from our State to-day 
 for this kind of work, and every time we go to the legislature and ask 
 for an increase, it is granted — every cent. We have not had a time 
 when the legislature has not said, " Gentlemen, that money is well in- 
 vested, and we believe that for the purpose of building up the State we 
 can do nothing better than foster this experimental extension work." 
 But we want to see this work carried beyond the boundaries of any 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPABTMENTS. 5 
 
 State ; we want to see it national in scope. There are to-day 44 States 
 in this agricultural extension work, already organized under the ag- 
 ricultural colleges to a greater or less extent. There are 8 or 10 of 
 those stations at least in which they are spending anywhere from 
 twenty-five to fifty thousand dollars a year, so that you see that this 
 proposition which is brought before you is no half-baked proposition 
 of a theoretical kind. It is a proposition which has been tried out and 
 tested and found to be the most effective way in which to reach the 
 man on the soil. I do not need to take up your time to tell you why 
 we need to reach that man, that our declining fertility and condi- 
 tions which exist on our farms are resulting in an impoverishment of 
 our soil and we have to apply scientific methods. You know that as 
 well as I, but I do want to give you one or two personal instances to 
 show you the efficacy of this method of giving out information and its 
 value. 
 
 I want to speak, for instance, of the work of Dr. Hopkins down in 
 Illinois. Dr. Hopkins has for years been laboring on this problem 
 of soil fertility. He is one of the greatest of our soil chemists in 
 America, and I will give you an instance to show the efficacy of his 
 work. They have something like. 50 or 60 of these demonstration 
 farms in the State of Illinois. Thev so to these farms and first make 
 a soil diagnosis. Now, that is the essence of all curative processes, 
 first to start with a diagnosis. If you have anything the matter with 
 you you want your physician first to make a proper diagnosis, and, 
 gentlemen, we are already reaching the stage where we have to have 
 a soil doctor ; we are reaching the stage where we have to know what 
 the condition of that soil is, and Dr. Hopkins goes out and makes 
 these investigations of the soil and finds out whether the soil lacks 
 in phosphate, lacks in potash, or lacks in nitrogen, and then applies 
 the remedies. Let me give you one case which Dr. Hopkins told me 
 about down in Illinois. Down near Egypt, in the southern part of 
 Illinois, where the land is poor, they started one of these demonstra- 
 tion farms, and Dr. Hopkins's analysis showed that that soil was 
 lacking in phosphate, and that an application of $1.50 worth of 
 phosphate to that soil would change it from a soil that would nor- 
 mally yield from 12 to 13 bushels of corn to one which would yield 
 from 50 to 60 bushels. Now, that is a fact which Dr. Hopkins told 
 me about. They started this demonstration farm at one of those 
 sections, called in the farmers from all the surrounding counties and 
 called a meeting, at which they pointed out the value of rock phos- 
 phate as a remedy to a depleted soil in restoring the fertility. 
 
 One gray-haired old man came up to Dr. Hopkins and said, with 
 tears in his eyes, " Mr. Hopkins, I want to thank you for what I 
 have seen to-day, but God help me if I only knew that thing 40 
 years ago." He said, " I have got six boys in my family, and I have 
 Kabored night and day to keep body and breeches together and to keep 
 the family together, and what have I got on my farm— 12 to 15 and 
 16 bushels of corn to the acre is all that I could make." He further 
 said, " Now, I would like to have sent my boys to college, I would 
 liked to have given those children an education, but I could not raise 
 enough crops on that piece of land that I have owned, and so I have 
 tilled all my lifetime and have earned barely enough to support my 
 family." " Now," he said, " if a man had only come to me when I 
 was a comparatively young man and told me the thing that you have 
 
O TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTURAL EXTENSION DBPAETMENTS. 
 
 told me to-day, that $1.50 of rock phosphate would have given me the 
 50 bushels of corn crop, the crop which was raised right over the 
 fence from where I am, I could have sent my children to the high 
 school and to a university, and," he said, with tears running down his 
 face, " I am at the end and nobody told me that." 
 
 Now, how are those poor devils going to find this thing out ? They 
 read the paper and they find these thmgs in the agricultural press, 
 but they do not sink in, gentlemen. You have to handle the man 
 who does things with his fingers in a different way than you handle 
 the business man or the professional man who handles things with 
 his brain more readily, and the farmer is a man who can not and 
 will not sit down and read things out and ask things, except in the 
 rare cases. The more progressive fellows, of course, we can get them 
 to do that. Our correspondence with these agricultural colleges is 
 increasing at a terrific rate. We had in Wisconsin 54,000 letters that 
 we sent out in reply to specific requests ; that means 180 letters for a 
 working day, but what does that amount to among 185,000 working 
 farmers we have in the State? For every farmer we have on our 
 bulletin list there are ninety and nine who are away off on the fields 
 who do not know hardly the existence of that experimental station, 
 and who much less apply the truths that have been worked out. 
 
 This extension work is designed generally to take that work right 
 to the man on the field, and it seems to me the advantageous feature 
 of this bill is that it leaves it to the discretion of the agricultural 
 college to organize this work along those lines that are going to be 
 most effective for the community concerned. The methods in Florida 
 will differ from those in New England, and the methods of the East 
 M'ill differ from those of the West, and it seems to me, therefore, that 
 it is a very important procedure to put this matter on the basis of 
 where the men who are locally in control of these stations will handle 
 this matter in a most advantageous way. That line of work will 
 vary very much. Dr. Hopkins has handled this soil fertility problem 
 in a very effective manner. With us in Wisconsin, while we are 
 running cooperative fertility tests, we have a lot of other lines or- 
 ganized, and the results which have come from them have been such 
 as to be simply astounding. Just let me tell you of one instance of 
 a case in the line of work jn connection with our corn. Wisconsin is 
 north of the corn belt and we can not claim to be in a corn belt like 
 Iowa and Illinois, but we are very much interested in dairying. Our 
 dairying industry has grown from nothing in 1880 up to the present 
 day $88,000,000. We make 44 per cent of all the cheese that is made 
 in the United States. If we are going to develop our dairying in- 
 dustry we have to have corn, because corn is an absolutely essential 
 ingredient in the dairying operation; therefore we must grow corn, 
 and we have been trying to raise corn that would be suitable for 
 Wisconsin. 
 
 When I was a boy nobody had the temerity to plant anything but 
 a flint corn in Wisconsin, but now we can grow Dent corns on the 
 shores of Lake Superior, and we have been distributing these im- 
 proved corns through the medium of our experiment association, a 
 body of, say, 600 young men who have been at the agricultural col- 
 leges in the short courses, and in that way we have been disseminating 
 this material all through the State. We have been carrying on that 
 work with the young people. We had 2,000 boys last year growing 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DBFAETMENTS. 7 
 
 corn something along the line of what has been done down South, 
 and let me tell you of one instance of the outflow from that line of 
 work. There was distributed two years ago in this work, among 
 the young people, a half pint of seed and a little boy up in one of the 
 northern counties, through the medium of the county superintendent, 
 got a lot of this corn. Those young fellows grew corn in the summer 
 time and brought the corn into the county fair, and in the fall it was 
 there judgsd and they received the prizes which were hung up ,by 
 the business men at the county fair. One little boy, Victor Mock, 
 won the corn prize in Clark County. He lived away back in the 
 back woods and had never had an opportunity to go to school, but 
 through the medium of the county superintendent in the rural 
 schools this work was introduced in this way and this little boy, 
 Victor Mock, took the prize in Chippewa County. He then took the 
 prize the next year at the interstate fair at La Crosse. His father 
 had been growing scrub corn prior to this, com that was streaked 
 and was red, yellow, and white in the same ear — ^half of it was whUt 
 they called calico com. In that region they had been cutting but 
 from 15 to 25 bushels to the acre under the most favorable circum- 
 stances, and from that on down to 10 and 12 bushels under less ad- 
 vantageous ' conditions. This Golden Glow corn, which this boy 
 raised, cut 35 to 40 bushels to the acre the first year he planted it be- 
 fore it was acclimated to that region. 
 
 The Clark County board, through the inspiration of a business 
 man in the little town of Withee, made up their minds they would 
 see what they could do to push that corn in the county, and that 
 county board voted to give this public-spirited business man $250 to 
 purchase corn that would be suitable for that county. That was two 
 years ago. That corn was first allotted to the farmers on a mathe- 
 matical basis; that is, if there were 50 settlers in this township and 
 100 in another township, the latter got twice as much as the former. 
 On that basis the corn was allotted to that northern end of Clark 
 County, up there in the woods where we looked upon that section as 
 being practically a wilderness, and it is so from many viewpoints. 
 They have been growing that corn for two years, and I have letters 
 from 175 farmers in that county showing what they have gotten 
 under those conditions. This year those 175 farmers have raised 
 between 50 and 65 bushels of corn to the acre, where three years ago 
 they did not produce more than 13 to 15 bushels. 
 
 Now, gentlemen, that is the result of this agricultural extension 
 service. It shows the possibilities from a material point of view, 
 how that production can be almost infinitely increased if we can get 
 these results right down to the man on the ground who needs this 
 information and who can be made to see that it is to his economic 
 advantage to apply it. I will not take fui*ther of your time, gentle- 
 men, to give you instances of that sort, but they might be multiplied 
 almost indefinitely as to the efficacy of the agricultural extension type 
 of demonstration personal work. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Before you proceed, I would like to have you 
 tell us what was done to raise the production from 15 to 65 bushels 
 per acre. 
 
 Dr. EussBLL. By substituting for those scrub varieties which had 
 been hitherto grown in that community this pure-bred Golden Glow 
 
8 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 corn that had been developed and worked out at the experiment 
 station. 
 
 Senator Ckawfoed. Was it simply a change in the breed of the 
 corn and the character of the seed? Was there nothing done to in- 
 crease the productivity of the soil ? 
 
 Dr. Ettssell. Primarily, Senator Crawford, it comes from an im- 
 provement of the quality of the seed, but that is the beauty of this 
 agricultural extension work. You get a farmer started on the right 
 way of doing things in one line and you are going to get the curse of 
 his apathy, ignorance, and indifference with reference to these other 
 things. A certain part of the result is to be attributed to better 
 methods of cultivation, because we distribute to those farmers in- 
 formation which tells them what they should do, not only with ref- 
 erence to the quality of the seed, but with reference to the cultivation, 
 and when you get them started along that line you are going to get 
 these men to subscribe for an agricultural paper, to attend the 
 farmers' institute, to go to the farmers' congresses, and you will then 
 make another kind of men of them. 
 
 Senator Crawfoed. Was this increase a general increase or an in- 
 crease confined to the specific instances where you had these boys 
 competing with each other, or has there been a general change ? 
 
 Dr. KussEU.. This has been all over the country, and this spirit is 
 among the boys and the adult farmers as well. The 175 letters I 
 refer to are from mature farmers. They never would have gotten 
 that in God's world if it had not been that there was shown in their 
 community a quality of corn could be grown with a larger yield 
 than they were previously growing, and they were willing to take 
 their chances on planting this corn as against the scrub varieties they 
 had hitherto been planting. 
 
 Senator Perkins. Was there any fertilizer used? 
 
 Dr. RussEiiii. No fertilizer whatever. We do not spend in the 
 State of Wisconsin more than $200,000 for agricultural fertilizers 
 altogether. We are out of the throes of the Fertilizer Trust. We 
 take the cattle manure and put that on the ground, but those fellows 
 up in Clark County, who are not very wealthy, have not more than 
 three cows apiece, but the fertility of the soil on which there was 
 planted an improved pure-bred grade of corn helped their remark- 
 able growth. 
 
 Senator Perkins. Of course there was better cultivation? 
 
 Dr. Russell. Yes; there was better cultivation. 
 
 Senator Geonna. You referred to the boys in Illinois showing 
 the increase in the production of corn, and I was anxious to know 
 whether it was iinportant to use this phosphate in your State? 
 
 Dr. Russell. Yes; we. are using it. Senator, in our State now 
 where we find it necessary. There is where the necessity of the 
 situation comes in to first make a soil diagnosis. The way we do 
 that is we tell you to ship in to us a bushel of soil. We divide that 
 up into 8 or 10 different parts, and then we will add to a portion 
 some phosphate and to another portion some nitrogen and to an- 
 other portion potash, and we plant these respective crops in that. 
 Then we can tell from the results thus obtained whether that soil 
 is deficient in phosphate, whether it is deficient in nitrogen, or 
 whether it is deficient in potash. Then all we have to do is to tell 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGBICULTUBAl, BXTENSIOW DEPABTMEjSTTS. 9 
 
 the farmer what he has to do. Then you have a complete, scientific, 
 accurate diagnosis. 
 
 Senator Geonna. You mean by that it is absolutely necessary to 
 use this phosphate rock? 
 
 Dr. Etjssell. In certain cases where the phosphate is depleted. 
 Now, the continuous growth of one crop will take out the fertilizing 
 ingredients. 
 
 Senator Gkonna. Can it not be restored by growing clover ? 
 
 Dr. EussELii. Not phosphate. You can restore nitrogen by grow- 
 ing clover, but the phosphate can not be replaced by clover. Phos- 
 phate rock costs us about $10 a ton, and we put on anywhere from 150 
 to 200 pounds to the acre, at an expense sometimes of from 75 cents 
 to $1.25 an acre, and that will improve the yield anywhere from $5 
 to $10 an acre. Now, that is a pretty large interest on the invest- 
 ment when you are down to the minimum limit of production. 
 
 Senator Ceawfoed. How do they spread the phosphate? 
 
 Dr. Russell. With a seeder, or it can be spread with a manure 
 spreader. The best way to spread rock phosphate is with organic 
 matter. The acid phosphate you get from the fertilizer companies 
 is much more soluble and much more expensive. The way we do is 
 to try to show the farmers how to spread this rock phosphate and 
 spread it in the cheapest possible way. 
 
 Senator Goee. Do you make your tests by growing crops instead 
 of by chemical analysis? 
 
 Dr. Russell. Chemical analyses will cost you from $25 to $50. We 
 do not analyze soils indiscriminately for Tom, Dick, and Harry ; that 
 method is too expensive, but we make these tests for any farmer 
 who wants to know the condition of his soil, and in a comparatively 
 short time we can tell him what he has to do to his soil to make it 
 productive. Now, that is one of our great problems, lime — the 
 addition of lime. We have grown crops upon our soils — ^this ap- 
 plies particularly to the Mississippi Valley, where the organic mat- 
 ter has been abstracted from the soil — until the lime is reduced in 
 volume so that with alfalfa we do not get a good crop. You talk 
 about clover crops. Nine times out of ten a poor clover crop is 
 simply due to the lack of the necessary lime, which is an absolutely 
 necessary ingredient; but you can get a successful growth of alfalfa. 
 When you take a broad strip of ground with a limestone soil and 
 put it in clover or alfalfa, it is marvelous to see the condition. We 
 have 28 county farms, and that experiment is made on every one of 
 them. I we'nt through them this fall and there stood the alfalfa on 
 the lime soil 1 foot high, and right alongside of it on an unlimed 
 soil it was 3 or 4 inches. What is the result ? There are companies 
 selling ground limestone in Wisconsin, and they are receiving orders 
 by the carload and are up to their maximum capacity production. 
 That costs from 80 cents to $1.50 per ton, and we put on, say, half a 
 ton of it; that will last for three or four years, because it slowly 
 dissolves. 
 
 Now, that is the application of scientific methods, and the only 
 way that I know of that is effective in order to do that is through 
 the demonstration method, rather than relying upon the printed 
 page for the farmers to get their information. 
 
 The Chaieman. Are there any Senators who wish to ask any 
 questions of the witness? 
 
10 TO ESTABLISH AGKJCULTTJJRAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 Senator Perkins. The soil differs very greatly in the same com- 
 inunities ? 
 
 Dr. Russell. Yes; that is true. 
 
 Senator Peekins. I know that is true in the different valleys out 
 in California ; the soil differs there. 
 
 Dr. EussELL. Yes. For instance, if you go South, you have simply 
 the residual breaking of the rocks, and if you abstract the necessary 
 chemical elements from those rocks, unless you plow deeper, you 
 have to bring back those necessary ingredients. 
 
 Senator Perkins. The analyses of the soil in some of our counties 
 has been very beneficial, indeed. 
 
 Dr. EussELL. The Soil Survey is doing wonderful work, working 
 with the States along these lines. The State of Wisconsin is mapped 
 out so that every 10-acre patch will have an accurate analyses and 
 an accurate statement with reference to its condition. That means, 
 gentlemen, that the diagnosis is of vital importance. In one case, 
 with reference to this need of lime, we found one area of over 1,000 
 square miles where every solitary sample that had been taken had 
 been acid. All you have to do with that soil is to add lime, and 
 for the lack of that in some instances those men near AVaupun are 
 unable to pay their annual rent and are leaving their farms and 
 going into bankruptcy. Now, for $1.50 worth of lime, if they had 
 had that knowledge 10 years ago, it would have made them able to 
 have carried on their farming successfully. 
 
 Senator Crawfoeo. I came in late, and if my question involves any 
 repetition, why do not repeat the information. I am intensely inter- 
 ested in what I have heard you say. In what respect will you be 
 able, under this bill, to do the things desired that you are unable to 
 do now under the law ? 
 
 Dr. EussELL. It will push it just that much harder. Senator. 
 
 Senator Ceawfoed. In what particular detail? Perhaps, however, 
 you have gone over that? 
 
 Dr. EtrssELL. As I say, the benefit is that it leaves each individual 
 State to work out how they can best utilize their opportunities. The 
 method- which would follow in Florida would be materially different 
 from that method we would follow in Wisconsin. 
 
 Senatoi" Crawford. What I had in mind was this : Here is legisla- 
 tion proposed, and I assume there is a demand and that demand 
 must be because under the law as it stands, and under the assistance 
 as it is now given, there is inadequacy. Where is the aid that is 
 given now under the present law lame, and in what regard will this 
 make it more efficient? 
 
 Dr. Russell. The present law. Senator Crawford, makes it im- 
 possible for us to utilize this money for demonstration purposes. 
 The Hatch law and the Adams law say that this is for the prosecu- 
 tion of agricultural research, and the Department of Agriculture is 
 very strict in their interpretations that research shall be research and 
 not merely demonstration, so that we are, by the regulations of Dr. 
 True's office, excluded from using any moneys of the Adams fund 
 in particular, and only a very limited amount of the Hatch fund, 
 for any such work as this. This is a new thing which has come up 
 since the passage of the Hatch and the Adams laws. 
 
 Senator Crawford. Then under this law you will be able to do 
 something like this that you included under the present law, and you 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGBICULTTJEAL, EXTENSION DEPAKTMENTS. 11 
 
 can go to the boy or the farmer who may be illiterate and who does 
 not read the literature and does not get acquainted with the theories, 
 and you can get in personal touch with him and prove an accurate 
 application of the work, and you can not do that now under the ex- 
 isting laws? 
 
 Mr. Russell. We can not do it now. The rulings of the Hatch and 
 Adams laws preclude the use of Federal moneys for that purpose. 
 Seeing the need of this thing, a good many of the States have taken 
 the initiative in this respect already; but we want to make this 
 national in its scope. 
 
 Senator Smith. Then is this not also true? Do you not need, in 
 order to conduct your extension work successfully, more money than 
 you are getting from the State ? 
 
 Mr. EtrssELL. Yes; there is no doubt about that. We can use 
 wisely, not all at once, but we can use a graduated increase. I would 
 not take $100,000 to-day in Wisconsin if the legislature would give it 
 to me, because we can only grow so fast as you can train men properly 
 to work. The first year we got $2,000, the next year $30,000, and the 
 next year $40,000. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Now, in case that we should enact a law that 
 would make it possible for you people to extend this work, are you in 
 a position — that is, have you the men in this country to do the work ? 
 
 Mr. EussBLL. I think so. Senator. I think that this is a movement 
 for which the agricultural colleges have been working for a number 
 of years, recognizing that it was inevitable, it was bound to come, 
 and now you have reached a point where the colleges are in such 
 shape that they can intelligently, wisely, and economically go ahead 
 on this proposition. I would not say that we can handle a maximum 
 amount now, but we can handle the initial amount. This bill calls 
 for a few thousand dollars the first year and a graduated increase in 
 the succeeding years. 
 
 Senator Craweoed. Enough is all right, but too much would be 
 waste. 
 
 Mr. Russell. Too much would be worse than nothing, because we 
 can not afford to wreck this movement by putting half-baked help 
 in the field. You have no idea how hard it is to get men of experi- 
 ence to do this work. You can take a young fellow who has grad- 
 uated from college the year before and put him in to instruct farmers, 
 but I will tell you you can not put out into the field where you are 
 against hard-headed men of 40 or 50 years some green, callow young 
 fellow that will go around in a high-toned way and tell him how to 
 run his farm. You have to have some fellow who has enough mixing 
 qualities, enough good sense and good tact to get his results in a way 
 so they are going to be taken by those farmers seriously, and if you 
 can have a place on which you can demonstrate you can reach him, 
 but if you go down from home and lay down your goods from above 
 and assume that kind of attitude, you might just as well go home. 
 Now, that means we have to have experienced men. 
 
 Senator Gronna. If you increase the demonstration work, it nat- 
 urally follows you would have to increase the number of men to do 
 this work? 
 
 Mr. Russell. Yes, sir. 
 
 Senator Gronna. How are you going to educate them ? 
 
12 TO ESTABIISH AGRICUDTtTBAIi EXTENSION DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 Mr. Russell. The colleges are putting out men along that line 
 and the demand to-day is enormous in that direction. However, 
 bright graduates of colleges are going into work of this kind. There 
 went over my desk this last year calls for $300,000 worth of agri- 
 cultural educational positions. 
 
 Senator Geonna. You believe then that there would be no need of 
 any assistance by the Federal Government, aside from the aid of the 
 States under the present conditions? 
 
 Mr. Russell. You mean for teaching? 
 
 Senator Gronna. I mean for the training of men. 
 
 Mr. Russell. Well, I would not say that — that there would not be 
 any need — because the money can be wisely used if it is put on a 
 credit basis. I do not think at the present moment though that the 
 promulgation of a scheme which is going to make a thmg of this 
 sort national in its scope should extend to the maximum at once. 
 You have to have this start in a modest way and grow up with it. 
 That is what I understand the Senator's bill to cover. 
 
 Senator Smith. You say, " The Senator's bill." That is the result 
 of the information of the professors of the colleges. It has been 
 introduced two or three times. 
 
 Mr. Russell. It is not a half-baked proposition at all. 
 
 Senator Gore. You say the work in Wisconsin is difEerent from the 
 work in Florida and the work in the East is different from the work 
 in the West. Why not leave it to the different States to work this 
 matter out in their own way? 
 
 Mr. Russell. I say that is being done by some of the States at the 
 present time, but we are facing a different question, where it is a 
 question of production equaling and exceeding consumption, . and 
 unless we can make this thing national in its scope, we can not expect 
 to ever multiply the total production. What is one State going to do 
 on a thing if the other 47 States do not move ? 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you figure that the other States would not 
 move? 
 
 Mr. Russell. They will be a great deal quicker in their movement 
 if Federal money is used to supplement the State money. • 
 
 Senator Gore. Would it not be better to limit the Federal aid to a 
 few years? 
 
 Mr. Russell. That is for your judgment, it seems to me, but the 
 thing to do is to get the State started toward this movement and 
 have them help themselves. I think that is one of the wisest pro- 
 visions of this whole bill, that you say for every dollar the Federal 
 Treasury furnishes for this the States has to lay down another dollar. 
 
 Senator Chamberlain. Are the agricultural colleges of the other 
 States working along the same lines that you are in your State ? 
 
 Mr. Russell. There are 44 States working along these lines now. 
 
 Senator Smith. You may be modest about it, but Wisconsin is 
 ahead of any other State in this matter, is it not? 
 
 Mr. Russell. I will not agree to that. There are a number of 
 States working along the same lines. 
 
 Senator Gardner. I would like to know if you think there is any 
 danger of our reaching the limit of education along these lines in the 
 near future? 
 
 Mr. Russell. I do not think you can overeducate the American 
 people in any reasonable period of time, and the general application 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL, EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 13 
 
 of science can only be made through education. Now, this whole 
 problem of economics rests back on an educated constituency. You 
 have an enlightened electorate only when you have an educated 
 electorate, and you can not talk to people about salvation, about 
 laws, and about the spiritual things unless they have a material 
 foundation for it. What they want when a young man is hungry 
 is soup, rather than salvation. 
 
 Senator Gardner. I would like to inquire if, in your judgment, 
 the money you now have and can use for sending out these bulletins, 
 if you would not prefer to use it for demonstration rather than for 
 issuing bulletins? 
 
 Mr. Russell. I think the issuance of bulletins is necessary, but 
 the effect is not near so advantageous. 
 
 Senator Gardner. My idea was rather than using that same 
 amount of money, in your judgment, would you not get better results 
 from actual demonstration than you would from the bulletins alone ? 
 
 Mr. Russell. We try to save that by husbanding the size of our 
 editions — by editing the scientific bulletins to a small, amount. The 
 United States Government does not furnish anything for the publi- 
 cation of the bulletins. I think 5 per cent is the absolute amount. 
 We have all of our bulletins printed from State money, though we use 
 the Federal money for this research work. I think there is a limita- 
 tion of 5 per cent on the amount of money that can be used for 
 bulletins. 
 
 Senator Gardner. I am not in any sense objecting to the issuing 
 of the bulletins, but my idea was, rather than use that same amount 
 of money, in your judgment would you not get better results from 
 actual demonstration than you would from the bulletins alone? 
 
 Mr. Russell. You have to carry on the research work with this. 
 If you have no research work carried on, you are not going to get 
 those things to demonstrate, but it amounts to the difference between 
 the producer and the middleman. This extension work represents 
 the middlemen. This work is performed by men who are specially 
 trained to carry the results of the manufactured product to the man 
 who consumes it. I would not say if we used all of our fund that 
 had hitherto been adopted to the manufacturing prices -for the dis- 
 tributing prices it was a waste proposition. 
 
 Senator Gardner. I do not assume that. But I am talking about 
 practical results. 
 
 Mr. Russell. I presume that would be true after a few years to 
 come, but we have to go on evolving new methods. Look at the 
 question of laws; there are a thousand and one things you can not 
 answer to-day in regard to laws, but we must carry on research work 
 in order that we may meet those propositions. We are a long ways 
 from being at the end of the lines with reference to agricultural 
 development. 
 
 Senator Page. Do you not think the stimulation of this demonstra- 
 tion would make all the more valuable the bulletin that you issue ? 
 
 Mr. Russell. Yes ; because you educate your constituency. 
 
 Senator Gore. Does not the Federal Government maintain a great 
 many demonstration farms already? 
 
 Mr. EussELL. No. 
 
 Senator Gore. Is not that true in Wisconsin? 
 
14 TO ESTABLISH AGMCUDTUKAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 Mr. EussEiiL. No. 
 
 Senator Goke. They do in Oklahoma. 
 
 Mr. Russell. That is done under the auspices of the Agricultural 
 Department. 
 
 Senator Gobe. Do they not do that in your State? 
 
 Mr. Russell. No, sir. 
 
 Senator Gore. Where they do, do you think it duplicates the 
 service ? 
 
 Mr. Russell. If you want my judgment, I think the local college 
 can handle that question a great deal better than the Federal Gov- 
 ernment here at Washington can. 
 
 Senator Smith. And the same amount of money spent through the 
 colleges in demonstration work will bring greater results, because 
 you are on the ground and you have the men in the State who know 
 and who have studied the "problem ? 
 
 Mr. Russell. Yes. The chances are that if you get a man from 
 Washington, he may have been brought up in Florida, and would 
 not be acquainted with the soil and other conditions in other States. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do they not have an agent who is a successful 
 farmer in each county? 
 
 Mr. Russell. Yes; but the successful-farmer method can only go 
 so far technically, and go so far as this demonstration line goes, be- 
 cause this man has to have a scientific training; he has to know 
 something about the soil problem and handle the problem on the 
 ground. You might as well say you can handle the medicine question 
 by a midwife. 
 
 Senator Crawford. Are you not liable to get into some friction 
 with the Agricultural Department? 
 
 Mr. Russell. I do not think so at all. 
 
 Senator Smith. The idea is to carry this demonstration work 
 through the colleges — all agricultural work — and that is approved 
 by the Secretary of Agriculture. 
 
 Senator Page. In the line of Senator Gore's suggestion, is it not 
 true that the work done by the Department of Agriculture is more 
 usually on specialized lines; for instance, like the boll weevil and 
 things of that kind, that can be taken up locally? 
 
 Mr. Russell. National in scope; yes. 
 
 Senator Gore. That is not in a destructive form? 
 
 Mr. Russell. No; but that is what the demonstration farm was 
 started for— to study the boll weevil. 
 
 The Chairman. If there are no further questions any Senator 
 wishes to ask of Mr. Russell, you may call another witness. Senator 
 Smith. 
 
 STATEMENT OF DR. HOWARD EDWARDS, PRESIDENT OF THE 
 RHODE ISLAND STATE COLLEGE. 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I shall not take up 
 any great amount of your time. Dean Russell is from the Mississippi 
 Valley, and I am from New England, and the only point I can make 
 is that these needs exist in New England, where you might not 
 expect them, just in the same degree as they do in Wisconsin. 
 
 Senator Page. Even in Rhode Island ? 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICXJLTUEAL, EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 15 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Even in Rhode Island. I might say that the Agri- 
 cultural College has worked out these liming problems in as large 
 degree, perhaps, as any other experiment station in the United States. 
 
 Senator Page. I am happy to hear you state that Rhode Island 
 can utilize education along agricultural lines. I believe so, firmly, 
 and think you ought to have it. 
 
 Mr. Edwards. If you gentlemen had half an hour to travel over 
 our State, you would perhaps realize that there are waste lands in 
 Rhode Island relatively larger in amount than perhaps in any other 
 State. While we have the densest population in the United States, 
 it is mainly confined to the cities. However, these cities must be 
 supported, and they must have the products of the farm in order to 
 be supported. 
 
 What I am here to say to you is that the Agricultural College has 
 the support of the industrial people of the State of Rhode Island. 
 Moreover, in New England in general, while it is mainly industrial, 
 there is an enormous development of interest in farm problems and 
 in support of the agricultural college movement, and in support, also, 
 of this extension movement. We have a movement from the city to 
 the country, as little as you might believe it. There comes into my 
 oiSce daily questions concerning how best to invest small amounts of 
 money — relatively speaking — in farms and in the line of farming 
 that will pay in New England. Our extension work is largely di- 
 rected to the inclining of that movement in the right direction, so 
 that it may produce the largest results. You have heard, perhaps, 
 a great deal of abandoned farms in New England. Statements that 
 are made are largely exaggerated in. regard to that. In our State 
 the board of agriculture had a registry made of the abandoned farms, 
 and when they came to sum them up they found that there was 
 strong objection to their being called abandoned farms. The owners 
 said that they were not abandoned farms; that they were farms 
 that were being held for money value, and the question was that of 
 getting the money value that they held them for. Further than that, 
 I might say that these farms are being quite rapidly taken up, and 
 the value of the farm lands has doubled within the time that I have 
 been in the State of Rhode Island. 
 
 Senator Page. That is 20 years ? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Six years. The extension movement, if I may be 
 permitted to speak in general and not in local terms, is only a logi- 
 cal development of what the General Government has been doing 
 for the last 50 years. It was the General Government that origi- 
 nated the land-grant college as such; it was the General Govern- 
 ment that started — ^I am speaking now in general terms — that move- 
 ment. Of course there were one or two agricultural colleges, but at 
 the same time it is true that the first Morrill bill stimulated and 
 originated in the proper sense the idea of agricultural education, 
 education for the benefit of agricultural progress. Then came the 
 Hatch Act and the Adams Act as the logical outcome of that move- 
 ment for agricultural education, because it was found that not 
 enough was known, or that very little was known, that should be the 
 subject of instruction in those agricultural colleges. Agriculture had 
 to be discovered in a way, and that movement again came from the 
 General Government, and has resulted, perhaps, in larger good to 
 
16 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPABTMENTS. 
 
 the United States in general than any other bill of such nature that 
 has been passed. 
 
 Now, we come to you with another logical proposition, which is 
 this: That the General Government shall stimulate the process of 
 carrying the information now obtained to the farmer, just as Dean 
 Russel stated. It might be that there is an end to agricultural edu- 
 cation and to agricultural discovery and agricultural extension, but 
 when we recall that knowledge is a thing in man's heads and not a 
 thing in books; that in order to propagate it and perpetuate it we 
 must take nold of the young man and carry him up to the point 
 where his father was and beyond 
 
 Senator Perkins. Burbank has made more valuable discoveries in 
 horticultural experiments than has been done in the past 50 years. 
 You are familiar with his work, of course? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Certainly; yes. What I was trying to say was 
 -this : That the education of the individual must proceed on enlarging 
 lines and must involve the same expenditure and perhaps larger 
 expenditure than it has in the past. Experiment-station work must 
 proceed on the same line and must involve large expenditure, and 
 hence the extension work must come from some new source — that is, 
 it must have added appropriations either from State or from Nation. 
 What this proposition means is, that we are going on exactly the 
 same lines that we proceeded upon in the case of the college for 
 education and in the case of the experiment station for investigation. 
 The question was asked whether we have the individuals to do this 
 work. Now, the colleges have been at work for something like 50 
 years in developing men who in some sense might be prepared for 
 just such a movement. They have gone into business in various 
 ways; the young and callow graduate of the past year perhaps is 
 not exactly fitted, for he must have some experience. The object of 
 the graduation of the expense in this bill is to turn the attention of 
 those who have been four or five years out of college toward the ex- 
 tension lines of work, so that they may prepare themselves in a com- 
 paratively short time for that work. The material is there ; it needs 
 some preparation from the side of practical methods, and the colleges 
 are ready to give it, so that in four years, by 1916, we ought to have 
 and can have and will have a body of men suitably prepared to go 
 into and carry on this work. I only happen to be in Washington 
 incidentally. I did not come for this particular purpose, or at least 
 I arranged my coming so that I might be present at this hearing. I 
 simply want to say and to insist strongly that our industrial popu- 
 lation in New England is just as much interested, has just as much 
 dependence on agricultural development — that is something you all 
 know — as the agricultural population itself. They are the con- 
 sumers, and as consumers they are deeply interested in this problem 
 of agricultural development, so much so that we have in our towns 
 and cities agricultural clubs, convocations of bankers and business 
 men. The Boston Chamber of Commerce, for instance, will hold on 
 March 6 a dinner for the purpose of talking over these agricultural 
 problems, and it is only natural that it should be so. 
 
 So far as the agricultural colleges themselves are concerned, let 
 me say this: That we are not asking help for our own benefit. It 
 is a work that has come up to us and come up insistently, come up 
 from year to year in increasing amounts, and we are simply the 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTTJKAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 17 
 
 intermediaries in presenting to you that which has come to us at 
 first hand. I do Hot know that I can add anything further than that. 
 
 The Chairman. To you and to Mr. Russell we want to express the 
 thanks of the committee. Are there any gentlemen- who have any 
 questions to ask? 
 
 Senator Gore. How much will Rhode Island get under this bill? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. I think about $6,000. The State of Rhode Island is 
 now giving between four and five thousand dollars, and has been so 
 giving for the last 10 years, for agricultural extension work. 
 
 Senator Gore. Have you made an effort to have that amount 
 increased ? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Why certainly we have; we have increased it, too, 
 but we have other demands. Senator Gore. For instance, at this 
 present time you must remember we are carrying on three branches 
 already ; we are carrying on education, investigation, and extension. 
 Now, we have to carry this on coordinately, and our educational de- 
 mands are increasing. Since I have been in the State of Rhode 
 Island the educational attendance there has increased some three 
 times, and we are asking to-day of the State of Rhode Island $95,000, 
 independently of the regular maintenance bill, for a building to in- 
 crease our equipment. We can not ask too many things at the same 
 time. 
 
 Senator Gore. You think you could not get the additional $6,000 
 if you could impress the vital importance on your legislature, as you 
 have done here to-day? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Why, possibly I might. 
 
 Senator Gore. Don't you think if you could it is better for you? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. I regard the three things as equally vital, and really 
 at the present time I have chosen the one thing, the enlargement of 
 the equipment, as the necessary thing preliminary to the carrying 
 on of those other two things. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you not think the other would follow imme- 
 diately after you had the equipment? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Probably so- 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you know of any of the States where the vital 
 importance of this subject has been impressed upon the legislature 
 as you have impressed it upon us here and the money has been 
 refused ? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. I know where aclfion has not been taken. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you know whether an attempt has been made to 
 get the money or not? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Yes; but the authorities of the agricultural col- 
 leges are certainly very honest and insistent in the propagation of 
 extension ideas. 
 
 Senator Gore. You think the legislators do not appreciate the im- 
 portance of this? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. I think it is the same thing that has happened in 
 the other two cases. The State begins to see, when the General 
 Government takes hold. It* is a stimulus which is demanded, espe- 
 cially in the South. I say that now without reference to Dr. Soule, 
 because I come from the South— I was born in Virginia. I have 
 taught in North Carolina and in Alabama, and I know something of 
 southern conditions, and I say to you now that the South does need, 
 
 32529—12 2 
 
18 TO ESTABLISH AGRICXJLTUKAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 and needs in a larger measure than any other part of the United 
 States, this particular measure. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you not think the whole agricultural education 
 of the South is/ being revolutionized now? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Yes, sir ; and it is being revolutionized at a cost to 
 the individual in the South that the rest of the Nation knows very 
 little of. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you not think it is better for the States to do it 
 where they will do it? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. I think you call upon the State in this way : By a 
 stimulus, by a sympathetic move on the part of the General Govern- 
 ment, and you will in that way get a response on the part of the 
 State that will be just as effective as it has been in the other case. 
 For instance, in the case of the college, for every dollar that the 
 United States has contributed to the land-grant colleges the States 
 are now contributing something like $14. Now, there is a response 
 of the States to the original stimulus, and you will get the same re- 
 sponse to this stimulus, but you have first to give the stimulus. The 
 State has always led the way. 
 
 Senator Gore. You think they have to be pushed and pressed ? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. I have not said that. 
 
 Senator Gore. That is the inference. You said they had to be 
 given the stimulus. If that is the case, the stimulus is indispensable. 
 
 Mr. Edwards. No ; I should not say that at all. But I do say the 
 State legislature is closer to the individual man than the National 
 Government. 
 
 Senator Gore. So, do you not think it ought to appreciate the im- 
 portance of its work? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. The State legislature has a somewhat narrower 
 view of national affairs, national purposes, and national movements 
 than the National Government has, and consequently the National 
 Government ought to lead in matters of national importance. This 
 question of agricultural education or agricultural progress is not a 
 matter of mere local interest. 
 
 Senator Gore. I know that, but this particular phase of it is, for 
 it has to be localized ? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. It has to be localized because the land is there, but 
 it is national in importance and interest because all the people are 
 interested. They are interested in what Oklahoma is doing, they 
 are interested in what Georgia is doing, and they are vitally depend- 
 ent on what the West shall do. 
 
 Senator Gore. Of course, all the great industries are national, in 
 that sense. 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Yes ; in that sense. 
 
 Senator Gore. But is not the tendency of this legislation to bring 
 the State and the people of the State more and more to lean on the 
 National Government! 
 
 Mr. Edwards. I can not see it that way. It seems to me that the 
 historic interest is exactly the opposite ; tvhen you once get the State's 
 attention directed, they go ahead much more largely than the Na- 
 tional Government every would do. 
 
 Senator Chamberlain. Have these Federal appropriations in the 
 State led the State to increase their appropriations very largely for 
 agricultural colleges? 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 19 
 
 Mr. Edwards. That is what I have stated. 
 
 Senator Page. You say for every dollar contributed by the Na- 
 tional Government the State has added $14 ? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. I think that is absolutely true, sir. 
 
 Senator Crawford. That includes their appropriations for build- 
 ings and equipment? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. You can take it either way — take it from the be- 
 ginning and add it all together, or you can take it yearly, and I think 
 if you take it yearly you will find that statement is true. It varies 
 from $13 to $14 from year to year. 
 
 Senator Page. You say you have been in Rhode Island six years, 
 and that the attendance at your college has increased threefold? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Just about threefold. 
 
 Senator Chamberlain. This extension work, of course, does not 
 apply to the young men who have the advantage of the schools, but 
 you take the .school to the farm under this system ? 
 
 Mr. Edwards. Take it to the farm direct. That is another point 
 that it seems to me should be for national action. How long will it 
 take for information to percolate through the population? If now' 
 you leave it to the college and the experiment station alone with that 
 extension work, you are simply leaving the information to percolate 
 and it may do it in 10 or 15 generations, possibly. Meanwhile, what 
 has become of the fertility of this country? You can remember a 
 time when in the West we said — I lived in the West, too — you never 
 can exhaust the fertility of our soil ; you never can do it. In 20 years' 
 time a very different attitude is being taken. Now, leave this mat- 
 ter to go on without stimulus — that being the word I used a while 
 ago — for an indefinite time, until the information which is in the 
 agricultural experiment work has percolated in some way among the 
 population and where will the fertility of the soil be? I do not be- 
 lieve the people of the country will let it go that far. They are 
 already too much aroused, and if there is any one thing on which 
 interest is shown as I have seen it in meetings all through this country, 
 that thing is increasing the productiveness of our soil and is conserv- 
 ing the fertility of the soil. The object of this matter is to carry this 
 information directly and immediately to the present generation of 
 farmers and to the one that immediately follows. 
 
 Senator Smith. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, Prof. Thompson, 
 of Ohio, the chairman of the executive committee of the colleges and 
 experimental stations, is detained at the committee in the House, and 
 he sends us to-day Dean Russell, from the Middle West, the repre- 
 sentative from Rhode Island, and also the head of the State College 
 of Agriculture of Georgia. I will now ask Dr. Soule to speak for the 
 southern work. 
 
 STATEMENT OF DR. ANDREW M. SOULE, PRESIDENT OF THE 
 STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE OF GEORGIA. 
 
 Dr. SotiiE. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, this problem is of so 
 great magnitude that it is almost impossible to know where to begin 
 an adequate discussion of it within the very limited time at one's 
 disposal. I judge from the tenor of the questions asked here that 
 possibly this distinguished body of men did not quite grasp the 
 gravity of the situation in American agriculture at the present time. 
 
20 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTTJEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 The use of fertilizers commenced in the South, roughly speaking, 
 shortly prior to the war between the States. Last year something 
 like 5,000,000 tons were used, of which more than 1,300,000 tons were 
 applied in the State of eorgia, which I happen to represent on this 
 occasion. That means a tax on the production of our State of ap- 
 proximately $25,000,000. Last year we successfully increased the 
 yield of cotton, because of the beneficent information emanating from 
 the extension work which we are endeavoring to do. But, if you take 
 the history of the application of commercial fertilizers for the last 
 60 or 60 years, you will find the production of lint cotton per acre 
 stands almost still. It is quite evident, therefore, that we face a 
 crisis in southern agriculture. It is true commercial fertilizers are 
 necessary on our soils under existing conditions. It is also true that 
 we are now reaching a point where a different system of agriculture 
 must be instituted or fertilizers will fail to give a responsive profit 
 on our land. What must we do? Can we afford to sit still when 
 there hangs in the balance an export crop or a crop, which, exported, 
 brings a balance of trade to our credit of nearly $700,000,000 ? Can 
 we afford to see the price of lint cotton become prohibitive ? 
 
 I say, Mr. Chairman, this is not a local question, this is a national 
 question, and the people of Massachusetts and the people of Cali- 
 fornia are just as much interested and concerned in this problem as the 
 people of Georgia. Can we remedy such a condition — is it possible? 
 I will be specific for your information along this line. Five years 
 ago we took in our demonstration field — and it has been represented 
 in many other points in the State as well — land without fertilizer 
 and produced a third of a bale per acre. Last year it produced three 
 bales of cotton per acre. How was this extraordinary result brought 
 about ? The land was simply deeply broken, then it was properly cul- 
 tivated and a crop of cowpeas, gathering nitrogen out of the air, was 
 turned under; a light application of cow manure and a thousand 
 pounds of what we call three- four fertilizer applied to the soil. I 
 have not figured out the percentage of the increase, but I leave you 
 to judge of putting principals of this kind within the reach of the 
 cotton farmer who to-day is using an inadequate kind of fertilizer 
 and who is harvesting a third of a bale to an acre. You may ask me, 
 may this be duplicated on the average farm, and was this done at a 
 profit? It was done at a profit of $150 to the acre, and it has been 
 duplicated on many farms in Georgia, and it is a matter of oppor- 
 tunity through extension teaching to have it duplicated on thousands 
 of more farms. This one illustration must serve to show you the 
 gravity of the situation which confronts us and to let you see that 
 production in this country is not maintaining its increased yield from 
 the consuming power of the Nation, and that applies, Mr. Chairman, 
 not only to raw materials, which are the basis of our manufactures, 
 but to food materials as well. This point I desire to make clear: 
 A.gricultural science is far in advance of agricultural practice. 
 
 I do not think we quite realize that during the past 50 years the 
 >;olleges of agriculture and the experiment stations and the Federal 
 Department of Agriculture have been working and developing and 
 systematizing a form of agricultural knowledge which is of incal- 
 culable value to the farmers of this Nation, but which is now, as it 
 werej bottled up and in cold storage and not in the form or in the 
 condition which they can take and utilize. I may secure a text on 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 21 
 
 chemistry which illustrates just how to put up a certain piece of 
 apparatus, possibly for the manufacture of carbonic-acid gas. I 
 read that over and I am supposed to hare some training, to have 
 advantage over the average man. Do you think I will have a clear 
 understanding of that apparatus — do you think I can use it skill- 
 fully until I have taken and set it up and utilized part of it in the 
 actual manufacture of carbonic-acid gas? Certainly I will not. 
 But after I have done that I will feel that I am master of that piece 
 of apparatus and that I grasp the situation and the principles in- 
 volved. 
 
 Now, we may write bulletins, Mr. Chairman, we may say all these 
 things indefinitely; they are good; there is a percentage of the 
 American farmer who reads these bulletins we send out, but it is a 
 limited per cent. We are not trying to help that man. I would not 
 have the transcript show that I was indifferent to that man, for we 
 want to serve him, we must help him because he is a leader, but we 
 must also reach the ninety and nine who are not in position to help 
 themselves and whose opportunities may not have been such as to 
 enable them to take the bulletin and use it. We have 15 men in our 
 extension department who have been termed " agricultural drum- 
 mers ; " these men go out, for instance, to Mr. Smith's place, and Mr. 
 Smith has been trying possibly to raise a bale of cotton per acre, but 
 he has failed. Our man comes along and diagnoses his soil and tells 
 him a method of preparation; he tells him what type of seed to 
 select which will be resistant to this disease or that disease, and he 
 grows that cotton and raises a bale per acre because he has had the 
 stimulus and the scientific proof brought to his very door. Mr. 
 Chairman, you have made a new citizen of that man, you have 
 changed his outlook to life, you have given him a broad horizon, you 
 have made him proud that he is a citizen of the United States, and 
 you have endowed him with power. Can you afford and can we 
 afford to neglect these millions of men who are not doing for this 
 Nation, for themselves, and for their families what they ought to 
 do, because we have accumulated knowledge and lock it up and say 
 you shall not have it? 
 
 I want to speak of several other things briefly, and one is about 
 ihe boys and girls who work in my State. I do not want to repeat 
 what these other gentlemen have said, but I want to tell you what 
 the extension work is doing for those boys and girls. I would like 
 to say for the information of the Senators here that Georgia is 
 doing her share in extension work. Our State is appropriating 
 something like $45,000 every year to this work, and there is being 
 subscribed in Georgia, through chambers of commerce, through 
 boards of education, and through individual citizens, nearly $16,000 
 this year. Now, what about our boys' work? For a long time the 
 yield of corn in Georgia stood at 12 bushels to the acre, for about 10 
 years. Year before last it went up 2 bushels and last year it went 
 up nearly 2 bushels more. Several years ago Georgia was raising 
 about 42,000,000 bushels of com. Last year it jumped up to 73,000,000 
 bushels. Last year, when every Southern State — please examine the 
 statistics for yourself — fell off on account of the unprecedented 
 drought, Georgia showed an increase of nearly 2 bushels to the acre 
 and between nine and ten million bushels increase for the State. 
 
22 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 Senator Crawpord. Was that an increase per acre or for a number 
 of acres? 
 
 Mr. SouLE. No, sir; to the acre. 
 
 Senator Smith. Nine million bushels increase as a whole, in spite 
 of the severe drought and an unusually bad season. 
 
 Mr. SoTJLE. I tried for a long time to get the adult farmers to take 
 up our work and advise with us ; we made converts here and there, 
 of course. Last year in the State there were nearly 300 meetings 
 held, attended by 45,000 adult farmers and we operated a train last 
 year and 350,000 people came out to meet, that train. Just thikik 
 about that. Some one said it was ah impossibility, that it was an 
 exaggeration. 
 
 Senator Geonna. You mean in connection with the work you are 
 doing as a State the railroad company is assisting in this same work, 
 the Southern Railway ? 
 
 Mr. SouLB. No; not the college. 
 
 Senator Geonna. I thought it was. 
 
 Mr. SouLE. The Southern Railway and all the other railroads in 
 Georgia contributed the train which we have operated free of cost, 
 but they make no contribution to our extension work. The fact re- 
 mains that these people came out — nearly a third of the white popu- 
 lation of Georgia. There was a two-hour stop at this point and at 
 that point, and what is the result? As thorough a discussion and ex- 
 position of soil knowledge as we possess, showing the type of soils 
 that had been analyzed and pointing out the deficiencies of those 
 soils. We had a series of cards showing all kinds of information 
 about agriculture, and Georgia last year raised the largest cotton 
 crop ever produced in her history and a larger crop of corn than 
 was ever raised there before. I do not claim all this for the college, 
 but her agents are entitled to credit. 
 
 Senator Geonna. That was due to the improvement in cultivation ? 
 
 Mr. SouLE. Better cultivation; the best preparation probably ever 
 given to a crop 
 
 Senator Smith. Before planting? 
 
 Mr. SoiiLE. Before planting. More skill and care in the selection 
 of seed, thorough cultivation after the crop, the most intelligent use 
 of fertilizer which has ever been known in the history of the State. 
 Now, then, give the season its merits as compared with the season in 
 neighboring States, give moisture its due credit, give a share to cul- 
 tivation, and you will still have something like 25 per cent of that 
 increase to account for. Mr. Chairman, we claim that- a part of 
 that came from the skillful knowledge distributed to these people 
 by experts from this train. I use that to illustrate to you the power 
 of agricultural science when brought home to the people by experts 
 in an acceptable form. Now, what did our boys and girls do in this 
 work; our boys particularly? In the seventh congressional district 
 of Georgia last year some 1,200 boys grew corn under advice and di- 
 rection. They had to submit an elaborate report that was testified to 
 by their county school commissioners and by other authorities in that 
 county. Those 1,200 boys increased the yield of corn on their plats 
 of land over the average land of the State of Georgia last year to 
 a value of $50,000. These things can not be gainsaid, because it is 
 a fact. It shows you the power of bringing this truth to the youth 
 on the farm who has not had an. opportunity, who has believed his 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGKICULTURAI. EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 23 
 
 father a failure, who has believed agriculture a failure, and who 
 has crowded into the city as a result. If we are to do something to 
 bind our people to the soil, and especially the rising generation, we 
 must show them the power of development of the soil as applied to 
 making agriculture a profitable industry. I can only, of course, 
 touch on some of these few extensions; there are many other exten- 
 sions. As a result of the agricultural club work in Georgia last year 
 a country boy — I think he is nearly 18 years of age — is to have a 
 college education and is to become a man that I believe the State 
 of Georgia, and I hope the people of the United States, will live to 
 be proud of. We have on our farms in Georgia something like 
 350,000 to 400,000 boys and girls growing up without direction, with- 
 out knowledge of their environments, without any appreciation of 
 the opportunity which this soil and this State holds out to them. 
 We can correct that defect in our educational system, and we can 
 do more to help the school and the home. We can bring a greater 
 impulse to our rural-school system through extension teaching than 
 any other agency which has as yet been devised. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, I do not speak, I hope, in an overbold manner when 
 I make this statement, because my experience, after all, is very 
 limited, though I have had over 20 years service in agricultural work 
 and I think it should entitle me to have seen something of the need 
 out in the country and to understand a little about the application 
 of the remedy. Soil knowledge is fundamental to our people; that 
 has been touched on, but I want to illustrate about what has been 
 happening and why we must correct it and then I will try to point 
 out to yoii this measure as a means of accomplishing this end. The 
 virgin soil from Banks County contains 6,400 pounds of nitrogen 
 per acre-foot, 4,000 pounds of phosphoric acid, and nearly 15,000 
 pounds of potash per acre-foot. That same type of soil under 
 cultivation 50 years by the methods practiced, not alone in Georgia, 
 but throughout the South, and largely — I make bold to say, Dean 
 Russell — all over the United States, analyzes about 2,000 pounds 
 of nitrogen less and 2,000 pounds of phosphoric acid and in many 
 instances not over 6,000 to 8,000 pounds of potash. These results 
 have been obtained in our own laboratories. You can think of the 
 comparative waste which has gone on in this country and which 
 is going on unimpeded to-day. There is no nation, except the 
 United States, which could have stood the loss of soil food, which 
 means gold just the same as you take out of the mines. No other 
 nation could have stood it and we could not have stood it but for the 
 mere richness of our virgin soil. In Georgia we are trying to farm 
 our lands about in the same way they do in all of the States. I will 
 take you down to the seashore where they grow sea island cotton, 
 where their soils there contain less than 1,000 pounds of nitrogen, 
 600 pounds of phosphorous, and 400 pounds of potash per acre foot. 
 You see this is the sand bed. 
 
 Senator Crawford. I do not understand your figures when you 
 say 1,000 pounds. To what? 
 
 Mr. SoTJLE. The total nitrogen per acre-foot. By that we mean 
 the soil to a depth of 1 foot covering the surface of an acre. 
 
 Senator Page. That you say is in land near the seacoast ? 
 
 Mr. Soui-E. Yes; near the seacoast down in southeast Georgia. 
 Mr. Chairman, I was simply trying to use that as an illustration 
 
24 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSIOJf DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 of the conditions we have in our State, from a rich soil to an im- 
 poverished soil, and yet every farmer is trying to use the same type 
 of fertilizer and the same sort of cultivation — of course, an im- 
 possibility — and trying to raise the same crop. 
 
 Now, gentlemen, this is an intolerable condition and I do not 
 think the Federal Government should expect the State to assume all 
 this responsibility and to do all of this work. I feel that my own 
 State is doing its own part, but let me illustrate to you. We have 
 2,650,000 people in Georgia, and at the most, if we can have $60,000, 
 the millenium will come and a new world come out of the ocean and 
 there will be another United States before we reach those people 
 with $60,000, and it will be 100 years before we will reach them if 
 you will pass this bill and put its provisions into effect immediately. 
 I do not speak with exaggeration, but I speak with feeling, because 
 I have been among these people and they reach up to us from every 
 hamlet, and from every corner there comes the cry from the boy 
 on the farm ; here is the call of the girl for help and here is the call 
 from the adult farmer and here is the opportunity and the agency 
 right here in our great United States, and Georgia's condition 
 is not far different from that of the different States so far as agricul- 
 ture is concerned. Now, in extension teaching what do we expect 
 to do? We expect to organize a business force through the college 
 of agriculture to take the assembled knowledge in a systematized 
 form, in a practicable, applied form out to the people nonresident 
 from the college who do not altogether appreciate eduction and who 
 would not come to the college if they could. Some of them have 
 not the means to do that and many of them can not leave their 
 homes. We reach a per cent of those people, but can we afford to 
 touch the lives of 5 per cent and neglect 95 per cent? We are just 
 about doing that now. ^ 
 
 On our farms we have no business policy. Any institution that 
 tries to operate in Washington for a year would go to the wall under 
 that plan. We must therefore put a business policy on our farms 
 and conserve not only our soil, but conserve our people, and educate 
 a generation how to live in the country and take out of the soil some- 
 thing for their own maintenance and leave something for commerce 
 and industry as well. One other thought, Mr. Chairman, and then 
 I am through. This work needs endowment. I have tried to explain 
 to you why it needs endowment, the importance of the plan, the 
 hopelessness of the proposition as it faces the college man to-day. 
 I would like to say this for the college man : I Tiappen to Ibe one of 
 those, and I heard a gentleman say the other day of a candidate 
 for the Presidency that the only objection he had to him was that he 
 was a college man. I understand, I think, the feeling of many men 
 toward the college man— that they are a sort or lot of deluded fel- 
 lows, who live in theory and have vapory terms. But we do not real- 
 ize sometimes, gentlemen, what we owe these gentlemen, and I speak 
 for my colleagues and not for myself. I have seen 10 men on my own 
 staff refuse double the amount of salary to go into some other indus- 
 try, and I want to tell you there are thousands of men in this country 
 to-day that the Nation can well afford to be proud of who have as 
 much of the true missionary spirit and are sacrificing as much as 
 the people we send to foreign lands to convert the heathen, and that 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICXJLTTJKAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 25 
 
 body of men is not appreciated at its face value, and when we have 
 men in Georgia who will serve that State and this Government for 
 less than half the emolument they receive and could get out of pri- 
 vate life, it seems to me if these men are willing to become the mis- 
 sionaries of this gospel, this dispensation of agricultural knowledge, 
 we ought to give them an opportunity to do the work. Extension 
 teaching is a local matter. I can illustrate that in a good many ways, 
 and I have tried to illustrate it to you. 
 
 There are soils in Illinois, I understand, that run as high as from 
 50,000 to 60,000 pounds of potash per acre-foot. I have told you 
 the variation of our soils in Georgia, running as low as 400 pounds 
 per acre-foot. How can we direct this thing from a centralized 
 position ? It is impossible to do it. There is not a man to-day who 
 IS not familiar with the agricultural conditions of California who 
 would attempt even to advise the farmers of that State. It is not 
 possible to send out information and literature from Washington 
 that will meet the needs of the farmers in Georgia, as well as those 
 in Louisiana and on farther into Texas. We must conduct this 
 as a localized proposition through the agricultural college. It is as 
 mnch to-day a Federal institution as it is a State institution. I 
 shall not go into further argument along that line, but I would be 
 glad to answer any questions, if you care to ask them. In conclu- 
 sion, is the farmer ready for this thing? Will he respond? I 
 have heard so many arguments that the farmers do not care; that 
 they are indifferent. You say you can come here from the colleges 
 and tell us this ; but does the farmer want it ? In my own State the 
 farmers' union unreservedly indorse this proposition. The State 
 agricultural society, the State horticultural society, the dairy and 
 live-stock association, the Georgia Breeders' Association, have in- 
 dorsed it, and I regret that the farmers did not come here from my 
 State and present this themselves, but that authority and responsi- 
 bility was delegated to me. All over the State of Georgia goes up 
 this cry for help, this cry for assistance. Our people have come 
 to realize that we have a great body of knowledge which means 
 life and opportunity to them, and they are calling on us to come 
 out and serve them. We are doing all that men can do under the 
 circumstances, and the State, I think, is doing its part, but if we 
 are to reach this problem, and to reach it at the right time, we must 
 have this movement stimulated by making it a great national prob- 
 lem, and then the weak State and those places where the work is 
 being neglected will get in line and we will make a forward move- 
 ment for the redirection and the institution of a constructive policy 
 in our agriculture which will bring about the desired results. 
 
 Senator Geonna. I was going to add that I only hoped your 
 farmers could be here, and I hoped they would receive better atten- 
 tion than the farmers who came from our country last summer. 
 Everyone said they presented their case most admirably, and every- 
 thing they said was true, but at the same time we could not hear 
 them. 
 
 The Chaieman. We thank you very much, Mr. Soule. 
 
 Senator Smith. The bankers of Illinois have appointed a commit- 
 tee to come down and present their views, and I would be glad to 
 have them do so. 
 
26 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTURAX, EXTENSION DEPAETMBNTS. 
 
 STATEMEKT OF MB, B. F. HABBIS, OF CHAMPAIGN, III. 
 
 Mr. Harris. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I am president of the 
 Illinois Bankers' Association and chairman of the committee on 
 agriculture, a member of the executive committee and of the 
 Twelve States Conference, of which Mr. Chapman is chairman, 
 and will speak to you, and a member of the American Bankers' 
 Association of Seven on Agriculture. Gentlemen, if anything, I 
 am to say to you will have any value, it will lie in this fact, that 
 while I speak as directly representing the bankers' movement in 
 favor of agriculture, I have this peculiar advantage — ^I am in the 
 banking business, and I am associated in many industrial and other 
 enterprises. My education, in a college way, was for law, yet farm- 
 ing is largely my financial interest, and I am a practical farmer. I 
 am situated in Champaign, at the University of Illinois, with its 
 6,000 students, and without treading on the toes of any of the other 
 States, I think the University of msconsin and our school, being in 
 the larger agricultural States, has developed a large portion of some 
 of the more important features of our agricultural work. In this 
 connection, I want to take this opportunity to say that I have never 
 before met Dean Russell and Dr. Soule, although I am familiar with 
 their work, and on account of the work I know of at our own uni- 
 versity, I AA'ant to indorse in toto the facts and the conclusions of 
 those two gentlemen. I have tried to tell my viewpoint and my 
 various associations so that you may see, in a way, that I am in the 
 position of a clearinghouse, because I can discount some of those 
 things. We all make our mistakes in whatever line we may be 
 engaged, and the agricultural chemists and doctors and physicians 
 are not always right any more than the bankers and farmers are 
 right, but they are right in as many or more propositions than many 
 of us. In Champaign County, where I live, we raised 22,000,000 
 bushels of corn, and I have an experimental farm! carried on under 
 my direction, and I mix my practical ideas with Mr. Hopkins's sci- 
 entific ideas. That farm was settled by my grandfather 85 years 
 ago ; there are only two titles, one from the Government to him and 
 the other from him by will to me. I am only 43 years old, but I 
 know when those farms produced from 70 to 80 bushels of corn, and 
 my family have from 15,000 to 20,000 acres that have been reduced 
 from 70 to 80 bushels to 40 or 45 bushels per acre. 
 
 Senator Crawford. Have they been raising com continuously on 
 that soil? 
 
 Mr. I-Iarris. No; our farming has been better than the average 
 farming, because my people all of the time have been in the live-stock 
 business. We are able in that way to get manure, but we are also 
 using phosphate and lime and I am raising alfalfa. 
 
 Senator Page. You are speaking of corn when you speak of the 
 number of bushels? 
 
 Mr. Harris. Yes, corn; and the same thing is equally true with 
 wheat and oats and all that. The wheat crop of this country is 
 raised on 50,000,000 acres of ground, and the average is 13.7 bushels 
 per acre. 
 
 Senator Crawford. That yield has been increasing ? 
 
 Mr. Harris. Yes, sir; it has been increasing through the work 
 that has been done by the experiment stations ; there is no question 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICUDTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 27 
 
 about that. The other side of the case is this : Thirty or forty years 
 ago that same yield was in effect in Europe, and through our cheap 
 lands, that could be easily handled for great crops, we forced Europe 
 backward, and there is not a country in Europe that raises less than 
 26 bushels, and in abnormal years up to 40 bushels. 
 
 Senator Crawford. Have you been applying the experiments and 
 taking advantage of the knowledge that has come from the schools 
 and experiments on your farm? 
 
 Mr. Harris. I have. 
 
 Senator Crawford. Why has not your yield increased ? 
 
 Mr. Harris. My yield has increased, as I am telling you about this 
 large body of land. My father was a practical business man and 
 raised me in school, and I was quite a back farmer when I started. I 
 have a farm of a half section of land, but that is a long story. 
 
 Senator Crawford. Well, it is an exceedingly interesting one, and 
 we want to hear about it. 
 
 Mr. Harris. This particular farm is situated on the State road 
 and it has been farmed longer than any other farm in Champaign 
 County; it is not, however, the one which came to my grandfather 
 originally from the Government, but he owned it many years ago 
 and it was farmed by tenants. By the way, all the land he owned 
 was farmed by tenants, but we have not any tenants on the farm 
 now. My methods prevail on the farming work, and I receive more 
 of my income from my farms. Farming is my avocation as well as 
 my vocation, and it is in that connection that I have induced the 
 bankers' association to take an interest in this matter. They realize 
 the advantage of it and they do not want to be misunderstood, but 
 we have simply forced the work with the Illinois Bankers' Associa- 
 tion, and it has reached out through the country in coafiection with 
 the work Mr. Chapman has done in Minnesota. I called a confer- 
 ence in New Orleans last fall of the agricultural representatives of 
 the bankers from the United States, and we had this American bank- 
 ers committee to take up this matter of agriculture. Now, to answer 
 your proposition more exactly, that farm has been farmed ever 
 since the Indians left Champaign County, and I do not Tmow of a 
 farm that was originally as good a farm as that farm was. I took 
 that farm up with my experiments, because I believed in the rural 
 proposition. I have three boys of my own and I knew that land 
 was not worth the price that it was selling for, or if it was the 
 methods were wrong. I am optimistic in everything, but I was 
 slightly pessimistic in what I could get from those results, and my 
 father and others within the shadow of the University of Illinois 
 did not appreciate the new teaching. I took that farm just as I 
 went in other business. I am associated with Mr. McKinley in other 
 business, in an electrical enterprise, and I am fond of detail; and I 
 think if anything is worth doing at all it is worth doing well, and 
 the farm business must be handled on the basis of population. 
 Forty per cent of our population are farmers and we are not doing 
 anything. We go from the top down instead of from the bottom up. 
 I took that farm, had a topographical map made of it, divided the 
 cultivated lands into five fields so that I could contrast them in a 
 series of years. However, my ideas, as I tell the bankers' associa- 
 tion with the parable of the talents, need application, and every man 
 
28 TO ESTABLISH AGEICXTLTUEAL, EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 and every association or organization must justify its existence ; that 
 is getting truer every day. I want to be of some benefit to my neigh- 
 bor. I do not want to come down here as Mr. McKinley does, and 
 some of the rest who want to be foreign missionaries, to save the 
 country here, but I am trying to be a home missionary and trying to 
 save the county. 
 
 Senator Ceawfoed. Well, to get down to the point, let us know 
 what you have done on that farm? 
 
 Mr. Harris. Well, I have not spent a cent on that farm that is not 
 first a good investment. I work as any other farmer would do, and 
 I do not want anyone to say that I am extravagant and that I can 
 afford to do so and so because I have money. I keep hogs and 
 cattle, and every year in my five fields two of them are always in corn, 
 one in oats, one in clover, and the other in alfalfa, because I demon- 
 strated 12 years ago we could raise alfalfa in our country, and that 
 came through Mr. Hopkins's work. The Inoculation of the Soil. 
 Before I turned the clover I put 1,000 pounds of fertilizer on the soil. 
 The last two years before I took up that farm it was producing 35 
 bushels, and last year it produced 82 bushels, and that in the driest 
 season we have known. 
 
 Senator Smith. What changes have you made in the productive- 
 ness of that farm by following the directions worked out by your 
 State College of Agriculture ? 
 
 Mr. Harris. Well, I have made this change in the farm and in 
 the sentiment of the people, too, because that is more important if it 
 goes beyond my little farm. I stated in a blank form that Cham- 
 paign County land was worth $400 an acre, and the farmers laughed 
 at me. I sajd, here are my books, and I made last year on my farm 
 $26 clear on^evj acre, allowing myself 6 per cent on the personal 
 property in that farm; and I charged my' phosphate and limestone 
 entirely to expense and not to investment. I should have charged 
 at least 90 per cent of it to investment. 
 
 Senator Gronna. You mean you made that net? 
 
 Mr. Harris. I made that net ; so that demonstrates, if you want 6 
 per cent for money, land is worth $400 per acre. 
 
 Senator Smith. Was that due to the results of the experiments 
 produced by the agricultural stations? 
 
 Mr. Harris. Solely and entirely and in every other way that I 
 can emphasize it. 
 
 Senator Smith. What do you think is the sentiment of the bank- 
 ers with whom you are associated? Are they in favor of congres- 
 sional aid and direction in this extension of the demonstration work 
 throughout the Dnited States? 
 
 Mr. Harris. Seventeen State associations have adopted it and the 
 American bankers' committee of seven, after a two days' session here 
 before this committee met, have adopted it in toto, and so far as our 
 association is concerned in our State, and that is practically true of 
 every State and 1,770 bankers. 
 
 Senator Smith. I just want to know what they have done. We 
 know the connection of the farmers, but we just want to loiow 
 whether they indorsed the movement? 
 
 Mr. Harris. They indorsed it to the extent that it was made the 
 whole feature of our meetings, and we open our doors and say to the 
 farmer. Come in here, and my committee has put on two agricultural 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICXTLTUKAL EXTENSIOOSr DEPAKTMENTS. 29 
 
 speakers at every meeting, and James J. Hill came to speak to us at 
 our State meeting last fall when 2,900 people met in the armory and 
 the supreme court adjourned to hear that meeting, and Mr. Gross 
 was there and knows the movement and the effect of it. 
 
 Senator Gkonna. I want to ask you this question : I am much in- 
 terested in learning how to make $26 net on a farm. I want you to 
 tell me how you made this $26. Was it simply from crops, or was 
 it from what you might say partly in speculation in the raising of 
 hogs or cattle? 
 
 Mr. Harris. Of course the hogs and cattle came into it. I had on 
 that particular farm about 110 cattle and I raised two lots of pigs 
 from my sows, about 500 pigs a year. Last year the price was about 
 6^ cents, and it was low, and I bought some corn in addition to what 
 I fed, but there are a great many farmers who can tell you much 
 more than I can. Take Mr. Frank Mann, for instance, a brother of 
 Mr. James Mann who is now a member of the House of Representa- 
 tives. Mr. Mann can tell you very much more than I can because 
 he has spent his entire life on the farm. He has put all of his profits 
 back into the farm; he has a farm of 500 acres and has carried out 
 this work for 30 years. 
 
 Senator Gronna. How many acres did you have in crops? 
 
 Mr. Harris. I had 210 acres in my regular rotation and then an 
 extra 25 acres in alfalfa. 
 
 Senator Gronna. You raised what on those 240 acres ? What kind 
 of crops did you raise? 
 
 Mr. HiiRRis. In my regular rotation I have two of my fields always 
 in corn, one in oats, and one in clover. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Now, what have you to sell? For instance, 
 would you just sell a crop of corn and clover? 
 
 Mr. Harris. I would have corn and alfalfa and hay. I had part 
 clover to sell because I fed part and sold part. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Would that have netted you $26 an acre? 
 
 Mr. Harris. Some of our farmers, like Mr. Mann, for instance, do 
 not have any live stock on their farms and he makes more money 
 on his corn than I do on the live stock. 
 
 The Chairman. If you had sold all of the crops, what would have 
 been your profit? 
 
 Mr. Harris. If I had sold my crops my profit would have been, 
 off hand, I should say, about $18 to the acre, but that would have left 
 me about 100 acres not under cultivation, which I have in Blue Grass 
 pastures for my stock. 
 
 Senator Gronna. That is what I was interested in knowing, how 
 your land could produce $26 an acre net unless it was in speculation, 
 that is, in raising stock. 
 
 Mr. Harris. That is not in speculation ; it would be if I stored up 
 my corn from year to year and waited for four or five years until I 
 could get a higher price, but I sell my stuff regularly every year; 
 I do not want to take up any more of your time, but I waiit to get 
 down to this point Senator Crawford raised. The stimulus this 
 work ought to receive should be as great from the initial appropria- 
 tion as our other industries which are protected through the Federal 
 Government. 
 
 Senator Gore. Why do you think that? 
 
30 TO ESTABLISH AGBICULTUEAL EXTENSION DBPABTMENTS. 
 
 Mr. Harris. Because, it takes so long to preach this doctrine and 
 bring home this work the central colleges are doing. 
 
 Senator Gore. Have you ever made this statement before any com- 
 mittee of the Illinois legislature? 
 
 Mr. Harris. No, sir; I have not. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you not think if you made that statement the 
 money would be forthcoming? 
 
 Mr. Harris. I have not been before the Illinois legislature, but 
 ■others have made it for me and $1,000,000 came from the last legis- 
 lature and we have spent about $200,000 in making a complete soil 
 survey. 
 
 Senator Gore. Then so far as Illinois is concerned this legislation 
 is unnecessary? 
 
 Mr. Harris. In a way, yes; and in another way, no. I want to 
 say this : You use $15,000,000 in the Department of Agriculture, and 
 we pay into the Treasury toward that $15,000,000, $1,000,000. We 
 get from the department $75,000 for our own school. In the South, 
 seven years ago, $240,000 was given for an experiment for the boll- 
 weevil proposition and it has resulted in this wonderful growing 
 demonstration work. We would like to see some of that spread all 
 over the rest of the country. $340,000 has been spent in seven south- 
 ern and nine southwestern States ; we would like to see some of that 
 spread all over the whole country. I drew up the McKinley bill 
 which Mr. McKinley put in and we want the bill that this conference 
 ■committee wants. AH we want is demonstration work and we want 
 it because a number of these States really have gotten legislation into 
 shape and it will give them a stimulus. When you gave that money 
 to the South, even as poor as some of the sections of the South were, 
 they were amazed by the development, and the South, through its 
 people has given more money than the National Government has 
 given them. 
 
 The Chairman. We do not want to interrupt you ; but if you havt 
 several witnesses, Senator Smith, I suggest that we should hurry 
 along. 
 
 Senator Smith. I thinli I had better call Mr. Adkeson. 
 
 Senator Page. Mr. Chairman, I recogn,ize Mr. Harris as a man 
 with whom I have corresponded, and I would like to ask him one 
 question, and that is, if he is opposed to the agricultural work as 
 outlined by what is known as Senate bill No. 3. I understand you 
 have been talking in regard to this other work. Do you oppose the 
 work of Senate bill No. 3 in so. far as it goes beyond the demon- 
 stration work? 
 
 Mr. Harris. I would like to qualify the answer just to this extent. 
 I have tried to say that the rural problems are the important ones, 
 und your bill covers four or five of these problems, and it struck me 
 that the bill tried to include too many things, although every one of 
 them are good ; and if we could get all of that, well and good, but 
 I felt on the financial conditions it was not possible, and the field 
 xiemonstration work was the most vital. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you not think a lot of this work might be left 
 to the States? 
 
 Mr. Harris. Yes; that is all right, and a lot of the legislatures 
 have already provided for State aid. 
 
 The Chairman. The committee thanks you, Mr. Harris. 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 31 
 
 STATEMENT OF PROF. T. C. ADKESON, PROFESSOR OF ANIMAL 
 HUSBANDRY, UNIVERSITY OF WEST VIRGINIA, 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I am a member of 
 the National Grange legislative committee, master of the West Vir- 
 ginia State Grange, and professor of animal husbandry in our State 
 university. 
 
 As I understand the proposition before the committee, it is Sen- 
 ator Smith's bill providing for agriculture, and I want to say to 
 the committee, for fear they will think that my whole experience has 
 been in the college and as a student, that up to the time I was 40 
 years of age I wrestled with the agriculture problem on a West 
 Virginia farm, and that I now own a good many acres of good 
 agricultural land in West Virginia, and, in connection with a son, 
 a good big farm in southern Alabama, where we are growing cotton. 
 I have two sons, both graduates of agricultural colleges, and both 
 of them are on farms and engaged in agricultural partnership with 
 myself, and we are making a living out, of the business. Behind 
 this proposition — and I do not want to be tedious or take more than 
 20 minutes of the possible thirty — there is a great principle that is 
 worthy of our consideration and worthy of the consideration of the 
 National Senate and Congress. The Government has already ex- 
 pended hundreds of thousands of dollars in endowments in support 
 of the agricultural colleges and experiment stations of the country, 
 and they have developed scientific leaders in pure science. A man 
 may be a technical chemist and do all of his work between the walls 
 of his laboratory, and he may discover'- a single fact that, very 
 properly applied to the agricultural forces of the country, may be 
 worth a large number of millions of dollars to the country at large — - 
 to the agricultural interests directly and to the consuming public 
 generally. Yet this chemist might not know the difference between 
 a horse and a cow, and he could not farm if he tried. Now, the ex- 
 periment stations, and incidentally the colleges of agriculture, have 
 been at work, the colleges at least for 50 years, and some of them a 
 little longer. The experiment station has been at work since 1888, 
 and these specialists — ^these scientists; that is, college graduates — 
 have been studying since that time and making experiments to de- 
 termine what scientific discoveries can do for the increase of the 
 agricultural products of the country; and notwithstanding all that 
 has been extended for the support of these institutions the products 
 of the farms of the country have not been greatly increased, and in 
 a majority of sections, counties, and States, there has been an actual 
 falling off, and there has been something more going on. That is 
 in the best agricultural States of the country, and in the best agri- 
 cultural counties of the several States there has been a falling off 
 in the rural population. 
 
 Senator Ceawpokd. What is your explanation of the reason for 
 the falling off in production when we have had all these colleges at 
 work for 50 years teaching the people ? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. That question comes up frequently. The probabil- 
 ities are the falling off would have been much greater than it has 
 been if it had not been for the colleges. It has resulted from the 
 depletion of the soil fertility of the country, as a result of our sys- 
 tem of farming, and the falling off probably would have been much 
 
32 TO ESTABLISH AGBICUI/TUBAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 greater if there had been no colleges or experiment stations. Now, 
 embraced in that we come to the question the committee has to con- 
 sider in the relation of these problems I had to consider. The col- 
 leges can never educate any large percentage of- our actual farming 
 population. No large per' cent of their graduates will ever get to 
 the farm. 
 
 Senator Ceawfoed. Then, is it true we have been living up in 
 the air too much and taking boys in the agricultural colleges who, 
 instead of applying their special knowledge, have simply used the 
 agricultural school as a convenience to get an education and did not 
 apply their special knowledge down close to the point that we are 
 really wanting to reach? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Your hypothesis is not correct. 
 
 Senator CKAwroEo. I only put that to draw you out. 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. These college graduates, most of them, are engaged 
 in scientific agriculture. We might call it professional, as distin- 
 guished from practical agriculture, as regards the actual farmer 
 who lives in the field growing crops. He is going into the National 
 Department of Agriculture, or the various departments of the States, 
 and the colleges of agriculture and experiment stations, and now 
 they are going into the normal schools, and, to a large extent, in the 
 high schools, as teachers of agricultural science; yet they are not 
 reaching the man on the farm between the plowhandles, but they 
 have been discovering things and they are inoculating the whole 
 agricultural body with a large amount of agricultural information. 
 Now, our extension proposition comes in just there; the work these 
 men have been doing and are doing since the establishment of the 
 agricultural colleges and the agricultural stations needs to be car- 
 ried to the man in the field by demonstration work, by local school 
 work, by agricultural training, and the farmers' institute under a 
 generally systematic directed extension of the department somewhere, 
 naturally, in connection with the agricultuarl colleges, just as this 
 bill provides. That is the distance between the college and the man 
 on the farm, and it is greater than many people imagine. Here and 
 there, as I said, about my own sons, both of them, went from the 
 agricultural college to the farm. 
 
 Senator Smith. Now, tell us this: Did what they learned in the 
 agricultural college help them in the farm? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Undoubtedly. But to show you, and it bears on this 
 question, the son who is in Houston County, Ala., has been for the last 
 year pulled away from that farm, and he has been engaged in demon- 
 stration work; he has been in charge of a district, and the colored 
 brethren in that neighborhood are raising cotton, and he is away 
 from home on account of the demand for him to go into this real 
 agricultural work. The other son has had no proposition made to 
 him to leave the farm. He is on the farm. He has two college de- 
 grees and two other degrees from veterinary colleges, yet he is plow- 
 mg and raising cotton. You will find that type all over the country, 
 but we have 100,000 farms in West Virginia, and it will take five 
 men to the farm^ and you have 100,000 people at work on the farms. 
 There are three or four or five college graduates on the farms of 
 West Virginia. How far have we reached the agricultural produc- 
 tiveness of West Virginia with these men we have sent out from the 
 colleges? Nearly all of the others have gone into professional agri- 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUKAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 33 
 
 culture. I want to impress that difference, the difference between 
 ihe fellow who goes out and teaches professional farming and the fel- 
 low who goes out and does things. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Tell us, if you will, the difference between pro- 
 fessional agriculture and the regular agriculture. 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. And practical agriculture, you mean? 
 
 Senator Geonna. Yes. 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. The distinction I want to make is, the men engaged 
 in professional agriculture may be engaged in our Agricultural De- 
 partment here as a professor of chemistry, or a botanist, or a horti- 
 culturist, yet all the people connected with the department are sup- 
 p6sed to be specialists and scientists, and they are certainly not 
 growing crops. 
 
 Senator Gronna. In other words, a man who received compensa- 
 tion from other sources than the farm? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Yes, sir ; salaried positions in general. 
 
 Senator Smith. You mean he is engaged in farm demonstrations 
 as a profession or in a school teaching it ? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Yes, sir. 
 
 Senator Smith. Or in some scientific institution pursuing experi- 
 mentation with reference to it. You call that professional? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Yes, sir; that is professional and that is basic. 
 These farmers can not carry on chemical experiments for they have 
 not the labatories nor the equipment. 
 
 Senator Smith. What is your opinion of the effect which would 
 be produced upon the small farmer of carrying this information 
 through extension work, that has been gathered up by these 50 and 
 25 years of work, to him on his farm and giving him a demonstra- 
 tion? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. I hardly know how to measure the extent as your 
 question is put, but all the money that has been expended, I will 
 say, on these institutions was wasted if it can not be made of prac- 
 tical use and availability to the man who is actually on the farm 
 growing crops ; and very largely it has not been so made. 
 
 Senator Crawford. It seems to me that is the crux of the whole 
 matter — to have this system. There is a hiatus now between the 
 finishing of the work in the school and the actual work down on the 
 farm. 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. To bridge over ? 
 
 Senator Crawford. To bridge over and reach out. 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Between the pure scientist, if you want to so desig- 
 nate the professional agriculturist, and the man who is the pure 
 farmer. This proposition, as nearly as any proposition that has ever 
 been made, has met this bridge^.that hiatus between the profes- 
 sional, or the scientist, and the man actually in the field. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Will you tell us the reason why these people do 
 not go into practical farming? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. You mean the college graduate ? 
 
 Senator Gronna. Yes; why they stick to the professional work. 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. I think I can. In the first place, a young man 
 struggles through college frequently and pays his way, or his father 
 has paid his way, and he starts in in life with nothing but his hands, 
 and nobody can farm unless he has a farm to farm. And I lay this 
 
 32029—12 3 
 
34 TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 down as a proposition, regardless of what may be said or thought: 
 That at the present price of farm land, with the present profits on 
 farm production, a young man who starts out with a college educa- 
 tion and his hands and his energy, buying a farm at the present 
 prices, at 6 per cent interest, will hardly live to be old enough to pay 
 for it. 
 
 Senator Sjxith. Now, you are speaking with reference to West 
 Virginia, are you not? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Anywhere. 
 
 Senator Smith. Are you not mistaken about that when you go 
 down into other sections ? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. No, sir. 
 
 Senator Gore. How are you going to meet that ? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. I have sweat drops of blood over that. Senator, and 
 I know what I am talking about. 
 
 Senator Goke. You can not settle that by legislation? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. No; you can not settle that by legislation, and still 
 ft answers his question. These men are offered a salary which will 
 pay them better than the actual farming. They are the salt of the 
 whole situation, because they are the men who are paid to teach 
 things. 
 
 Senator Smith. And they are offered good salaries at once, and 
 they take it and drift into these lines ? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. I say they take them from the farm because they 
 are offered more money than they can make on the farm. But in 
 Alabama there are farmers who have not had the education. Now, 
 the extension proposition involves just that. If you can take these 
 college graduates and their knowledge and the discovery of the men 
 of the experiment stations and put it down where the men on the 
 farm can make it available and put it into practice, and you can 
 demonstrate to them that they can grow better crops by adopting 
 these more scientific methods, you will not have to tell them a second 
 time how to do it. 
 
 Senator Gronna. These men you speak of know how to farm. 
 Now, if farming was a profitable business, or profitable industry, is 
 it not true that they would go into that industry just as quickly as 
 they would go into teaching ? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Undoubtedly if agriculture was more profitable 
 than these other methods these college graduates would all go into 
 it. But I want to tell you that is not a fact. I know what I am 
 talking about when I am talking about the farming business ; I have 
 been at it about a week over 60 years. I went to a college, but it was 
 when I was about 40 years old, so when you come to practical farm- 
 ing I know whereof I speak. But the farmers of the country need 
 to have this information that the colleges and the experiment sta- 
 tions have been learning and demonstrating during the past 25 
 years and more ; they need it carried out and demonstrated to them. 
 Send them a bulletin from a college and it is couched in the lan- 
 guage of the scientist — -and he can not think in any other language — 
 and the farmer opens it up and he undertakes to read a page of it 
 and about two-thirds of the words he does not understand, because 
 they are technical, or at least a good many of them are, and he 
 throws this aside and much of the printing is wasted. Of course 
 that is filtering out through the newspapers. 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGKICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 35 
 
 Senator Crawford. You made the statement about a man buying 
 a farm, with all his knowledge, going in and buying a farm and never 
 being able to pay for it at 6 per cent. Take it in any other line, a 
 man without anything going in any business, if it is a small shop, or 
 a store, or any other enterprise, if he goes in debt for the whole thing 
 and he pays 6 per cent interest, isn't he going to have a good deal of 
 difficulty in getting his head above water? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. Yes. 
 
 Senator Crawford. Is that any more true of the farm than any 
 other line? 
 
 Mr. Adiusson. That is probably true, but that is the reason he 
 accepts the salary instead of going onto the farm. 
 
 Senator Crawford. I have heard it stated a good many times in 
 the mercantile business over 90 per cent fail at some time before they 
 come to the end of their career. So it is hardly a just characteriza- 
 tion of the fact, as applying only to farms. 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. I was not arguing against that proposition. I was 
 just stating why the man accepted the other position. I was not 
 comparing this profession with the other, or the probabilities of 
 success or failure, but as to why the college graduate, instead of going 
 to farming, if he had no farm, acepted the salary. The other propo- 
 sition is a fair one and debatable as to whether agriculture is more 
 profitable than some other business. 
 
 Senator Smith. Do you believe that the farmers, from your 
 knowledge of them, are earnestly desirous of having this informa- 
 tion? 
 
 Mr. Adkeson. I have no doubt about that in the world. 
 
 The Chairman. The committee thanks you for your statement,. 
 Mr. Adkeson. 
 
 STATEMENT OF MH. JOSEPH CHAPMAN, JR., VICE PRESIDENT 
 NORTHWESTERN NATIONAL BANK, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. 
 
 Mr. Chapman. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I am chairman of 
 the committee on Northwestern State agricultural colleges and chair- 
 man of the American Bankers' committee on this subject. In just 
 a few moments I will try to state why the bankers are interested in 
 this problem. We began some five years ago in Minnesota to study 
 the question from an economical standpoint. We found that the 
 wheat crop in Minnesota, on which our lands had produced from 30 
 to 40 bushels an acre, had gone down to 13. We found our boys and 
 girls were leaving the farms and going to the cities. In Minnesota 
 one-third of the population of that State lived in three cities. We 
 went about to find out the reason why the boys and girls were 
 leaving the farms and flocking to the cities, leaving our men and their 
 wives who ran the farms without help, or with very incompetent 
 hired help. It was a discouraging situation. At the Hull House, in 
 Chicago, last June a man made a canvass of the cheap lodging 
 houses in that city and found out there were 20,000 young men under 
 the age of 26 who were sleeping in basements where the water would 
 ooze up through the floor and where they would lie down to sleep 
 with nothing but a newspaper between them and the floor. Those 
 young men were from the farms of our Central States — men looking 
 for jobs in cities. We reached the conclusion that it was largely an 
 
36 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 educational problem. We found in Minnesota, in 1909, there were 
 435,000 children of all ages in our schools, which schools were being 
 conducted at an expenses of about $14,000,000 to the State. Of that 
 435,000, Mr. Chairman, 1,832 were in our agricultural schools and 
 colleges. In other words, Minnesota was educating 99.6 per cent 
 of the coming generation to be consumers and four-tenths of 1 per 
 cent to be producers, and if you think those figures are exaggerated 
 and do not fit in there, look into the situation in your own State 
 and you will find Minnesota is not alone. 
 
 We have drifted away from practical education and have gotten 
 largely into theoretical and what is called intellectual education, so 
 that the problem in Minnesota is how to get the knowledge from the 
 agricultural schools in our great State out to the 1,000,000 people 
 who live on the farms in the State of Minnesota. Only 1,832 
 pupils were in attendance at the agricultural colleges and there 
 were 1,000,000 people living on the farms, and that is where the 
 wealth comes from in Minnesota. There are $400,000,000 worth of 
 products produced annually by those million people living on the 
 farms, and yet Minnesota practically stood still in her rural popula- 
 tion in the last 10 years, while the great States of Iowa and Missouri 
 dropped backward. Now, gentlemen, in a word, the bankers' asso- 
 ciations of the country stand behind educators such as you have 
 listened to this morning. I can tell you the difference between men 
 like these and the average educator by what a business man in 
 Wenatchee, Wash., told me last September. He said, " Our com- 
 munity has met with a disaster." I said, "What is it? Has your 
 apple crop failed?" He said, "No; the principal of our high school 
 •has resigned and gone into business for himself." "Well," I said, 
 "why is that a disaster?" He said, " He is an expert on horticulture 
 and every man in this valley goes to him for advice; he is a distinct 
 asset to this community." I asked myself if I ever heard of the 
 average principal of any high school in my section of the country 
 ever being looked upon as a disaster when he is lost? No ; the reason 
 is because the average educator does not touch the lives of the people, 
 and these people who have spoken here this moaning, and whose 
 work we indorse, absolutely touch the life and the prosperity of the 
 people of this country. That is why we, as bankers' associations, 
 stand by and indorse the works of our agricultural colleges and of the 
 United States Department of Agriculture. 
 
 But, gentlemen, it is going to take a very long time before this 
 information is going to percolate and get to the people under our 
 present methods. In our own school system, in the State of Minne- 
 sota, we have changed in the last three years. There are now in 
 Minnesota 80 high schools where agriculture, domestic science, and 
 vocational training are taught. The reason there are not more high 
 schools is because we can not get the instructors. For 100 years 
 in this country we have been taking the boy and girl away from 
 the farm and sending them into the cities, and it is going to be a 
 long hard siege before we can get conditions in the country so that 
 a man will be satisfied to live there. Fifteen and 25 years ago it used 
 to be the practice for one boy or two boys or one or two girls from, 
 a large family to go to the city. Now the whole family moves in. 
 The farmer sells his farm, and he is the best farmer in the com- 
 munity. He is the kind of a farmer that Dean Russell likes to get 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICXJLTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 37 
 
 hold of to use as a demonstrator ; but, through the rise in the value of 
 their land and the dissatisfaction of their people with conditions, the 
 whole family moves into the city, and that is a loss to the community. 
 This question can best be handled, to our minds, by the National 
 Government assisting the State, and I come from a State, gentle- 
 men, which is most liberal in its appropriations for this matter. 
 W^e also spend $40,000 a year for this extension work in Minnesota, 
 and the last legislature appropriated $1,200,000 for agricultural 
 education in Minnesota; yet that is only a drop in the bucket, be- 
 cause we have neglected these boys and girls so long. In closing, 
 I just want to urge you, gentlemen, if you want to do something 
 for the country, something that will satisfy the farmer — and he wants 
 this; do not make any mistake about it; he wants it, but he does not 
 know how to get it — give us this legislation. These organizations of 
 business men are accustomed to looking at these matters from a 
 broad way and are taking an interest in them. In Minnesota 232 
 commercial clubs, the Federation of Commercial Clubs, passed a 
 resolution indorsing a demonstration bill to be passed by this session 
 of Congress. The Agricultural Society of Minnesota and the Agri- 
 cultural Society of Iowa passed resolutions indorsing such a bill. 
 The farmer wants it, and I want to tell you absolutely the business 
 man has got to have it. The people in the cities are just as much 
 interested in this matter as are the people in the country. I am 
 sorry I took three minutes over my time. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Will you kindly give us your opinion as to why 
 the farmer leaves the farm? 
 
 Mr. Chapman. Yes, sir; because he is discouraged in some cases; 
 in other cases he has made so much money off of the rise of the value 
 of his farm, and that is especially true in our section where an immi- 
 grant will come in from the old country without this agricultural 
 knowledge, and he takes advantage of the virgin soil and robs it. 
 He gets his advance in value on his land and moves into the city. In 
 some cases it is because they can not get help on the farms. The 
 sentiment of the country is all toward city life. The successful 
 business man is held up in every newspaper in the country, and it 
 is taught in the schools that a successful man must go to the city; 
 there is no room for him in the country, and we have to change our 
 methods along that line. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you not think the lure of the city and the social 
 advantages appeal to the imagination? 
 
 Mr. Chapman. Yes. 
 
 Senator Smith. Do you not think these national efforts in farm 
 life and farm progress will help and inspire a higher appreciation 
 of the country and of the farm? 
 
 Mr. Chapman. That is the theory the bankers are working on. 
 They are trying to create sentiment and to present facts to the 
 farmer to show that he is far better off on his farm than he is in 
 the city, where he will not cut any figure at all. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Do you not think it is true the farmer makes 
 less profit on his industry than any other business in the country? 
 
 Mr. Chapman. No, sir ; I believe that is absolutely not so. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Is it not true that the farmer works longer 
 hours and gets smaller pay than any man in any other industry ? 
 
38 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 Mr. Chapman. No, sir; I do not believe that is true. When you 
 contrast the farmer with the average man working in the city ; that 
 is, the average man without any better education than the farmer, 
 he has to work just as long hours in the city and be satisfied with 
 a great deal less remuneration than he would if he were on a farm 
 with the same amount of brains and the same amount of ability. 
 
 The Chairman. Mr. Chapman, the committee want to thank yot;, 
 
 STATEMENT OF MR. OLIVER WILSON, PRESIDENT OF THE 
 NATIONAL GRANGE. 
 
 Mr. Wilson. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I am master of the 
 National Grange, and reside at Peoria, 111. 
 
 Senator Smith. We would be very glad to have you tell us what 
 you think of this extension work and of how the farmers feel about 
 it and of what benefit you think it would be. 
 
 Mr. Wilson. Mr. Chairman, I have only dropped in here on this 
 committee incidentally, but, as you know, the Grange represents 
 the organized farmers; that is one of the great national organiza- 
 tions of faimers. We are represented in about 33 States of this 
 Union. This question has been before the National Grange in its 
 last session in Columbus, Ohio. The measure — ^not this special bill, 
 but the measure leading up to this bill — was discussed and unani- 
 mously indorsed by the National Grange. 
 
 Senator Page. Right here let me say that the measure you dis- 
 cussed and unanimously indorsed was indorsed by name as the Page 
 bill. 
 
 Mr. Wilson. I think so; yes, sir; but I Avill say further that the 
 National Grange will stand for any legitimate measure along this 
 line of extension work. 
 
 Senator Simith. Which part of the Pase bill was it that attracted 
 your attention? Do you remember especially? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. I am not familiar enough with it. 
 
 Senator Smith. Was it the farm extension work? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. Yes; the farm extension work; that was. of course, 
 the principal feature. The bill^vas not before the association at all; 
 it was merely in reference to that. There was a resolution, and. as 
 I recall it now from memory, there was a resolution indorsing this 
 extension idea of agricultural work carried on by the Government, 
 assisted by the State, and that is the position, and the unanimous 
 position, so far as I know, of all members of our organization. We 
 have over half a million members. 
 
 Senator Page. Are you in any way interested in what is called 
 the national committee on agriculture that has been meeting at St. 
 Louis this past week? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. Not directly; no, sir. 
 
 Senator Page. It is recognized as an adjunct of vour work? 
 
 _Mr._ Wilson. Well, it may be an adjunct, but we 'are not affiliated 
 with it in any special way. 
 
 Senator Page. Let me read this, so that it will be brought to your 
 attention. I have received this telegram from the meeting in St. 
 Louis : 
 
 The Page bill has been mianiinoiisly indorsed" by the committee on agricul- 
 ture and by the department of normal schools of the National Educational 
 Association. 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGBICULTCJBAb EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 39 
 
 Signed " Homer H. Searly, president of the committee on agri- 
 culture, National Educational Association." That you may make 
 no mistake about what you did at Columbus, let me say that you 
 indorsed the Page bill there by name unanimously. 
 
 Mr. Wilson. I think so; yes. 
 
 Senator Smith. But you did not have the bill before you? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. No ; we did not have the bill. 
 
 Senator Smith. And you were indorsing the agricultural extension 
 work? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. That is what it was. The mere subject of the bill 
 was introduced. 
 
 Senator Page. Did you have a subcommittee to whom that matter 
 was referred? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. There was a committee. 
 
 Senator Page. And that committee had before it the Page bill? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. I can not answer that; they did not report to the 
 body. 
 
 Senator Page. The committee had before it the Page bill, and I 
 have here letters from several men there who say that the Page bill 
 was considered by a committee, and the resolution was reported and 
 unanimously adopted. 
 
 Mr. Wii^ON. I think that is correct. I do not doubt but that they 
 had the bill. 
 
 Senator Smith. The convention did not have it. The convention 
 was considering the extension work? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. If I had known I was to be here, I would have 
 brought the resolution with me. I do not have it with me and I do 
 not remember exactly what the resolution was. 
 
 Senator Smith. From j'our experience with the farmers of the 
 country generally, do you regard them as desirous and ready for 
 this kind of work? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. I think so: without a doubt a majority of them, be- 
 cause the farmer feels that the boy and girl on the farm should have 
 the same school advantage as if they were, fortunate or unfortunate 
 enough to- have been raised in a town or city. That is the idea of the 
 work. We believe that it is only right and only just. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Are you a farmer? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. I am a farmer; yes, sir. 
 
 Senator Geonna. I asked Mr. Chapman, a banker from Minne- 
 sota, whom I know very well, as to his opinion about the compensa- 
 tion for farm labor. What is your opinion as to the relative com- 
 pensation of the farmer himself or the farm laborer as compared to 
 the compensation of men engaged in other business? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. I think their per cent is very much lower on the 
 farm. I would not take in all occupations, but I have no doubt but 
 that the farmer works more hours, uses more muscle and just as 
 much brain as a banker, and his profits are not as great. That would 
 be my opinion. 
 
 Senator Page. Mr. Wilson, I am not a lawyer and I can not ask 
 leading questions. I am afraid my good friend Senator Smith on 
 the other side might say I was asking leading questions. Here is 
 what your Grange resolved : 
 
 Resolved, That the Xational Grange in forty-fifth annual session assembled 
 does hereby indorse the Page bill, Senate bill No. 3, to provide for vocational 
 
40 TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTUKAL EXTEXSIOX DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 education in secondtiry schools, tlie training of tencliers for these schools, agri- 
 cultural extension, and agricultural demonstration. 
 
 Now, you would not .say, would you, that there was nothing said 
 there, in view of this resolution ? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. I did not say there was nothing said about it. My 
 memory was at fault. I did not know that the Page bill was intro- 
 duced in that resolution. I take that back, of course. 
 
 The Chairman. What was in your mind with reference to the 
 vote of that organization ? Was it in favor of what has been spoken 
 of here as the Page bill as a whole or of the extension work? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. My individual opinion — and I believe it was the 
 opinion of the membership — was the extension work; not opposing 
 the Page bill, but the idea was for the extension work. 
 
 Senator Page. Our chairman is a lawyer. Why do you under- 
 stand they especially commend it? Because it provided for voca- 
 tional education in terms and spoke of vocational education in terms 
 in the resolution? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. Simply because the discussion and all matters con- 
 cerning it tended 
 
 Senator Page. You did discuss vocational education, did j^on not? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. Sure. The idea of the National Grange was to get 
 all the vocational education and all the extension work they could 
 get. 
 
 The Chairjean. Whatever they discussed, the reason of your ac- 
 tion was a desire for the extension work? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. The reason was for extension work. 
 
 The Chairman. The reason of your action was on account of the 
 extension work? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. Yes; that was the idea. 
 
 Senator Page. Are you willing to say that without reading this, 
 which says. "To provide for vocational education," and you just said 
 they all discussed vocational education? Was not that one of the 
 reasons why they did pass this resolution? 
 
 Senator Crawford. You do not want to be understood as being 
 hostile to vocational education? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. Not by any means ; no. 
 
 The Chairman. Which would you imdertake first? 
 
 Mr. Wilson. I do not know that I am in a position to answer that 
 question. My own idea would be the extension work, but I do not 
 know what the Grange as a whole would say. 
 
 The Chaiejian. Before the committee adjourns I would like to 
 call on Dean Eussell for a little further information. We are all 
 interested in agriculture, but what work in the interest of agri- 
 culture is best for the National Government to enter upon first is 
 the question before the committtee. 
 
 Mr. Russell. I think the position of the agricultural colleges is 
 this: That we believe both the agricultural extension and the voca- 
 tional education are both very desirable and worthy propositions, 
 and it is simply a question of expediency as to how can these results 
 best be secured. The attitude of the agricultural colleges, as I un- 
 derstand it, and this expresses my personal view — that from the 
 standpoint of practical education and effective use of moneys that 
 ve should start the agricultural extension work first. The idea that 
 Senator Page has in his bill is a very excellent one and is going to 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGKICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 41 
 
 come just as sure as fate, but if we were to put that whole bill into 
 operation at the present time we could not adequately handle the 
 subject. We believe we can handle the subject of agricultural ex- 
 tension, because the colleges have been developing along this line, 
 and this begins in a comparatively modest way. I think the total 
 appropriation for one is somewhere in the neighborhood of $3,000,- 
 000, and the other runs up to something like twelve or fourteen mil- 
 lion. The agricultural colleges are in favor of both of these proposi- 
 tions, and you know better than I do that legislation is taken only 
 one step at a time. We believe that the agricultural extension move- 
 ment is the first step. Let us take that and then come back to the 
 other propositions as soon as Ave can. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you think the Federal Government ought to in- 
 stall industrial departments in the ordinary high schools all over 
 the United States ? 
 
 Mr. RtrssELL. Now, that is a question concerning which there is a 
 difference of opinion. 
 
 Senator Crawford. This goes below the high schools? 
 
 Mr. Russell. If this goes to all kinds of education, I should say 
 " No." I think education is largely a matter which should be under 
 the control of the local community, but the position of agriculture, in 
 its importance to the whole people, is such that it might well, as 
 President Taft said, be put upon a different basis of general edu- 
 cation. 
 
 Senator Gore. I agree with you entirely. 
 
 Mr. Russell. It is a serious question, but that is a question which 
 seems to me you people are the only people who can pass upon the 
 problems as to whether you will have Federal aid for the funda- 
 mental education of the country. I do not know what is the wisest 
 thing to do, because I have not studied that problem, because I have 
 felt that it was a considerable way off in the future. 
 
 Senator Gore. There is no reason for the Federal Government 
 to endow the ordinary high schools? 
 
 Mr. Russell. No; it is a serious question of what is right and 
 wrong there. But on the other problem, of agricultural extension, 
 I do not think there is the slightest question but what 
 
 Senator Crawford. Laying aside the question of whether the Gov- 
 ernment should do that, or whether the State should do it, do you not 
 think the educational systems have grown a little top-heavy in the 
 States out of public funds appropriated for schools for training 
 professional men? They have their medical schools and they have 
 their schools of chemistry, their schools of dentistry, ther law schools, 
 and only a comparatively small number of the young men of the 
 State have advantages, while in the shops and in the mills and on 
 the farms 99 per cent of the boys never see a high school. 
 
 Senator Page. 92.93 per cent is correct. 
 
 Senator Crawford. Well, they never see a high school, but their 
 education is either with the secondary schools, as you call them, or 
 below that. Is not our system top-heavy where we spend these mil- 
 lions from the high school up and neglect even domestic science 
 and vocational training and these rudiments of agriculture in the 
 lower schools, and is it not lopsided and top-heavy? 
 
 Mr. Russell. I will admit that. 
 
42 TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 Senator Ckawfoed. And should not the Federal Government, to 
 make better citizens and have greater efficiency and add to the sum 
 of happiness in this countrj^, take its share of the burden of carrying 
 this education down and putting it in touch with the great mass 
 below the high schools? I think it is a tremendous question, and I 
 think the Federal Government ought to do something with it. 
 
 Senator Gore. Are not the States doing something to regulate 
 that in the last two years? 
 
 Mr. Russell. Yes. We have about 500 boys coming to the uni- 
 versity to take the so-called short courses. The main objection about 
 the boys is that they go out into professional life. Let me say that 
 out of 3,000 boys taking the short course 91 per cent of those are in 
 agriculture to-day and 80 per cent of those are on Wisconsin farms. 
 In our four-year course they do not do that, because they go into 
 salaried positions, and of last year's course half of our graduates of 
 the four-year course went back into practical propositions with their 
 fathers and on their own farms. But that Is only a drop in the 
 bucket. We are organizing the common schools and along the line 
 of Senator Page's district school, making it a trade school and agri- 
 cultural school, which is the same as we are putting in Milwaukee, 
 a trade school of industry for the man who goes into the shops. That 
 is coming. Now, the problem is. Should it oe handled wholly by the 
 State or jointly by the State and the Federal Government? That is 
 an enormous proposition and one which is embraced in the Page bill, 
 but I feel, with the Page bill as it now stands, it contains so many dif- 
 ferent propositions that it is questionable whether we are ready and 
 ripe for all of it. 
 
 Senator Page. Mr. Chairman, I have been immensely pleased with 
 all that Dean Eussell has said to-day. I have not a word to say 
 against what he has said, but I just want to say, when he speaks for 
 the agricultural colleges, that I have letters from a majority of all 
 the agricultural colleges of the country favoring my bill, and I want 
 to say to you that they commenced with opposition because they 
 were opposed to the experiment stations called for by the bill. I 
 received a letter within three days from officials af the Massachusetts 
 agricultural college who has opposed my bill quite persistently, and 
 he says. " I am in favor of your bill and its general provisions. I 
 do not like, however, your provision in regard to experiment-station 
 work." I do not want any contest with my good friend, Senator 
 Smith, for I know he favors my bill and I favor his. 
 
 Senator Smith. You have a report on your bill, and I am just try- 
 ing to get one on mine now. 
 
 The Chaiejian. I want to hear Dr. Soule along the same lines we 
 have been discussing. 
 
 Mr. SoiTLE. I do not know that I just understand what question 
 you want me to answer. 
 
 The Chairman. I want the comparison between the two bills^ 
 which the Federal Government, in your judgment, should enter upon 
 first. 
 
 Mr. SouLE. Mr. Chairman, it seems to me there can be no question 
 about which we should undertake first of all. We have our well- 
 established system of agricultural colleges and experiment stations. 
 The Federal Government has endowed those and the States have 
 endowed them. We have accumulated the information which is to 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICTJLTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 43 
 
 give redirection and to put a constructive purpose and policy on our 
 premises. The urgency of the work, I thinl?:, is apparent to every 
 American economist. The agricultural colleges of the different States 
 are ready to undertake this work and to push it with vigor on a well- 
 organized basis, and in a manner which will enable them to reach at 
 least' the edge of the problem. Of course to accomplish all that has 
 been suggested here this morning will take a considerable period of 
 time. I say this, Mr. Chairman, without any feeling of opposition 
 to vocational training. We all believe in that, but I still think the 
 extension matter is the one which has had the widest agitation, the 
 most general appreciation, and the largest measure of approbation. 
 It is the one I think more nearly reaches the problem of the farm 
 and sets at work the agencies which we must use to reorganize on a 
 business basis — our agriculture. I could not undertake to decide here 
 this morning whether the people of Georgia and the South are ready 
 for a vocational bill, as you speak of it, and I do not think that I 
 should venture an opinion, because I believe that is a matter that has 
 not had sufficient agitation or discussion in the State from which 
 I come, and I do not feel that the indorsement, possibly, of a few 
 persons should lead us to think that the State is ready for it yet. 
 I say this without any opposition to the measure, but you know it 
 involves many things which I think would be too tedious to discuss 
 at this time. 
 
 The Chairman. Is your State ready for the extension work? 
 
 Mr. Soui^. There is no question about that ; there' is absolutely no 
 question about that. We can bring in assurances to this committee 
 if there is a doubt in their minds on that point, because it has been 
 indorsed not only by our Farmers' Union, which is an organization 
 in practically every State, but I would like to say, Mr. Chairman, 
 for your information, the Farmers' Union met in Macon in the month 
 of February, not over two weeks ago, with more than 200 delegates ; 
 they came from what they called the locals in the different counties, 
 and therefore the entire State of Georgia, save possibly a few coun- 
 ties where there may be no organizations, was represented, and they 
 unqualifiedly and unanimously indorsed the extension measure. I 
 do not mean to say they would not have indorsed the other measure, 
 but I just speak of what has been done. I want to make my position 
 clear, that I say nothing with animus toward any other measure. 
 
 The Chairman. We are asking the questions from the simple fact 
 that if the extension bill should be favorably reported the Senate 
 would have before it both the vocational bill and the extension bill, 
 and so to throw light upon that subject I made these inquiries. 
 
 Mr. SouLE. I feel positive, if I might venture to say this, that in my 
 agricultural work I have had experience in the States of Texas, Ten- 
 nessee, Virginia, and in Georgia, and in Missouri, and in those States 
 my work has been almost constantly with the farmers, and I have 
 been a traveling representative of the agricultural colleges of the 
 South for the last 18 or 20 years, and I believe I can say with proper 
 modesty I have met thousands upon thousands of farmers in those 
 States and talked with them, and the sentiment in favor of agricul- 
 tural extension — having the college, as they term it in my State, 
 placed on wheels or in the grip of the agricultural drummer and 
 brought out to the isolated community — is the thing that the farm- 
 
44 TO ESTABLISH AGKICULTUEAL EXTEXSIOK DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 ers want and believe to be the practical thing, and I should say the 
 business organizations feel that more can be accomplished by such a 
 measure as this extension bill at this time than in any other way. 
 
 Senator Gore. Do you think the Federal Government ought to en- 
 dow or install industrial departments in the ordinary high schools 
 and in the district schools all over the United States ? 
 
 Mr. Sot LE. Well, sir, that brings up a very serious question in our 
 State where we have a mixed population, and T do not pretend to be 
 able to answer that question satisfactdrily. I am not trying to dodge 
 the issue, but I just think it involves a proposition that has not been 
 discussed or worked out from the standpoint of a State with a popula- 
 tion like Georgia, sufficiently for any person to give an offhand 
 opinion. 
 
 Senator Gore. Is there any use for a State government at all if it 
 can not give primary education to its people ? 
 
 Mr. SouLE. Well, I think the State government should be able to do 
 a good deal for its school system. On the other hand, this is also 
 true, that the problem of the public education which the United States 
 has entered upon is such a costly undertaking, and there are so many 
 people to be served, there is a question whether the State in some in- 
 stances will be able to reach and do all that it should do. 
 
 Senator Gore. The people pay for these schools. You do not imag- 
 ine any Aladdin's lamp pays this endowment for the Federal Gov- 
 ernment ? 
 
 Mr. SouLE. I understand that fully, but men like to swap dollars, 
 sometimes. 
 
 Senator Gore. So that the only secret of this whole extension busi- 
 ness is that you get the money and can use it without seeing it go out 
 of your pocket ? 
 
 Mr. SouLE. Xo, sir; that is entirely a mistake, so far as this par- 
 ticular movement is concerned ; that is, so far as my knowledge of it 
 is concerned. What we are asking you to do is exactly in line with 
 the fixed policy of this Government toward agricultural education for 
 a period of nearly 60 years, I believe. This is simply to endow the 
 colleges with the power to carry out a part of the maintenance fund 
 given to them by the Federal Government which has enabled them to 
 accumulate this information, and this information has to be carried 
 out to the farms. 
 
 Senator Gore. This closes the link in the chain? 
 
 Mr. SotTLE. Yes ; I will not say the colleges will not be back asking 
 for other things, but as I understand, this gives us a well rounded and 
 properly formulated scheme of agricultural education in the United 
 States, and at the same time the circuit is not as yet closed. 
 
 Senator Gardner. I would like to ask the professor one question 
 right there. There seems to have been a good deal said about what 
 the Government is doing. I find by calculation the Government is 
 spending about -2 per cent of its whole cost of government for agricul- 
 ture, upon which it depends most entirely for its existence. I would 
 like to know if you think there is any great danger of the Government 
 appropriating a little bit more for the benefit of agriculture and 
 thereby benefiting all the rest of the country ? 
 
 Mr. Soi^LE. I am very much afraid the Government will not appro- 
 priate enough. I think that is the reason we gentlemen are here bv 
 representation. I am not here as a volunteer, but I am sent here and 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGBICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPAKTMENTS. 45 
 
 urged here by the people of my State, and the people from the farms, 
 more than the people from the towns and cities, because they are 
 afraid and feel that the National Government has not been suffi- 
 ciently liberal in endowing agricultural educational work. 
 
 Senator Gore. I would like to go on the record at this time that 70 
 per cent of the ordinary revenues of the Government are spent on 
 wars, past, present, and to come. 
 
 The Chairman. We appreciate vour remarks very much indeed. 
 Mr. Soule. 
 
 Thereupon, at 1.30 o'clock p. m., the committee adjourned until 
 Tuesday, March 5, 1912, at 11.30 o'clock a. m. 
 
 TUESDAY, MARCH, 5, 1913. 
 
 United States Senate, 
 Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, 
 
 Washington, D. G. 
 
 The committee met at 11 o'clock a. m. 
 
 Present: Senators Burnham (chairman), Perkins, Page, Lorimer, 
 Gronna, Chamberlain, Smith of South Carolina, Smith of Georgia, 
 Percy, and Gardner. 
 
 The committee proceeded to the further consideration of the bill 
 (S. 5563) "to establish agricultural extension departments in con- 
 nection with the agricultural colleges in the several States receiving 
 the benefits of an act of Congress approved July 2, 1862, and of acts 
 supplementary thereto." 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I would be glad to put 
 into the record the statement of Dr. K. L. Butterfield, president of 
 the Massachusetts Agricultural College. I have a stenographic re- 
 port of it as presented to the House committee. I do not know that it 
 is desired to have it read. 
 
 Senator Chamberlain. Is there any use of putting that into our 
 hearing when it will be printed in the House hearings? I suggest 
 that if it is not printed in the House hearings, that it might be 
 printed in ours. 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. I am satisfied that it will be printed 
 in the House hearing. Suppose we leave it in this condition, that if 
 we find it is printed in the House hearings it shall not be printed in 
 ours, and if it is not printed in the House hearings we can print it 
 later on. 
 
 The Chairman. That course will be pursued. 
 
 Senator Gronna. While we are on this question of submitting 
 arguments that might go into the record, I wish to ask to have in- 
 serted a certain letter that will be prepared by State Senator Mc- 
 Dowell, a banker from our State, who was here and who appeared 
 before the House committee, but who could not find time to wait 
 until we met to-day. He stated to me that he did not have his re- 
 marks ready, and I ask the privilege of inserting his letter in the 
 record. 
 
 The Chairman. When will that be ready ? 
 
 Senator Geonna. He thought it would be here to-day, but I have 
 not received it. I will probably receive it to-morrow. 
 
 The Chairman. If there is no objection that will be done. 
 
46 TO ESTABLISH AGEICrLlTJKAL EXTEXSIOX DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 STATEMENT OF WESLEY C. McDOWELL, CHAIKMAN OF THE EXEC- 
 UTIVE COUNCIL OF THE NORTH DAKOTA BANKERS' ASSOCIA- 
 TION. 
 
 Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, it affords me great 
 pleasure to be present at this time before your committee to add a 
 word of testimony on the question before you for consideration on 
 behalf of North Dakota. North Dakota is a new State. Practically 
 none of our rich lands have been farmed over 25 or 30 years, and I 
 think I may safely say that at least one-half of the State has only 
 been developed during the last 10 years. 
 
 SOIL IS state's asset. 
 
 You know out in North Dakota we have no forests or coal mines 
 or manufacturing industries to speak of. Practically all we have is 
 our soil. That is the State's asset, and its preservation and the re- 
 tention of its fertility is our greatest aim. You people in the East 
 know our State for its large wheat crops and that grain has been the 
 chief crop ever since any land of our State has been cultivated. The 
 men who settled North Dakota, generally speaking, had very little 
 funds to commence their farming operations. In early days they 
 broke up the land and let it lay over a season before planting the 
 first crop of wheat. In later years they began to sow flax on the sod 
 immediately after breaking. Wheat and flax, together with oats and 
 barley, have formed the principal crops that have been grown in the 
 past by our Dakota farmers. Whether it is scientifically correct or 
 not I am not going to say, but the fact is that constant sowing and 
 constant planting of wheat on the same land has caused the crop to 
 deteriorate in yield, so that in a large section of the State, where the 
 land has been farmed for 15 or 20 years we need pretty fair conditions 
 to produce a good crop. It seems reasonable to suppose that the 
 wheat crop continually taking the same elements out of the soil would 
 eventually exhaust it. Our farmers are a progressive class of men, 
 and this condition of impoverishing the soil being brought home to 
 them quite forcibly, the last two or three years in particular, has 
 only begun to turn their attention to better methods of agriculture. 
 
 BIG CROP OF CORN. 
 
 One of the big things that our State has produced this last year 
 has been its crop of corn. In the year 1911 North Dakota had over 
 450,000 acres in corn and I am sure that I am giving you a conserva- 
 tive estimate when I say that in 1911 North Dakota produced not less 
 than 10,000,000 bushels of com. I have here a sample which I 
 brought along to show you the kind of corn that we raise. You 
 perhaps will not consider it as good as some of the corn raised in 
 Illinois or Indiana and perhaps some of you gentlemen from the 
 Southern States can beat it; but to the N'orth Dakota men it has 
 proven a joy and a blessing. It means to us the possibility of cattle, 
 hogs, and all kinds of stock ; it means a greater future for our land ; 
 it means a rotation of crops ; it means more acres of pasture land ; in 
 short, it means a diversification on our farms, so that we will have 
 more things to realize on than we have had in the past. 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRTCULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 4Y 
 
 DIPFEEENOE IN TAEMING PEOBLEM. 
 
 The farming problem in North Dakota is a different problem than 
 you have in the Eastern States and in the Southland. Our farms are 
 large the average farm in our State being nearly 400 acres, and the 
 handling of these large farms must necessarily be done on a different 
 scale than where men have only 40 and 80 acre tracts, as is common 
 in the older country. We have in our State about 75,000 farms and 
 between fifteen and twenty million acres of cultivated lands at this 
 time. Our population is about 657,000 and is almost wholly rural. 
 These figures give you some idea of the large scale on which our 
 farming is operated. In 1900 it was estimated that our farm lands 
 were worth $11.15 an acre on an average over the State, while in 1910 
 they had increased to $25.11 per acre, which shows the development 
 of the State. 
 
 VALUE OF MIXED FAEMING. 
 
 Now, there is no question in the minds of our people that the more 
 mixed farming is carried on in the State the more things we can 
 cultivate and produce with profit, the faster our land values will 
 increase, and the more permanent will become the settlement of 
 our land and more wealth produced. Our State has done a great 
 deal for itself in this matter. Our people take kindly to suggestions 
 and seek in every way to help themselves. Let me illustrate in three 
 or four ways in which we have taken hold of this matter in North 
 Dakota. In the first place, our legislature has provided by law for 
 the teaching of agriculture, of manual training, and domestic science 
 and the other subjects that are kindred thereto, in all our public 
 schools. We have a law which provides for the establishment of 
 agricultural high schools and the farming of 5 or 10 acres of land in 
 connection therewith. 
 
 STATE AID TO EURAL SCHOOLS. 
 
 The State offers an inducement to all our rural schools that will 
 take up these subjects by giving them State aid from $60 to $150 
 per year, providing they hire good teachers, keep school long terms, 
 and teach these subjects which are of interest to the development 
 of an agricultural community. Our normal schools instruct in these 
 branches, so that the teachers who go out therefrom are qualified to 
 teach agriculture as well as the ordinary branches taught in all 
 public schools. In this way it is hoped to better equip our boys and 
 girls for taking care of the land of the State and to better equip 
 them to make farming productive. 
 
 PEAISES AGBICULTUEAL COLLEGE. 
 
 Our agricultural college, which is one of the best in the United 
 States and in which we have some of the brightest men engaged in 
 agricultural work in the country, has done a great work. In early 
 days the agricultural college was not appreciated-as much as it should 
 have been, for the reason that the people were not acquainted with the 
 work that it was doing nor with the aid and help that it might be to 
 
48 TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 them if they M-ere brought in touch ^Yith its work. I remember dis- 
 tinctly when they used to run special trains over our State, bringing 
 people in to see the fields and the plats and hear lectures on different 
 subjects, the railroads furnishing the trains free of charge for the 
 purpose. They sent out bulletins all over the State, probably not read 
 as much as they should have been, but still serving a good purpose. 
 They organized farmers" institutes with which, no doubt, you are all 
 familiar; later they took up and are doing at present a more compre- 
 hensive work. 
 
 VALUE OF EXTENSION WORK. 
 
 This extension work, in my mind, has a whole lot to do with the de- 
 velopment of corn culture in the State of North Dakota. In the year 
 1911, 11,000 school children were members of corn clubs or engaged 
 in corn tests over our State. Thirty-seven counties of our State par- 
 ticipated in these tests. It is estimated that the acreage of corn has 
 been increased seven or eight times on account of the interest that the 
 school children have shown in this matter, and I might state it better 
 still when I sa^■ on account of the success that the school children 
 had in raising this crop. This same extension work has gone a step 
 further, and in the last year, through the college, have been con- 
 ducted what might be termed farm schools, where demonstrations 
 are made in actual practice, showing by concrete examples how to test 
 milk, how to build silos, how to test seed, how to lay out farm Build- 
 ings and plant groves, etc. 
 
 BETTER FABJIING MOVEMENT. 
 
 One of the largest movements, however, which has been inau- 
 gurated in our State was started about four or five months ago, and 
 is done privately, being known under the name of the Better Farm- 
 ing Association of the State of North Dakota. This association was 
 started by business people of Minneapolis, Minn. — which city, by the 
 way, is one of our chief market places and one from which we buj^ 
 a large part of our goods — together with business people of the State 
 of North Dakota, having for its object just what its name signifies. 
 Minneapolis men. together with the railroads that traverse our State, 
 raised something like forty thousand a year, and have agreed to pay 
 this sum for a period of three years, providing that the people of 
 North Dakota Avill raise a like amount. This means the expenditure 
 of a lot of money, but a lot of money is required to carry to the door 
 of the operators of 75.000 farms scientific knowledge of farming. A 
 superintendent, or secretary, as he is called, has been employed to 
 supervise the work. 
 
 HOW PLAN WILL WORK OUT. 
 
 The idea is to put a farm demonstrator in every county that can 
 make the necessary arrangements for the work. This county dem- 
 onstrator will travel around the county like a county superintend- 
 ent of schools, visiting the farmers, taking to them what information 
 he can, making suggestions as it seems best, looking toward im- 
 proved conditions on the farms. He might, for instance, suggest in 
 one place a particular way to rotate crops on a certain piece of land 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGBICULTUEAl, EXTENSION DEPAKTMENTS. 49 
 
 to get the best results, or how to lay out a set of farm buildings the 
 most economically, or the best grade of stock to develop, and in a 
 hundred different ways be of assistance to the farmer. Just let me 
 illustrate one thing that is being carried out on one of the large 
 farms at Marion, where I live. On this farm eggs are put up in 
 boxes, a dozen in a box On a card in the box is written the date on 
 which the eggs were collected; the name of the farmer appears on 
 the outside of the box. These eggs sell readily for 10 or 15 cents 
 per dozen more than those collected in the ordinary way. The idea 
 of putting these eggs up in this manner, making them more market- 
 able, is the idea which a demonstrator might convey to other farms 
 all over our State, and just that would mean a great amount of money 
 to the State if carried out. This is only one of many ideas that occur 
 to you as to me. 
 
 APPROVE LEVEE BILL. 
 
 It is not necessary for me to go into detail in this matter, inas- 
 much as all you gentlemen who are from the South are entirely 
 familiar with the demonstration work. We in North Dakota believe 
 thoroughly in the idea. We want to keep all the good things that 
 we have at this time; we want to get just as much from our own 
 legislature as we can, and I feel certain that the State of North 
 Dakota will do its part. We approve the Lever bill, which is under 
 discussion at this time. We understand that it is the purpose of this 
 bill to carry out this demonstration work along with the extension 
 work that is now conducted by our agricultural colleges. It is a 
 start in the right direction, and for that reason it has our approval. 
 
 We are particularly anxious to secure Government aid now. We 
 are young. Conservation of soil now and knowledge to our farmer 
 of how best to farm our land will not only save millions to the State 
 and Nation but add greatly to its wealth. 
 
 There appears to be a spirit of economy in regard to new legisla- 
 tion which calls for appropriations in this Congress, but I want to say 
 to you gentlemen from the East that your showing an interest in the 
 condition of western farm lands and the improvement of agricultural 
 conditions throughout the West — the making of its farmers' life more 
 desirable — will do a great deal toward drawing your section of the 
 country and ours closer together. There is a feeling out in the West 
 that you often legislate a great deal for the trusts and manufactur- 
 ing industries as against our interests, and by giving us some support 
 along this line you have a great opportunity to show to the western 
 farmer that his interests are identical with those of his eastern 
 brother. 
 
 I wish to thank you for your kind attention this morning, and I 
 know that you will give us the best that you have. 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have letters from 44 
 of the presidents of the colleges of agriculture indorsing this meas- 
 ure. I do not think it necessary to put the formal introduction of 
 their letters into the record, except a few lines of indorsement from 
 each one of them. I would like to put that in, and the entire corre- 
 spondence I would be glad to show Senator Page or any other mem- 
 ber of the committee. It is at their disposal. A few lines of the 
 
 32529—12 4 
 
50 TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTTJKAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 indorsement of this measure from each of them and the statements 
 indicating preparedness to go on with the work from those various 
 colleges I wish to put into the record. 
 
 The Chairman. Is there objection? 
 
 Senator Page. Would there be any objection, Mr. Chairman, if 
 after I have examined them, as I have letters from the same sources 
 bearing upon the same matter, to include those as well ? 
 
 The Chairman. I do not know of any objection. 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. I will say that there is not anything 
 in any letter that I desire to put in that reflects upon any other 
 measure. 
 
 The Chairman. Is there objection to this course being pursued — 
 that after this record is made up by the stenographer, so that it can 
 be understood what is in the record, if Senator Page desires to put 
 into it correspondence from the same or other parties, he can do so? 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. I do not object if it applies to this bill. 
 
 The Chairman. It would have to apply to the pending measure — 
 this particular bill. 
 
 The Chairman. I would like, if there is no objection, to put in the 
 record the letter of Secretary Wilson^ dated Februar;^ 19, 1912, that 
 was read to the committee. I would like to have it go in in its 
 proper place. That is an answer to this inquiry : 
 
 Referring to your verbal request that I give you my views with regard to 
 future steps that may be wisely taken In the matter of agricultural educa- 
 tion, etc. 
 
 It does not relate to any particular bill. 
 The letter of Secretary Wilson is as follows : 
 
 Department of Agricultuke, 
 
 Office of the Secretary, 
 
 Washington, February 19, 1912. 
 Hon. Henry E. Btjenham, 
 
 United States Senate. 
 Dear Senator: Referring to your verbal request that I give you my views 
 with regard to future steps that may be wisely taken in the matter of agri- 
 cultural education, I would say that unquestionably this is one of the most in- 
 teresting and engrossing topics connected with production from the farm at the 
 present time. The heavy immigration into this country added to the increase 
 of population within the United States have been calling for more and more 
 from the land. The elimination of the western ranch consequent upon the 
 westward advance of the homesteader has curtailed the meat supply. The 
 movement from the farms to the towns has taken from rural life too many 
 people who should be on farms producing grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy 
 products, etc. All classes of thinking people have had their attention called to 
 this absorbing problem and many propositions have been introduced into Con- 
 gress looking to relief. The Department of Agriculture has been working along 
 lines peculiar to Itself and has found upon American farms many of very high 
 intelligence who have been successful along all lines of production. At the 
 same time the American farmer has not been as well educated toward his life 
 work as other classes of the community, and unquestionably there is much to do 
 in this direction. In carrying out the will of Congress with regard to helping 
 the people of the Southern States meet the invasion of the cotton boll weevil 
 from Central America, the department found that the poorer people, both white 
 and colored, needed Instruction with regard to production on the farm. It was 
 found that the work of our scientists who make research, which finds Its way 
 into publications (27,000,000 copies of which were distributed last year), 
 would not alone meet the situation. It became evident that to help the people 
 In this emergency the farm itself must be the laboratory, and that much good 
 could be done by making the Instructor the best Informed farmer of the neigh- 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 51 
 
 borhood. A great emergency had to be met, and that promptly. There was 
 not time to wait until men could be trained in the schools along lines of theo- 
 retical and practical agriculture. We had to take what was at hand, and to 
 this end have employed 650 well-trained and successful farmers as agents to 
 carry the gospel of better farming home to the man on the land. The labora- 
 tory was in the field. The farmer made the discoveries himself. He was ad- 
 vised, encouraged, and instructed under the guidance of the department by our 
 agent, who was one of his neighbors but recognized as a flrst-class practical 
 farmer. 
 
 Furthermore, the boys and girls of the farm were organized and set at work 
 along similar lines. The people of the Southern States of all classes and pro- 
 fessions sympathized with this work, contributed liberally, and gave all the en- 
 couragement possible. The results have been highly gratifying. It occurred 
 to us in the department that what was done to help must be done at the farm 
 and in the field. That is, the farmer above all things must be taught to help 
 himself. 
 
 The theory of education along other lines Is to send the brightest boys and 
 girls of the State or community to the college or university to acquire the 
 theories and practices pertaining to the life work they have in mind. And this 
 has worked .well along all professional and industrial lines" except agriculture. 
 I do not say that much has not been done by the agricultural colleges, because 
 much has been done toward building up a better system of agriculture within 
 the several States. But the education of a small per cent of the community is 
 not enough when we consider the great need of production from the land. 
 Everybody must be educated who devotes his life to growing crops, to breeding 
 and feeding animals, and to the productions from the dairy. The Southern 
 boy was reached by inducing him to grow an acre of something. The neigh- 
 bors saw at a glance the wisdom of reaching these boys and helped in every 
 way to encourage the enterprise. The result has been the heaviest production 
 of certain crops the country has ever known. 
 
 The department also organized the work among the girls of the farmer's 
 family. They were taught something with regard to the care of the interior 
 of the home; something with regard to beautifying the surroundings of the 
 home; and something with regard to caring for the surplus vegetables and 
 fruit, grown in the summer, in the way of preserving them for winter use. 
 This work is also succeeding and has had fine encouragement from the women 
 of the Southern States. 
 
 We have 30 or more agricultural scientists of good education cooperating in 
 Northern States with agricultural colleges where cooperation can be brought 
 about (and it has been brought about almost universally), but also with in- 
 dividuals in many localities, because there is just as much need of helping the 
 poorer farmers in the Northern States as there is in the Southern States. The 
 boys of the Northern States are beginning to grow acres of crops, getting in- 
 struction from all sources where it may be had. The agricultural colleges are 
 doing much and are on the way to do much more. I have asked Congress to 
 give me some more money to increase the number of organizers that the de- 
 partment may send out to Northern States, to have object lessons more gen- 
 erally conducted on the farm, both through the farmers themselves and the 
 boys and girls on the farm. 
 
 There are a number of propositions now before Congress having for their 
 object the better education of the industrial classes throughout the whole coun- 
 try. In some cases heavy subsidies are asked from the National Treasury 
 toward doing educational and extension work in and through the public 
 schools looking toward a uniform system of education in all the States and 
 introducing agricultural education into the primary and secondary schools of 
 the country. It is proposed that the farmer shall have a larger ex^sion of 
 classroom work. 
 
 If the Congress cares to set out on this line of industrial training it will be 
 necessary first to give attention to the education of teachers, because very many 
 times the number of teachers available will have to be trained and prepared 
 for the wise expenditure of the proposed appropriation. It would seem to me 
 to be much wiser to follow along the lines that have been succeeding so well 
 in the Southern States. There is no doubt but that all classes of the com- 
 munity in the North will sympathize with the efforts made to help the poorer 
 farmer to improve and to train the boys and girls on the farm to do better 
 work than they have ever seen done. Members of Congress from some of the 
 
52 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 States have given strong evidence of sympathy along these lines by contribut- 
 ing money to help carry this work along. 
 
 If Congress cares to add to the very heavy and generous appropriation made 
 for agricultural education in the past, I would have most hope of good coming 
 from extension work and demonstration made on the farms of the country 
 under intelligent direction and practical instruction in the field given to the 
 boys of the farm and practical instruction in the homes given to the girls of 
 the farm. 
 
 Summarizing, therefore, permit me to again call attention to the most excel- 
 lent results that have been secured through our demonstration work in the 
 South, where the object has been to carry to the man on the land the results of 
 the very best knowledge in such a way as to secure the sympathy and support 
 of the farmer and to help him, above all things, to help himself. For the 
 country to enter at this time upon any plan of widespread industrial educa- 
 tion through Federal aid is a question that ought to have the most careful 
 consideration. Anything that the Congress may do, however, in the way of 
 practical extension or demonstration work conducted so as to develop this 
 work directly on the laud is worthy of most careful Ithough. As indicated 
 fibove, there are several measures before Congress covering such work, and if 
 the Congress sees fit to recognize any of these they would fit into the efforts 
 this department has already made in its aim to upbuild agriculture in every 
 practical way. 
 
 Very truly, yours, James Wilson, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 STATEMENT OF DR. W. D. GIBBS, PRESIDENT OF THE NEW HAMP- 
 SHIRE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS, 
 DURHAM, N. H. 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I have prepared no for- 
 mal remarks upon this question. I did not know that I was expected 
 to address the committee formally. My remarks will be confined 
 mainly to the interests of New England m agricultural extension. 
 
 The greatest economic problem that presents itself to New England 
 to-day, it seems to me, is that of the development of agriculture. 
 New England has become a highly developed center for manufactur- 
 ing, as you know. Her agriculture has declined in recent years. 
 That decline doubtless has been due to the migration of New England 
 people to the Middle West and other newer sections of the country 
 to help develop agriculture and other industries in those localities. 
 It has also been due to the boys and girls leaving the f axms of New 
 England to engage in manufacturing and to help build up the cities. 
 There has been, therefore, a serious drain upon the agricultural re- 
 sources of New England, with the result that her rural population 
 has actually decreased. 
 
 We have on the New England farms to-day, according to the cen- 
 sus reports, 36 per cent less improved farm land than we had in 1860. 
 New England has decreased 31 per cent in the production of cereals 
 since 1860. She has decreased 15 per cent in the production of com 
 alone,' 85 per cent in the production of wheat, 31 per cent in the pro- 
 duction of oats, 34 per cent in the production of potatoes, 14 per cent 
 in the number of all cattle, 24 per cent in the number of milch cows, 
 and 69 per cent in the number of sheep. 
 
 New Hampshire, according to the last census report, for the 10 
 years from 1900 to 1910, decreased 16 per cent in acreage of hay and 
 forage, 10.6 per cent in acreage of potatoes, 29.9 per cent m the acreage 
 of com, 13.7 in the acreage of oats, and in cereals decreased 22.2 in 
 a creage. 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGBICULTUEAL. EXTENSION DEPABTMENTS. 53 
 
 The development of agriculture therefore presents itself as being 
 the most important need in New England to-day. There are actually 
 51 country towns in New Hampshire that are paying taxes on less 
 property to-day than they were 20 years ago. 
 
 Now those of us who are familiar with the agricultural situation 
 in New England are not discouraged by these statistics. We know 
 that the tide is now turning. We know that more attention is being 
 given to agriculture ; that people are coming to realize that there are 
 some of the grandest opportunities for investment in agricultural 
 enterprises in New England to-day that are to be found in any part 
 of the country. We are just finding out the possibilities of this the 
 oldest section of the United States. 
 
 The question before us is what is the best way to develop agricul- 
 ture in that region. Maiiy of us who have given a great deal of 
 study to the question feel that the best way to improve agriculture 
 there is through some form of agricultural extension. The colleges 
 and experiment stations have done and are doing splendid work. 
 There has been accumulated all over this land a vast amount of 
 most valuable agricultural information. Now the problem is how 
 to get that information to the farmers so that they will change their 
 old practices in accordance with modern methods. 
 
 Let me give you an illustration of what is meant by agricultural 
 extension and of the benefit that it brings to farmers. A young man 
 came to our institution a few years ago from a New Hampshire farm — 
 Harold Hardy, from Hollis, N. H. He studied agriculture and went 
 home to his father's farm and rejuvenated an old orchard of 600 
 trees. This old orchard was full of San Jose scale, and was an 
 unproductive orchard, producing mediocre fruit in small quantity. 
 The father had made his living by selling milk in Nashua, 8 miles 
 away. This young man went to work on the orchard and pruned 
 it and sprayed it and cared for it in other ways, and to-day they have 
 one of the best apple orchards in New England. Instead of produc- 
 ing 800 barrels of fruit a year it is producing about 1,500 barrels 
 of fruit a year, which sell for about $4,000 a year. The result is 
 that the town of Hollis, N. H., has become an apple-producing 
 center. The orchards of Hollis have been developed, and apple 
 buyers are coming in from all parts of New England to buy apples, 
 and you can not buy an acre of apple land in Hollis to-day at a 
 reasonable price, all because of the work that that young man did, 
 and because of his demonstration that it could be done. 
 
 Now those farmers might have read agricultural experiment sta- 
 tion bulletins for a hundred years on how to develop an orchard, 
 and they never would have done it. They believed their eyes and 
 changed their methods. 
 
 There are many illustrations of that kind all over New Hampshire, 
 but that one is probably the most notable. 
 
 Senator Percy. What do you mean by reasonable price? What 
 is the value of the land in that section ? 
 
 Mr. GriBBS. It depends upon the land. 
 
 You can buy plenty of land in New Hampshire for from $5 to $10 
 an acre, and there are other lands that you would have to pay $200 
 an acre for. 
 
54 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUBAL EXTENSION DEPABTMENTS. 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. These particular apple lands— what 
 do they go up to, what would you say ? iir tt ;i 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. I can not answer that question. I said to Mr. Hardy : 
 "Why don't you buy this piece of land here adjoining your or- 
 chard?" He said: "I can not buy it; they will not sell it. He 
 said, "The land is very high here now," and that is the general 
 vPTfii f*i" "t"n PT'P 
 
 Senator Page. May I interrupt you to say that there is a man in 
 my State, Vermont, at Charlotte, who has developed his apple 
 orchard in the way you have mentioned, and I am told that he was 
 offered a thousand dollars an acre for his farm. I think it pays 
 interest on a good deal more than that. 
 
 Mr. GrBBS. It is very true that a good orchard is worth a great 
 deal of money per acre. We feel that the greatest need in our section 
 of the country is agricultural development, and we feel that the way 
 to best accomplish it is by agricultural extension, by demonstration 
 experiments here and there over the State, such as the one I speak of. 
 The State of New Hampshire has already gone into this thing. At 
 the last session of our legislature an appropriation was made for 
 the State College to organize an extension department. We have 
 that department organized at the present time, and we are carrying 
 on demonstration experiments over the State and engaging in other 
 lines of agricultural extension work. We are just getting started, 
 and we know that if this proposed bill becomes a law it will be one 
 of the most beneficent acts of legislation for New Hampshire, and 
 we think for New England in general, that could possibly be passed 
 by this Congress. We are very deeply interested in it. 
 
 On Thursday night of this week the Boston Chamber of Com- 
 merce, which has become tremendously interested in agricultural 
 development in New England, because they realize that if the 
 farmers have money in their pockets it will be a good thing for 
 business in Boston. On Thursday night of this week the Boston 
 Chamber of Commerce gives a complimentary dinner to delegates 
 from all of the agricultural organizations of New England, and on 
 the next day, Friday, the New England conference on rural progress 
 meets, and we are going to try to develop a working plan, so that 
 these interests may be organized in a systematic, way for the de- 
 velopment of New England agriculture. 
 
 We are tremendously interested in this thing. The salvation of 
 New England, it seems to me, is dependent upon increased agricul- 
 tural prosperity. Agricultural extension is the way to bring it 
 about. You can talk to farmers at farmers' institutes, and you can 
 send them bulletins by the ton, but they do not change their prac- 
 tice. But when you go to the farm and " show " the man, then he 
 is your friend for life, and that, in my opinion, is the way to de- 
 velop agriculture in New England or in any other part of the United 
 States. 
 
 I thank you, gentlemen. 
 
 Senator Geonna. I would like to ask the professor just one ques- 
 tion. I have been very much interested in the statement that you 
 have made, and, of course, I know that what you have said is abso- 
 lutely true, that agriculture has declined, and that there are less 
 farms in your country to-day than there were years ago. But I am 
 interested in knowing how you are going to put money in the 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 55 
 
 farmers' pockets. "We will say now that you adopt a method to 
 increase production. I would like to have you tell us, in your own 
 way, how you are going to make more money for the farmers. It 
 is natural that as production increases the price will decrease. That 
 is absolutely the case with everything. I would like to know how 
 you are going to put money in the farmers' pockets in this way ? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. I spoke of Mr. Hardy. He formerly got from $1,000 
 to $1,500 for his apple crop. Under the improved conditions, and 
 improved methods, he gets $4,000. 
 
 Senator Percy. There does not seem any danger of overstocking 
 the apple market. 
 
 Senator Gkonna. I was referring to agriculture in general. We 
 will take wheat, for instance. What kind of a crop would you 
 raise on land that was worth $200 per acre, for instance? Would 
 you raise wheat, oats, and barley on land of that kind ? 
 
 _ Mr. GiBBS. I should say it would depend entirely upon the adapta- 
 bility of the land and on the markets. I think, at the present time, 
 the most profitable crop that New England can grow, especially in 
 southern New England, is fruit. 
 
 Senator Page. May I interrupt you there? Is it not true that a 
 very large quantity of apples are exported every year, not only 
 from the New England States, but from Oregon and Washington, 
 and the West, where the product is very large? Senator Chamberlain 
 knows that, no doubt. I have an idea that we are not limited to our 
 own markets for our fruits. 
 
 Senator Chamberlain. We ship a great deal of our fruit abroad. 
 
 Senator Page. And so it is with New England. 
 
 Senator Gronna. I was just interested in knowing whether, in 
 your opinion, it would pay to raise grain on any land that was 
 worth $200 per acre? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. I would say for New England, that probably there are 
 other crops that could be grown more profitably. In some sec- 
 tions of the Middle West you can grow corn very profitably on $200- 
 an-acre land. I do not believe we could do so in New England. 
 
 Senator Gardner. Do you know whether there is land in New 
 England that you can not buy for $200 an acre that is used for 
 potato growing only? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. I am not familiar with the potato-growing region, 
 which is largely in the State of Maine. 
 
 Senator Gardner. I know that to be true. 
 
 Senator Smith of South Carolina. How much an acre ? 
 
 Senator Gardner. It can not be bought for $200 an acre. 
 
 The Chairman. We have heard considerable in former times 
 about abandoned farms in New Hampshire. I want to know 
 whether or not that condition is being changed, and quite rapidly 
 changed ? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. I do not know of any abandoned farms in New Eng- 
 land. The term " abandoned," I think, is used in the wrong sense. 
 If you go out through some of the back-hill towns in New Hamp- 
 shire and find a farm that seems to be deserted, the old house falling 
 down, and you go to buy that farm, you will find that it is not aban- 
 doned ; that you would have to pay well for it. Many of the lands 
 that were formerly in cultivation in New Hampshire have been 
 turned out to brush, and that can be explained, I think, because of 
 
56 TO ESTABLISH AGKICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 the great development of the middle western country and the cheap 
 production and cheap transportation of agricultural products tothe 
 eastern markets. I think that accounts for the 36 per cent of New 
 England land that is now in brush that was formerly cultivated. 
 
 The Chairman. And as to that class of real estate— agricultural 
 land— what would you say would be the effect of scientific cultiva- 
 tion and more attention to fertilizing the land ? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. I think that as the western lands are increasing rap- 
 idly in price and the values of agricultural products are going higher, 
 that we can produce crops at great profit on many of our lands 
 where two years ago we could not do so. 
 
 The Chairman. What is the effect of that upon keeping our sons 
 and daughters at home on the farm ? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. I feel that we need not worry a great deal about that 
 in the future. I believe that there is a great and growing interest 
 in the farm and farm life, and the tendency now is for agriculture 
 to be popular. At our college we have 134 students — about 45 per 
 cent of our total number— taking the agricultural course, and there 
 has never been so much interest in agriculture among the students 
 as there is at the present time. Agriculture is popular now, but a 
 few years ago it was not so. 
 
 Senator Chamberlain. Is the soil pretty well exhausted in your 
 section of the country ? Can it be restored by proper cultivation ? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. Fertilizers are generally used there, but the soil is not 
 exhausted. Those soils can be built up and made very productive 
 under proper management. 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. You can not exhaust a clay soil, can 
 you, if you put a little brains in it? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. I do not thing that any of our soils in New England 
 are yet exhausted. 
 
 The Chairman. What per cent of your graduates remain inter- 
 ested in agriculture? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. You mean the graduates of the agricultural courses ? 
 
 The Chairman. Yes. 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. I have not the figures with me, but of those who gradu- 
 ate in the several agricultural courses — the four-year course, the two- 
 year course, the ten-weeks course, and the one-week course — I should 
 say three-fourths of them go back to the farms. There is such a 
 demand for teachers and investigators and agricultural newspaper 
 men, and the like, that many boys who have no farms to go back to 
 are attracted by a $1,000 or $1,500 salary, and instead of going back 
 to the farm they engage in some other lines of agricultural work; 
 but I should say three-fourths of them rerturn to the farm. 
 
 Senator Smith of South Carolina. I would like to ask you one 
 question. Do you not find in your work in your college — that is, in 
 your extension work — that the practical results from your extension 
 work in going out among the farmers to demonstrate the farm — ^to 
 the farmers, not the boy, not the student, but the farmer himself — 
 do you not find that there is as much or more practical results from 
 that extension work, or as much as you would get from the actual 
 academic work in your college? 
 
 Mr. GiBBS. Our agricultural-extension department has been organ- 
 feed only since last September, and we have not had time to get the 
 
TO ESTABUSH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 57 
 
 results as yet. But I am sure that such results will be obtained — the 
 results such as you speak of. 
 
 Senator Smith of South Carolina. But the extension work will 
 be coequal with the academic work? 
 
 Mr. Gebbs. I think so; and I think it could easily become more 
 important. That is my opinion about it. 
 
 The Chairman. Dr. Gibbs, the committee is very greatly obliged 
 <o you for your presence and the information you have given. 
 
 There being no further questions, Mr. Gibbs was thereupon ex- 
 cused. 
 
 statement: of Howard h. gross, president national soil- 
 fertility LEAGUE, CHICAGO, ILL. 
 
 Mr. Gross. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I have been working on 
 this plan for about two years. Last summer we had a meeting in 
 the office of Mr. John J. Mitchell, in Chicago, of perhaps a dozen 
 men, consisting of bankers, lawyers, farmers, college men, merchants, 
 and professional men, and 1 laid before them the plan of a campaign 
 to aid the colleges of agriculture to get the appropriations necessary, 
 so that they might undertake in a large and comprehensive and sus- 
 tained way this farm-demonstration that you have heard so much 
 about. They recognized as business men the necessity for this work, 
 and I will leave with the stenographer a little pamphlet giving a list 
 of the men connected with this organization officially. 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. You need not leave it with the stenog- 
 rapher. Just leave it with the committee, so that anybody may see 
 it who desires. 
 
 Mr. Gross. Very well. I will say that Mr. James J. Hill is chair- 
 man of the executive committee ; Mr. Taf t is a member, and also Mr. 
 Champ Clark. 
 
 Senator Gronna. They are all good farmers. 
 
 Mr. Gross. We have some big farmers, too. Mr. A. P. Grout, the 
 largest farmer in Illinois; John S. Goodwin, and others who are 
 large farmers are represented. 
 
 I want to say this, gentlemen. We recognize the splendid work 
 that is being done by the agricultural colleges. Measured by its pos- 
 sibilities, we believe it is beyond that of any other educational work 
 that is being done to-day, because it makes for the conservation of our 
 soil, to build back into fertility these wasted fields, and to give us an 
 assurance of a food supply for many years to come. 
 
 Population is rapidly overtaking production. We have a higher 
 living cost, and the success of this country depends upon our agri- 
 culture more than all else together. It is fundamental. The wealth 
 of this country lies within 18 inches of surface, and we felt as 
 business men, representing every phase of business life, that it was 
 highly important that the work of these colleges should be recog- 
 nized, that they should be given the support necessary to enable them 
 to undertake this great work of establishing better agricultural con- 
 ditions, to the end that we might raise whatever food supply we have 
 upon a smaller area with better cultivation. 
 
 Let me say this to the farmer members: If you wish to raise corn, 
 it is better to raise 60 bushels on 40 acres than 40 bushels on 60 acres, 
 
58 TO ESTABLISH AGEICX7LTTJKAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 for then you have 20 acres more which you can put into alfalfa, and 
 these better methods of farming make it possible for you to double 
 the animals upon your farm and thereby return to the soil the fer- 
 tility that is taken out in the production. The ranges are gone. We 
 must depend upon the farm for our meat supply, and by raising more 
 on a given area you have a larger amount for pasturage. 
 
 Foresight and brains are the best fertilizers, and when you can go 
 to the man on the farm and show him by demonstration, preferably 
 right along by the side of the schoolhouse, where the children can see 
 the better methods of cultivation and the larger return and the more 
 profit to the farmer, you dignify the vocation of farming; you raise 
 it to the higher plane, the plane where it belongs. 
 
 I remember when I went to school the teacher asked the boys their 
 fathers' vocations. One boy said his father was a banker and he 
 swelled up. Another said his father was a lawyer, and when it came 
 to me I had to make the admission that my father was a farmer, and 
 1 felt like 30 cents. The noses went up in the air, because the farmer 
 was looked down upon. 
 
 The time has come when the farmer must come into his own and 
 must recognize that he is the foremost citizen of this land, and that 
 to be a good farmer is every whit as good as to be a good merchant 
 or a good manufacturer or a good banker. They every one must 
 depend upon the farm, 
 
 I must hurry along. I have an hour's speech to make in 10 min- 
 utes. 
 
 The need for better farming is widespread. Here within 50 or 
 100 miles from where we are standing to-day there is land that when 
 we settled here was of wonderful richness, of unsurpassed fertility. 
 You can buy land to-day within 100 miles of Washington, in many 
 cases, for one-half or one-third or one-quarter what it was worth 50 
 or 100 years ago. 
 
 I owned land in Dakota and Minnesota ; I had some farms there, 
 and I remember 30 years ago we used to get 25 to 30 or more bushels 
 to the acre. The average now is less than one-half that. What we 
 must have is more intelligent farming, and the man to reach is the 
 one right on the ground, which is done by this proposition. It 
 reaches the boy as well as it reaches the man, for when the demon- 
 strator goes out into a county and there mingles with the farmer and 
 arranges perhaps 10, 15, or 20 little demonstrating patches in differ- 
 ent parts of the county, preferably near the schoolhouses and the 
 main highways,' where the man who owns the farm does all the work 
 under direction of this man who is the teacher going out from the 
 college of agriculture, and it is seen by all the neighbors, old and 
 young, that the process is simple and easily understood, and any one of 
 them can apply it, and this expert, so called, has done nothing except 
 to advise the man and the man is getting the better results, the 
 outcome will be that all over that country the farm methods will be 
 recognized, and we will have a better farming system; we will have 
 a better farm; we will have better country conditions; we will have 
 better country life and better schools and everything that grows out 
 of that. 
 
 It seems to me the most important work that can be done in the 
 interests of all of the people everywhere and in every walk of life 
 is to get down to the fundamentals and save our soil from further 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGKICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPABTMENTS. 59 
 
 depletion, commence to build it up, and thereby insure the future 
 food supply and the prosperity of this country for generations to 
 come. 
 
 Forty years ago Denmark was in poverty and distress ; her agri- 
 culture and everything was at a low ebb. The Government took up the 
 question, strengthened her agricultural colleges, it established other 
 schools, and sent traveling schools into the country. All these things 
 did some good, but the one factor that brought Denmark from pov- 
 erty to thrift was the field teacher who met the farmer upon the 
 very field that was under discussion and there helped him solve the 
 problem of better agriculture. To-day the farm lands in that coun- 
 try are worth two, three, and four times what they were worth 40 
 years ago. Do you know that Denmark has produced 40 bushels 
 of wheat to the acre for 10 years, while our average is 14 bushels ? 
 And their soil has been under cultivation for a thousand years 
 longer than ours. 
 
 I do not say that we need intensified cultivation. By that I mean 
 50 or 60 or 75 or even 100 bushels of corn to the acre. We hear of 
 com being raised at the rate of 200 bushels to the acre. It is not 
 profitable or practical to do that. What we want to-day is to get 
 the best results at the lowest possible cost — keep the cost of produc- 
 tion down. There is one thing that our farmers do not appreciate, 
 and that is the necessity of reducing the cost of production. If you 
 can raise as much corn on 40 acres, on an average, as has been raised 
 on 60 or 80 acres, you have that much less property investment, that 
 much less area to cultivate, and you can produce it at a great deal less. 
 
 I have records here — I have not time to show them to you — where 
 it is possible to reduce the cost one-third — sometimes 40 per cent. 
 The question involved in the larger yield is the reduction of cost. 
 
 I want to say to you that the world is hungry, and the more pros- 
 perous the people are the more they will consume. 
 
 The average consumption of wheat is about 6^ bushels per capita 
 annually, but it sometimes drops down to a bushel when times' are 
 hard. 
 
 I have figures here showing the production of corn. The output 
 of corn in 1900 was 2,105,000,000 bushels. Five years later it rose 
 600,000,000 bushels, or to 2,700,000,000 bushels, and in 1910 to 
 3,125,000,000 bushels. 
 
 In the 10 years the increase in corn was 50 per cent, and the value 
 increased approximately 100 per cent at the same time. 
 
 There is absolutely no danger of overproduction. There have 
 been bread riots all through Europe because they could not get 
 enough to eat. Not only should we supply our own people with 
 wheat, which now requires about 95 per cent of our production, but 
 we ought to be exporters of food products, and thereby bring money 
 into the country. 
 
 I have here just on a single sheet the essence of the whole propo- 
 sition. I want to give way to Dr. Thompson, who will follow and 
 who represents the colleges of agriculture. Before doing so', I 
 want to say to you that the agricultural college is doing the best 
 work that is done in this country, and I am sure when you hear him 
 you will feel and know that these colleges are ready to undertake 
 this work, that they are prepared to do it, and that the extension 
 
60 TO ESTABLISH AGBICtTbTUEAX, EXTENSION DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 work will reach the boy and the girl on the farm and tne man and 
 the woman on the farm, and will bring to them prosperity and 
 comfort and advantages that they have never known before. 
 
 Here is a little memorandum on a single sheet that I want to draw 
 your attention to. i ■. • j; 
 
 Every authority upon agriculture will agree that the adoption ot 
 scientific methods will not only build up the soil into increased fer- 
 tility, but will also in a few years practically double the yield. 
 
 There is no authority in this country who will say that this state- 
 ment is not true. 
 
 In this memorandum we assume that the proposed extension work 
 when fully under way will increase the yield 20 per cent. 
 
 Surely no one will say that that is not a very conservative esti- 
 mate. 
 
 The approximate area of our farm lands is 900,000,000 acres. The 
 present crop value is about $9,000,000,000— equal to $10 per acre. 
 Twenty per cent increase means $1,800,000,000— equal to $18 per 
 capita on 100,000,000 population. This sum equals one-half of all 
 the money in circulation. Surely the figures are tremendous. 
 
 The maximum cost to the Federal Treasury under the bill before 
 you will be $3,000,000 per year. The value of 20 per cent increase on 
 one year's crop will pay for the proposed demonstration work for 
 600 years. 
 
 The United States has invested in agricultural knowledge over 
 $50,000,000, and the States have invested far more than that. Let 
 us say $100,000,000. This, if unused, at 3 per cent means a loss of 
 $3,000,000 per year. This money is giving very little return; it is 
 bottled up. If this $100,000,000 body of knowledge is taken from 
 cold storage and put to work on our farms it should earn anywhere 
 from one to three billion dollars a year in the outputs of our farms. 
 
 There is no plan on earth where so little money will do so much 
 good to so many people. I believe that this Smith bill for agricul- 
 tural extension, measured by its general benefits, is the most impor- 
 tant constructive measure since the days of Abraham Lincoln. 
 
 I believe that is the consensus of opinion of the gentlemen who 
 have given it careful study. 
 
 I was talking with the President yesterday in regard to this 
 measure, and he said to me : " I regard it as the most important leg- 
 islation we have before us to-day. Really," he said, "it is funda- 
 mental, and it will do more good to more people than anything else 
 I know of. I hope that you and your friends will be able to get it 
 through." 
 
 Senator Gkonna. I should like to know in which way will it do 
 more good ? 
 
 Mr. Gross. In this way, Senator 
 
 Senator Gronna. Will it make cheaper grain? 
 
 Mr. Gross. It will not necessarily make cheaper grain, but more of 
 it, and something to export in order to bring money into this country. 
 Norman can say just why the prices of crops go up and down. Some- 
 times we have big crops for which we get big prices. I have the 
 ■wheat crop right here. 
 
 Senator Gronna. Of course, we have more than we can consume 
 in the United States. 
 
TO ESTAbL-ISH AGRICULTXTEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 61 
 
 Mr. Gkoss. Yes, a little more. 
 
 Senator Geonna. And always have had more? 
 
 Mr. Gross. We always have had a little more. But the lines of ex- 
 ports are diminishing. We should be increasing them. The world 
 abroad is hungry and ought to be fed, and we ought to do our full 
 share toward feeding it. 
 
 But the main thing is to dignify the occupation of agriculture 
 until the boy is proud of the fact that he is a farmer, proud of the 
 fact that his father is a farmer; dignify it until it shall become a 
 vocation that the young will seek instead of avoid. And when 
 you apply science to agriculture, so that the boy understands that he 
 can use brain as well as brawn, understands that there is an oppor- 
 tunity for men of brains and industry to achieve success in agri- 
 culture, it will take on a new meaning. It will mean better schools, 
 and it will elevate the home life of every single individual of this 
 land. 
 
 I do not believe that you gentlemen sitting around this table ever 
 have had to consider a more important measure, as it affects all the 
 people. 
 
 Let us not forget that without the farms there would be no Broad- 
 way, no Wall Street, no State Street,, there will be no great cities. 
 
 We must increase our products so that we may be enabled to live 
 better, and, living better, make farming more profitable. We must 
 have something to export abroad, and we must insure the future 
 food supply of this country if we are to go on to the high destiny 
 that awaits us if we do our part here. 
 
 When Rome began to send out and buy foodstuff to feed her 
 people, the decline and fall of the Roman Empire followed. So the 
 most important thing to do is to extend our knowledge of agriculture, 
 and I want to say that the best way to do it is through the agricul- 
 tural colleges. They keep in touch with the local situation. Farm- 
 ers know these men ; they regard them as a guide, philosopher, and 
 friend, and they look to them, and they look to the agricultural col- 
 leges as their schools, established for their benefit, and for which they 
 have paid. But they do not want them to come in the form of a con- 
 tribution or charity ; they will not accept them that way. 
 
 So, gentlemen, I hope you will take a broad view of this propo- 
 sition. I realize that you are dealing with one of the greatest prob- 
 lems before the American people to-day, and the future of this 
 country depends upon better agriculture, scientifically followed, and 
 the only way to get it is through the land-grant colleges and the 
 experimental stations. 
 
 I thank you for your attention. 
 
 The Chairman. Mr. Gross, the committee desires to express its 
 thanks to you for your statement. 
 
 Thereupon, there being no further questions, Mr. Gross was ex- 
 
 C11S6Q 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I now want to present 
 President Thompson, of the University of Ohio. He is also chair- 
 man of the executive committee of the Presidents of the Land-Grant 
 Colleges, and I have asked him to close the presentation of this case 
 to-day. 
 
62 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 STATEMENT OF DR. W. 0. THOMPSON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNI- 
 
 VERSITY OF OHIO. 
 
 Dr. Thompson. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee: 
 As chairman of the executive committee, I am here to represent the 
 Association of Agricultural Colleges in the reenforcement of what 
 has been said concerning this bill. As I am advised that the time at 
 your disposal is very limited, I can not go into any lengthy argument. 
 Therefore, I shall simply present a brief summary of the situation. 
 
 The Senators are all familiar with the fact that the agrcultural 
 colleges have been operating for 50 years under the authority of the 
 Federal Government and of the States. The experiment stations 
 have been operating for 25 years under similar authority, and of 
 similar cooperation. You all recognize this statement also as true, 
 that before the organization of the agricultural colleges there were 
 a few agricultural coUegis in this country that practically demon- 
 strated to the country what an agricultural college might be and 
 become. There were also a few experiment stations, as in Connecti- 
 cut, for example, which demonstrated what an experiment station 
 could do. Whereupon the Federal Government has taken up these 
 two things in a large national way. In a similar way a few States 
 have undertaken to show what can be done by way of agricultural 
 extension and demonstration. It has not been in exactly the same 
 form in every State, but where it has been attempted, they have at- 
 tempted to meet the local needs. 
 
 In Ohio it is a school for one week and demonstrations the remain- 
 der of the year. Our schools operate from about October until mid- 
 March. Then we demonstrate for the spring season, and we exhibit 
 for the late summer and early fall. 
 
 In other States the form has been entirely field demonstration. 
 
 Out of this experience has arisen discussion in the Association of 
 Agricultural Colleges as to the desirability of this work as rounding 
 out the effort made by the National Government in the interests of 
 agriculture. 
 
 Accordingly, the substantial agreement of all station men and col- 
 leges as to the value and importance of this work has resulted in 
 some organized effort to put it into organization. You will recall 
 that the McLaughlin bill was introduced in the House some years 
 ago. Then there was first one measure and then another. 
 
 The Agricultural College Association has discussed this matter of 
 extension with a good deal of earnestness, and I should like to sub- 
 mit, Mr. Chairman, as part of the record here the action taken con- 
 cerning the report of the committee on extension work. 
 
 This is the report : 
 
 Committee on Extension Work, 
 stjpplementaet report relative to federal appropei vtions tor extension 
 
 WORK. 
 
 Tour committee recommends the adoption of the following resolutions as ex- 
 pressive of the views of this association on the subject of Federal appropria- 
 tions for extension work : 
 
 I. That we again emphatically Indorse the plan of Federal appropriations for 
 extension work in agriculture In the several States, including demonstrations 
 and field Instructions. 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 63 
 
 II. That in view of ttie present reuiarljable growth of interest in this work, 
 and tlie need of a Nation-wide development of popular education iu agriculture, 
 we believe that congressional legislation granting aid to the States i'or this pur- 
 pose is at the present of pressing importance for American agriculture, and the 
 most approved method of reaching the masses of the people with the best ideals 
 and practices of scientific agriculture. 
 
 III. That, we reiterate our approval of a bill substantially embodying the 
 principles of the bill indorsed by this association one year ago, and Including 
 the following provisions : 
 
 1. jln initial appropriation to each land-grant college for extension worlt in 
 agriculture and rural life, irrespective of State appropriations for that purpose. 
 
 2. Additional graduated appropriations, after a period of two years, to these 
 land-grant colleges which have a definitely organized extension service, condi- 
 tional on at least equal State appropriations for similar purpose:^, with such 
 maximum as Congress may determine. 
 
 IV. That the executive committee be urged to use every legitimate means to 
 secure the passage of such legislation at the coming session of Congress. 
 
 This paper was adopted last November at the annual meeting of 
 the association in Columbus, Ohio. This does not commit the asso- 
 ciation, as you understand, to these details only, but to a bill embody- 
 ing these principles, and this bill embodies those principles. So that 
 the extension work is now regarded as a supplementary part of the 
 work in which the National Government is engaged. 
 
 As I intimated a moment ago, we have demonstrated absolutely, 
 beyond any question, that this kind of field demonstration, extension 
 work, what we know generally by that term, reaches a large body of 
 men. Would you believe it when I tell you that our extension de- 
 partment will reach about 35,000 farmers in the State of Ohio ? We 
 have a college of agriculture with over 900 students in it, and we 
 have a farmers' course with 261 farmers enrolled. But that extension 
 department has reached 35,000 farmers and their wives. So that 
 the magnitude of the work can be estimated, and we are this year 
 going into 76 counties out of the 88 in the State. 
 
 So far as a general situation may be stated, I would say this: 
 That there are two kinds of farmers — those who want things, and 
 those who need them. Those who want things are usually the pro- 
 gressive farmers, who have caught the spirit of the farmers' insti- 
 tute and the experiment station and the agricultural college and the 
 general newspaper agitation, and believe in better things. So that 
 they have invested their labor and their time in drainage, in ferti- 
 lizers, in pure-bred live stock, in crop rotation farming, and whatever 
 else will improve their condition. They have demonstrated to them- 
 selves the value of those things. You do not need to go to those men 
 very much. They are up-to-date as to methods, but they are the small 
 minority in any township or district in the country. 
 
 Then there is a large, inert mass of farmers that have not yet re- 
 sponded and have not recognized their own needs and therefore have 
 not formulated their wants. These progressive farmers of the coun- 
 try are here in the interests of the people who have not yet responded. 
 A small percentage of the high-class farmers are here asking that 
 this method be extended so as to reach the farmers in general and to 
 improve their condition throughout the entire community. 
 
 If you gentlemen have time, I could stand here for a week, and, on 
 behalf of this association of colleges and experiment stations, bear 
 testimony to the general needs of the community of the value of the 
 method and of the kind of results that could be obtained ; but that, I 
 take it, is not necessary now. 
 
64 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUBAL EXTENSION DEPAKTMENTS. 
 
 The question before Congress in this bill is the question whether 
 Congress, having invested for 50 years in colleges, and for 25 years 
 in stations, will go on with an initial appropriation, and requiring 
 the States to respond equally, from year to year, and develop the 
 work of the American farms. 
 
 This is essentially the reverse of the old proposition. Ever since 
 the country opened we have been sending our children to school ; now 
 we are sending the school to our children who are 40 years of age 
 and more. 
 
 Heretofore we have had laboratories at the universities. Now, we 
 propose to make the farm itself the laboratory, and take to the 
 father and the mother the very message that they send the children 
 to school to learn. So that this is to be regarded in no way and in 
 no degree as conflicting with or opposing the teaching in the agri- 
 cultural college or the experiment station or other public school or 
 anywhere else, but a purely supplementary move that will reach the 
 matured men and women, who for one reason or another are not able 
 to bring themselves to the school. 
 
 Now, the President of the United States, Mr. Taft, has said, 
 quoting him freely and not literally, that we can well bring the 
 public-welfare clause of the Constitution to bear upon the question 
 of agriculture. Somebody has raised the question — I have forgotten 
 just where, but that does not matter — as to the Federal Government's 
 right to do this sort of thing. I should say that that question has 
 been put up to the people and approved. As you all know, the 
 Morrill Act was passed during the Presidency of Mr. Buchanan, 
 and was vetoed by President Buchanan on the ground that it was 
 interfering with the State's function in education; and he was sup- 
 ported in that veto by men from Minnesota and from Kansas and 
 from one or two of the Southern States, and from a number of other 
 portions of the country. 
 
 That bill was reintroduced and passed and signed by Mr. Lincoln 
 in 1862, when we were in a life-and-death struggle in this country, 
 and from that time to this, as the Senators well know, the Morrill 
 Act has not only been a monument to Mr. Morrill, but a piece of 
 legislation that the whole country has approved; and no other one 
 type of education has done more to bring together North, South, 
 East, and West on common ideals as to what education should be 
 than the education that grew out of that Morrill Act. 
 
 So that I should say that act has been approved not only there, 
 but in 1890 the Congress in its wisdom saw fit to supplement that act 
 lay further aid, and thus reenforced it has approved that principle 
 in which the people gladly accede. 
 
 In 1907 the Nelson amendment was passed still further supple- 
 menting that act, in which the people have most cordially acceded. 
 So that at these three times that piece of legislation has been before 
 the country it has always received the universal approval North-, 
 South, East, and West. 
 
 Now, the experiment-station act was a different proposition. It 
 was not a school. It was a laboratory for scientific purposes. It 
 was found that we did not have, with teaching men, opportunity to 
 do scientific research and to get at the heart of these problems ; and 
 that the experiment station was regarded as a fundamental necessity 
 if we were to do large things for agriculture. After a long, serious 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICTJLTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 65 
 
 struggle, and after more questions had been asked, ten times over 
 than you have asked us about this bill, it was finally passed and 
 agreed to, and the experiment stations have had nothing but words 
 of commendation and approval from that day to this as to the gen- 
 eral plan. I do not mean to say that a particular station has not 
 been subject to unfavorable criticism occasionally for some mistake 
 which may have been made. I do not make a sweeping declaration, 
 but I say the whole plan has had general approval. 
 
 We supplemented that, as you know, by the Adams Act, which has 
 again received universal approval. And now these colleges, voicing, 
 as they do, the rural sentiment of this country, have come up to 
 Congress with this request that this thing be done in the name of 
 the agricultural population of this country for the benefit of the 
 most fundamental industry that we have; and that you give some 
 consideration now to the people, and that you enable these stations 
 that the Federal Government and the States have fostered to carry 
 their work to the end. This is the last, final step in the application 
 of agriculture in view of the conditions in this country. 
 
 I can not make a speech to-day, Mr. Chairman, because there is 
 not time enough. I am trying to confine myself in a very simple, 
 elementary statement to the principles of this bill. I have here and 
 at home letters from all sorts of organizations, even the winter 
 courses in agriculture, but I do not Avant to burden your record by 
 putting them in. I submitted a few to the House committee. But 
 from every agricultural interest in this country there comes an ap- 
 peal for this thing. 
 
 Of course the financial problem is yours, Mr. Chairman. I do not 
 know how to solve that. I only offer this suggestion, that we do 
 not want to forget that when the Morrill Act was passed this country 
 was in the throes of a great war, her credit was declining from day 
 to day, her Treasury empty, and all sorts of devices were being sought 
 in order to maintain her credit and. to secure funds for daily opera- 
 tions. But no public man ever rose up to say that even in that 
 struggle the country did unwisely to back the cause of agriculture 
 and mechanical arts. And the same thing has been true at other 
 times. "Whatever the financial stress may be, gentlemen, this money 
 that we are asking for now is not to be regarded as bread cast upon 
 upon the waters and as altogether thrown away. It is a fundamental 
 investment on the part of this Nation of its own funds. The re- 
 sources of this country are primarily the country itself; that is, the 
 material resources. . We have dealt with that. You have heard from 
 other gentlemen before this committee that these resources have de- 
 clined in their producing power one-half and you have heard a great 
 deal in the last few years about the great doctrine of conservation. 
 Right here is the opportunity to conserve not only the farm, but the 
 farmer, and to meet his interests. 
 
 I do not believe that this Government can do a wiser thing than to 
 follow in the lead of older countries and encourage her fundamental 
 industry — the tilling of the soil and the things that come naturally 
 out of that. 
 
 Now, gentlemen, I do not think I shall add to what I have already 
 said unless you have some questions that you wish to ask me. 
 
 32529—12- 5 
 
66 TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 Senator Gardner. How long have you been engaged in this work 
 in your State? 
 
 Mr. Thompson. Four years in Ohio, I think. That is not exactly 
 true. It has been eight "years since we began with Mr. Graham to 
 organize the agricultural extension in a. quiet way. to reach the rural 
 schools, and he developed a boys' club of about 8,000 boys in Ohio^ 
 doing work among the boys and girls and reaching the rural schools. 
 But it has only been four years since we have had a statute passed 
 which authorized this thing and an official appi'opriation of $20,000. 
 The next .time the legislature met they made it $50,000. 
 
 We got a statute passed authorizing an extension department and 
 giving money and stating what they should do. We have never been 
 able to take advantage of all that statute, but we have taken a,d van- 
 tage of the teaching and demonstration part. But we are authorized 
 to conduct or teach agriculture by correspondence. We do not do 
 tliat officially, as. a matter of fact, although we write several thousand 
 letters, which might; be construed literally as teaching agriculture by 
 correspondence. ,^hey went furtherand authorized the public car- 
 riers to carry our packages free, in order that there might be no 
 question about our service to the State. 
 
 Senator Percy. What is the total amount of money the agricul- 
 tural colleges receive from the Government under existing law ? 
 
 Mr. Thompson. I would have to figure that out. It varies in dif- 
 ferent places. The second Morrill Act, under the Nelson amend- 
 ment, gives $50,000 to each agricultural college. It was $25,000 
 under the other bill. 
 
 Senator Page. Under the Nelson amendment? 
 
 Mr. Thompson. The second bill provided $25,000, but the Nelson 
 amendment provided that it should be increased $5,000 annually 
 until it became $50,000, so that in 1912 we got $50,000 direct. 
 
 Originally each State got a certain amount of public lands, so 
 m^ny acres, and they disposed of those public lands, some of them 
 for small sums and some for larger sums- In the State of Ohio,i for 
 example, they amounted to $346,000, and under our statutes it be- 
 comes a part of the irreducible debt on which the State forever pays 
 an interest of 6 per cent, so that our income from the original land 
 grant in 1862 is about 6 per cent on $346,000, which you can figure, 
 and then add to that $50,000 that we get for Ohio. In another State 
 if they had disposed of the land for more money they would get 
 more. I would have^o investigate the question in each case to find 
 out what the situation is. 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. I want to ask you one more question. 
 From your knowledge of the situation and of the various agricultural 
 colleges of the United States, are we prepared now through them 
 to go on with this demonstration work that is provided in this bill? 
 
 Mr. Thompson. I should answer briefly, yes. That situation means 
 simply this, that the colleges themselves, which are now organized, 
 are the best organizations in the world to handle the agricultural 
 problems if that is brought about. The stations are the only organi- 
 zations where they are equipped for the handling of experimenta- 
 tion; but the colleges doing the teaching work and that demonstra- 
 tion work are in. a position to.commajid the situation, because they 
 know the men in the community and they know the school men ; they 
 knQW the actual farmers and they know their former students, and 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGKICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 67 
 
 they know how to get hold of the people and put the things in 
 operation. 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. And they are ready gradually to de- 
 velop it as this appropriation increases from year to year ? 
 
 Mr. Thompson. Yes, sir. I should say this about that appl^o- 
 priation, that every Senator Imows that the land-grant act, so called, 
 in giving money to the States, has been a wonderful stimulus to the 
 giving by the States. 
 
 Senator Page. It was stated yesterday by a gentleman here from 
 Rhode Island that $14 was given by the States for every dollar con- 
 tributed by the General Government. , 
 
 Mr. Thompson. That may be a probable average. Of course, it 
 varies in several States- For instance, the Ohio State University 
 would not have been in existence but for that act, and when they 
 organized it it was fiercely opposed. They wanted to do a lot of 
 things with it. But the legislature finally decided for one institu- 
 tion and some people doubted whether they should have an extension 
 of the university, but now we have an annual revenue of $1,000,000 
 and 3,500 students in attendance, 900 and some of them in agriculture. 
 The question is no longer a debatable question. In other words, the 
 State has been giving and we give a good many more times than the 
 $50,000. 
 
 The Chairman. Dr. Thompson, the committee appreciates your 
 appearing here and wishes to thank you for your statement. Senator 
 Smith, have you anything further? 
 
 Senator Smith of Georgia. Nothing except the action of the 
 Farmers' Union, which I have here; it is attached to Dr. Sewell's 
 testimony given before the House committee. I should like to put 
 into the record the favorable indorsement of the Farmers' Union and 
 other indorsements. 
 
 The Chairman. That M'ill be put into the record unless there is 
 objection. 
 
 The paper referred to is as follows : 
 
 Abstract of Indorsements oe S. 4563, a Bill to Establish Agricultural 
 Extension Departments, etc. 
 
 President State Agricultural and Mechanical College says it is "a splendid 
 piece of prospective legislation." 
 
 President Alabama Polytechnic Institute: "We regard this work as one of 
 the greatest possible good that can be rendered by the Government to our 
 great faring interests. * * * This sort of constructive work done with the 
 Government money seems to me is of even more value than what might be 
 called the destructive work of the appropriations for guns and battleships." 
 
 President University of Arizona: "The newer sections of the country are in 
 great need of the national help that such a bill as yours contemplates. * * * 
 I am glad the whole subject is engaging the attention of Congress * * *." 
 
 ARKANSAS. 
 
 President University of Arkansas: "I heartily approve of the bill and hope 
 that it will be passed." 
 
 Dean and director College of Agriculture : " Senate bill 4563 * ♦ * Is a 
 piece of proposed legislation which, to my mind, is of great importance." 
 
68 TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 
 
 CALIFORNIA. 
 
 President University of California : " There is no way in which we can do 
 real good for the masses of our people better than through agricultural exten- 
 sion work. * * * There can be no question about our favoring the bill ; we 
 know what it means." 
 
 CONNECTICUT. 
 
 President Connecticut Agricultural College: "My personal opinion is that 
 carrying of the latest scientific knowledge to the working farmer is one of the 
 most important duties of the land-grant colleges. I sincerely hope that this 
 bill will have favorable consideration by the present session of Congress." 
 
 DELAWARE. 
 
 President Delaware College : " I am very much pleased, indeed, to hear that 
 the bill * * * has been read twice and referred to the Committee on Agri- 
 culture and Forestry. * * * Boys and girls of the common-school and high- 
 school ages usually decide into what sphere of life they wish to enter. For- 
 merly the dearth of agricultural education in that formative period rendered it 
 impossible for the boy or girl to realize the importance of such instruction and 
 consequently the country boy usually found a home in the city. I believe that 
 this condition of affairs will be remedied by the operation of such a bill as you 
 have proposed." 
 
 President University of Florida : " I sincerely hope that you will be success- 
 ful in passing this measure. Our State at the present time is giving $7,500 
 annually for farmers' institutes and agricultural extension work. With double 
 this amount we believe that the efficiency of the agricultural extension work 
 would be quadrupled, as paradoxical as this may seem." 
 
 Chancellor University of Georgia: "It is the best bill for extension work 
 that I have ever seen. It is the only bill for extension work which I have 
 been able to read and understand. If there is any way in which I can aid in 
 its passage I will be glad to know it." 
 
 President State College of .\griculture : " We are naturally very much 
 gratified to see the progress you are making with your measure in the Senate, 
 and hope Mr. Lever will have equal success in the House." 
 
 HAWAII. 
 
 President College of Hawaii: "I have read the bill over carefully and 
 heartily commend your efforts to secure this benefit for the large and important 
 class of our people who are in need of its provisions. This is constructive 
 legislation of the truest type. Efficiency and contentment in agriculture are at 
 the foundation of the Nation's welfare. * * * i believe that extension 
 teaching is most important of all our methods for the propagation of knowl- 
 edge. * * * There is suflicient data to show that the endowment for the 
 agricultural colleges and experiment stations and the appropriations for the 
 Department of Agriculture must be considered as among the best investments 
 that the Nation has ever made." 
 
 President University of Idaho: "Even with the best preparation we can 
 make, and the most generous support from the Government in all of its divi- 
 sions, we expect to be swamped by applications for assistance through extension 
 instruction. Practically every community in the State is clamoring for exten- 
 sion work, and only a small percentage of the requests can be complied with. 
 With reasonable support, however, from the United States and the State, we 
 may expect that practically the whole agricultural population of Idaho will go 
 to school for a portion of each year." 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPAETMENTS. 69 
 
 Vice president University of Illinois: " Tlie bill (S. 4563) introduced by you 
 into the Senate of the United States, is one of very great importance to the 
 people of our country, and if passed is destined to worli wonderfully great re- 
 sults. It is well known to everybody who has thought on the matter, that 
 agriculture with us is in a state of low development. * * * The people of 
 the rural districts are not sharing adequately in the general prosperity of the 
 country, and the latter can not be maintained without a forward movement 
 among these rural people. Everywhere of late is heard the cry, " Back to the 
 farm." But until the farm becomes desirable as a source of living and of 
 community life no adequate result can be reached. This bill will serve in a 
 practical way to make this movement really successful. * * * The Uni- 
 versity of Illinois is doing a great deal of this work now from State appropria- 
 tions. It can do much more with the aid that the bill is destined to give." 
 Editor Orange Judd Parmer, Chicago : " The demonstration idea has not been 
 given great attention at the North. Its wonderful success South ought to be 
 sufficient proof that it would be just as satisfactory at the North. We are 
 heartily in favor of this kind of work. I am very anxious to do what I can to 
 help this bill along." 
 
 INDlAl>rA. 
 
 President Purdue University : " I am in favor of this kind of legislation 
 rather than some of the other measures which are now before Congress. * * * 
 I find the demands upon us for attention and for work which we would like to 
 do far in excess of our re.sources. This kind of work is the thing now most 
 needed in our agricultural colleges and I hope the measure will pass." 
 
 President State Agricultural College : " We shall be very glad to do anything 
 necessary to be done to indicate the interest of the farming classes in this 
 matter and to assure the Members of Congress that they will appreciate the 
 enactment of a law along the line of this bill." 
 
 KENTUCKY. 
 
 Editor Home and Farm, Louisville : " The policy will result in great good. 
 * * * Only through a better agricultural education will the farmers be able 
 to diversify their crops intelligently, care for their soils, and increase their 
 profits." 
 
 President University of Maine : " I have gone over Senate bill 4563 with 
 very great interest. I see nothing whatever to criticize or change in the bill. 
 If this bill becomes a law, it will enable the land-grant colleges to render 
 unusual service to the people of this country. If I can be of any service in 
 bringing about the favorable consideration of this bill it will be a pleasure." 
 
 MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 President Massachusetts Agricultural College : " I am more than glad to give 
 a hearty indorsement to the bill. * * * i think that this is one of the most 
 important educational measures ever introduced into Congress. I believe the 
 time is ripe for a great Federal movement in popular education in agriculture 
 and rural affairs. The States are doing something, but we need the stimulus. 
 direction, and practical assistance of the National Government. * * * You 
 will find the agricultural educators and farmers of America back of you in this 
 effort to Inaugurate a great movement. I know of nothing that the present 
 Congress could do that would be more popular. I hope the bill may be passed 
 at this session." 
 
 MICHIGAN. 
 
 President Michigan Agricultural College: "This bill has my hearty indorse- 
 ment and I hope may pass. I shall do all I can to that end." 
 
70 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTTJEAL EXTENSION DBPAETMENTS. 
 
 MISSISSIPPI. 
 
 President lAgrlcultural and Meohanical, College: " I heartily Indorse your 
 bill. While I was president of the American Association of Institute Workers 
 I delivered an address urging that such a bill be passed by the National Con- 
 gress. Extension work is by far the most Important work of the land-grant 
 colleges at this time. ♦ ♦ * We already have enough Information to trans- 
 form our agriculture If we could get the people to Incorporate it in theil- 
 practices." 
 
 MONTANA. 
 
 President Montana State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts : " I am 
 heartily in favor of this movement, and I believe that the provisions of this bill 
 wlU meet the approval of all the interests concerned. The amount required 
 to carry out this bill is insignificant, and yet it will stimulate the States to 
 expend several times this amount." 
 
 NEBRASKA. 
 
 Chancellor University of Nebraska : " The University of Nebrasl^a has already 
 organized a department of agricultural extension. For lack of funds, how- 
 ever, our work is conducted mainly along the line of farmers' institutes. I 
 have read the bill, and most cordially indorse it in every particular." 
 
 NEW JERSEY. 
 
 President Rutgers College : " I am glad to express to you my emphatic in- 
 dorsement of this measure and my earnest hope that it will be passed. The 
 State Agricultural College of New Jersey, Rutgers College, is surely in position 
 to do extension work throughout the State, and the work ought to be done." 
 
 NEVADA. 
 
 President College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts : " I heartily approve 
 your bill and hope that it will be adopted." 
 
 NEW HAMPSHIRE. 
 
 President New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts: 
 " My personal belief is that if this bill is passed by Congress It will be one of 
 the wisest pieces of legislation since the land-grant act of 1862. * * * To 
 my mind agricultural extension work is of the utmost importance at the present 
 time. Our experiment stations have accumulated a large mass of facts and our 
 colleges have done a wonderful work in accumulating and assimilating agri- 
 cultural information of all kinds, and the most important thing we can do 
 now is to extend this Information to the farmers. This can be done only by 
 demonstration and by other practical, thoroughgoing methods. I hope that 
 your bill will receive the hearty support of every Member of Congress." 
 
 NEW MEXICO. 
 
 President New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts : " I have 
 read the bill with great care, and will say that I believe It to be the best of 
 the several bills now pending before Congress which have tlii's object in view. 
 Whatever may be the merits of the various propositions to have the Federal 
 Government support agricultural high schools, trade schools, district agric'uV 
 tural schools, and branch experiment stations, It seems clear that none of 
 these ought to be tied up with the agricultural extension proposition, of which 
 almost everybody ?s in favor. The Association o^ Agricultural Colleges af ift 
 recent meeting took the position that the support of agtieultural extensidii 
 work was the most important advance movement to be accomplished by legisla- 
 tion at this time." 
 
 NEW YORK. 
 
 President Cornell University : " It is a species of instruction which appeals 
 to the public more than college Instruction or Investigation, for which pro- 
 vision has been made in previous acts of Congress." 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGKICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 71 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 President College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts: "There is no work 
 which the Nation can do now which would tell more for material progress than 
 the extension work which would be so healthfully aided by your bill. If there 
 is anything that our farmers need more than another It is for some one to 
 carry directly to them the vast amount of scientific knowledge about crops 
 and methods which has been made available in the past few years. The 
 passage of this bill would give an opportunity to do this thing, and I am sure 
 ho step could count more for progress than would be taken by such action on 
 the part of our Congress." 
 
 NOBTH DAKOTA. 
 
 President North Dakota Agricultural, College: "A resolution was adopted at 
 the Tri-State Grain Growers' Convention indorsing the passage of your bill, and, 
 as president of the convention, I sent copies of the resolution to the Members of 
 both Houses in Minnesota and the two Dakotas. I trust the bill will find favor 
 with both Congressmen and Senators and become a law." 
 
 OKLAHOMA. 
 
 President Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College : " I am in hearty 
 sympathy with the purpose of your bill." 
 
 OBEGON. 
 
 President Oregon Agricultural College: "I am in hearty accord with all the 
 provisions of this bill. I have already written Members of the Oregon delga- 
 tlon, urging that they give it their support. The Oregon State Agricultural 
 College has a regularly organized department or division for extension work in 
 agriculture and home economics. One great need is for money with which to 
 carry on this work. I sincerely trust that your bill may be passed by the 
 present Congress." 
 
 PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 President Pennsylvania State College : " Let me thank you for copy of 
 Senate bill 4563. . * * * wishing the bill success and thanking you for 
 your efforts for the benefit of public education, I am, * * *." 
 
 Secretary State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania : " I takp this op- 
 portunity to especially commend Senate bill 4563, introduced by you. and to 
 assure you of the interest and support of this association. This is a matter of 
 immediate need and far-reaching advantage to the agricultural interests of the 
 country. I sincerely hope that it may become a law." 
 
 RHODE ISLAND. 
 
 President Khode Island State College : " I heartily approve of your bill and 
 have no criticisms to make. This college has been prosecuting extension work 
 for seven or eight years, laboring under the difficulty of lack of funds. * * * 
 I am anxious to do whatever is possible to aid in the passage of this measure, 
 and have written our Senators accordingly." 
 
 SOUTH CAROLINA. 
 
 President Clemson Agricultural College : " I have read this bill with a great 
 deal of interest. * * * i consider it one of the most important pieces of 
 constructive legislation proposed since the Hatch Act establishing the agricul- 
 tural experiment stations. There is no question but that the great need to-day 
 is the dissemination of agricultural information among our rural people. We 
 would welcome the passage of stch A bill as yours, and assure you that we 
 would try to make its application in South Carolina of the greatest usefulness 
 to our people." 
 
 SOUTH DAKOTA. 
 
 President South Dakota State College : " The cause is one that has our hearty 
 indorsement. I have not been negligent of Senate bill 4563. I believe that our 
 delegation will support it." 
 
72 TO ESTABLISH AGRIOULTUKAL EXTENSION DEPABTMENTS. 
 
 Principal School of Agriculture : " I think our farming people * * * have 
 almost no realization of the advantages that will come from legislation of this 
 kind. * * * I feel positive that this work will greatly advance the agri- 
 cultural interests of this great State of South Dakota." 
 
 TENNESSEE. 
 
 President University of Tennessee : " I am heartily in favor of the passage 
 of this act. I believe the work contemplated by it to be of the greatest im- 
 portance. I will be glad to do anything in my power to influence its passage.'^ 
 
 TEXAS. 
 
 President Agricultural and Mechanical College : " If this bill should become 
 a law I am sure that it will mark a new era in agricultural education among 
 the masses in America. * * * i can think of no expenditure of money by 
 the Government that would be more remunerative to the Nation aiid which 
 wotild redound to the amelioration of so large a number of our most deserving 
 fellow citizens." 
 
 Editor Farm and Ranch : " This is a very important measure, and one that 
 should be passed without opposition." 
 
 President Agricultural College of Utah : " Utah established an agricultural 
 extension department several years ago. * * * We are unable, however, 
 with the means at our disposal, to meet the demands made upon us. * * * 
 You are at perfect liberty to quote the officials of the Utah Agricultural College 
 as being in very hearty sympathy with any measure for the promotion of our in- 
 dustrial life through the development of extension work among the farmers and 
 farmers' wives throughout the country. It is possibly the most important work 
 now lying before the agricultural colleges, since it permits the proper distribu- 
 tion among those who need it of the splendid mass of facts gathered by the 
 agricultural experiment stations." 
 
 President Virginia Polytechnic Institute : " This is by far the best proposi- 
 tion which has yet come forward. * * * The bill seems carefully drawn, 
 and I can most heai-tily indorse it." 
 
 WASHINGTON. 
 
 Vice president State College of Washington : " I have been waiting a little to 
 find what was recommended by the meeting of the agricultural college repre- 
 sentatives and find that they are all of them backing this particular bill. 
 There is certainly a large demand for more extension work in the country. We 
 need to rationalize our education and make it more helpful to the young men 
 and young women who do not expect to enter professional life. I will write 
 to our Representatives and Senators and ask for their hearty cooperation in the 
 passage of Senate bill 4563." 
 
 WEST VIRGINIA. 
 
 President West Virginia University : " I thank you very much for a copy of 
 the bill sent, and hasten to express my wish that it may become a law. * * * 
 This is one of the greatest works for the benefit of the entire country to which 
 public money can be devoted. It is through the extension work, and through 
 it alone, as far as I can see, that the people of most of our rural communities 
 can be thoroughly awakened to the need and value of agricultural education. 
 The proposed bill seems to me to be satisfactory in every detail, and I hope 
 that you will be successful in securing its passage." 
 
 Dean and director College of Agriculture, West Virginia University : " I am 
 sending out a letter to some of our leading people urging the support of your 
 bill, and would like to send a copy of the bill with these letters. * * * -^g 
 shall give this measure every support possible." 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTURAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 73 
 
 WISCONSIN. 
 
 Dean University of Wisconsin: "Senate bill 5463 * * ^ Is, to my mind, 
 the most suggestive measure that is under consideration in Congress for the 
 advancement of the agricultural welfare of the Nation. What is needed most 
 imperatively is the carrying of present agricultural Imowledge to the man on 
 the farm. * * * xhe agricultural extension service is the only way in 
 which this can be most effectively accomplished, and your bill most satisfacto- 
 rily fulfills this need. * * * We in Wisconsin will do all that we can to aid 
 in the passage of this measure." 
 
 Secretary Wisconsin Country Life Conference Association: "The following 
 resolution was unanimously adopted by the conference association, represent- 
 ing all the varied interests of country life and rural progress in all parts of 
 Wisconsin : 
 
 " ' Resolved, That it is the sentiment of this conference association that we 
 urge our Representatives in Congress to support the bill " To establish agri- 
 cultural-extension departments in connection with the agricultural colleges in 
 the several States, etc." House bill 18160, Senate bill 456.3.' 
 
 " I take pleasure in acquainting you with representative Wisconsin sentiment 
 on this measure." 
 
 Secretary Wisconsin Live Stock Breeders' Association : " Inclosed herewith 
 please find copy of resolution passed unanimously by the Wisconsin Live Stock 
 Breeders' Association, an organization representing all of Wisconsin's best 
 live-stock breeders : 
 
 " ' Madison, Wis., February 8, 1912. 
 
 " ' Resolved, That the Wisconsin Live Stock Breeders' As.sociation assembled 
 in annual convention heartily indorses the principle of Government aid to 
 agricultural college extension as embodied in the Lever bill (House bill 18160), 
 and that we authorize the secretary of this association to send a copy of these 
 resolutions to the chairmen of the Senate and House Committees on Agriculture 
 and to Members of the Wisconsin delegation in Congress.' " 
 
 Secretary National Association of State tTuiversi'^ies : " I am deeply inter- 
 ested in your Senate bill 4563. The bill ought to pass, and I should be glad to 
 cooperate with you in any way within my power to bj'ing about the desired 
 result. 
 
 Mr. W. O. Thompson, member executive committee Association of American 
 Agricultural College and Experiment Stations and president Ohio State XJni- 
 versity : "As chairman of the executive committee of the Association of Ameri- 
 can Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations I should be very much 
 pleased to be heard before the committees of both the House and Senate. As a 
 little evidence of our interest, I may say that we started agricultural extension 
 four years before the legislature authorized it, and had as many as 8,000 boys 
 on the farms doing experimental work. * * * The Agricultural College As- 
 sociation expressed itself very decidedly last November in favor of agricultural 
 extension." 
 
 Secretary New England Conference on Rural Progress : "At a meeting of the 
 New England Conference on Rural Progress, March 8, at the offices of the State 
 board of agriculture, statehouse, Boston, the following resolutions were unani- 
 mously vo'^ed : 
 
 " ' Recognizing the latent possibilities of the New England States for agri- 
 cultural development, especially along certain high class, specialized lines, and 
 realizing that this development can be most speedily and effectively brought 
 about through well-organized extension teaching in agriculture, the New Eng- 
 land Conference on Rural Progress — representing more than 70 organizations 
 interested in rural life — to-day assembled in convention in the city of Boston 
 would respectfully urge upon Congress the necessity and advisability of passing 
 legislation granting Federal funds for the development of extension teaching in 
 agriculture. Of the bills now before Congress we believe Senate bill 4563 and 
 House bill 18160 to be the wisest and most practical forms of legislation yet 
 proposed.' . ^ ^. 
 
 "The delegates represent the agricultural colleges, the experiment stations, 
 the State granges, and various special agricultural, live stock, dairying, and 
 other organizations and agencies of New England." 
 
 State superintendent of farmers' institutes, Lansing, Mich. : "At the Michigan 
 State Round-up Farmers' Institute, held at this place on February 27 to 
 
74 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 March 1, at which representative farmers from more than 50 of the counties 
 of the State were present, the following resolution was adopted : 
 
 "'Whereas Representative A. F. Lever, of the seventh district of South Caro- 
 lina, has introduced a bill to establish agricultural extension departments in 
 connection with agricultural colleges in-the several S*^ ces receiving the benefits 
 of an act approved July 2, 1862, and acts supplementary thereto, and referred 
 to the Committee on Agriculture : Therefore, 
 
 ."' Resolved, That the members of the seventeenth annual Farmers' Institute 
 Round-up, in session at the Michigan Agricultural College, ask and urge It^ 
 Senators and Members of Congress to favor the passage of this bill.' 
 
 " I would say that, in addition to. the above delegates, the executive officers 
 of the State Grange, State Federation of Farmers' Clubs, State Horticultural 
 Society, and nearly 1,000 farmers were present and voted unanimously for the 
 resolution." 
 
 Editor Agricultural Epitomist, Spencer, Ind. : " I congratulate yon on so far- 
 reaching a measure as Senate bill 4563 is intended to be. If Congress does noth- 
 ing else than pass this bill, it will justify the wisdom of the forefathers." 
 
 Union City, Ga., February 26, 1912. 
 Dr. A. M. SoTJLE, Washington, D. C: 
 (Care Hon. Hoke Smith.) 
 Resolutions adopted by Georgia Farmers' Union that the bill now pending ip 
 Congress which proposes to appropriate a sum of money to each State for agri- 
 cultural education, providing the State will appropriate a similar amount, 
 known as House bill 18160 and Senate bill 4563, be heartily indorsed and sup- 
 ported. 
 
 J. F. McDaniel, Secretary-Treasurer. 
 
 STATEMENT OF SENATOR PAGE. 
 
 Senator Page. The following letters are not submitted as support- 
 ing any contention that Senate bill 4563, introduced by Senator 
 Smith of Georgia, is not a most excellent measure, but rather to 
 explain the attitude toward that measure of those who believe that 
 Senate bill 3, known as the Page bill— which reaches the same Results 
 as the Smith bill — should have the preference. 
 
 The Page bill embraces three distinct propositions, namely : 
 
 (1) Vocational education along the lines of agriculture and home 
 economics in farm schools. 
 
 (2) Vocational education in connection with public high schools 
 along the lines of the trades and industries, agriculture, and home 
 economics. 
 
 (3) Agricultural extension work, which carries the results of the 
 research work of agricultural colleges and experiment stations, to 
 the adult farmer, either on his own farm or some farm in his imme- 
 diate vicinity. 
 
 The Smith bill embraces only the third or last feature of the Page 
 bill. It is contended by the advocates of the Page bill that if Con- 
 gress should pass the Smith bill, or the third feature of the Page 
 bill, appropriating $3,000,000 for agricultural extension work, it 
 would indefinitely postpone the passage of the more comprehensive 
 bill, because, having appropriated $3,000,000 for the benefit of those 
 particularly interested in agricultural extension work. Congress 
 would probably say, " Let the other features of the Page bill wait." 
 
 There is no antagonism or opposition to the Smith bill per se 
 from the friends of the Page bill, because the, two bills are nearly 
 identical as to the agricultural extension work sought to be accom- 
 plished. 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGRICULTUEAL EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 75 
 
 The opposition to the passage of the Smith bill as a separate bill 
 comes largely from industrial or vocational education fields, and par- 
 ticularly from the American Federation of Labor representing one 
 wing, and the National Association of Manufacturers representing 
 the other wing of labor. ' 
 
 Regarding the desirability of the passage of the Page bill, these 
 two wings are in exact harmony and accord, and both protest that 
 to pass the Smith bill alone is to sidetrack vocational education and 
 postpone it indefinitely. They do not object to the Smith bill, but 
 rather favor it. Indeed, no one has appeared to deny the magnifi- 
 cent and far-reaching benefits which would inevitably follow the 
 passage of the Smith-Lever bill, and the purpose of introducing the 
 following letters is to show the point of view of those who believe 
 that the country is now ready for and really demands the passage of 
 the more comprehensive vocational measure outlined in the features 
 of the Page bill, which includes the exact features of the Smith- 
 Lever agricultural extension measure. 
 
 The following statement from the chairman of the committee on 
 industrial education of the National Association of Manufacturers 
 expresses the views of that great association upon the question. Shall 
 the Smith-Lever bill be given the right of way in such manner as to 
 endanger or postpone the passage of the Page bill? 
 
 the sixty-second congbess and industrial education. 
 
 National Association of Manufactures, 
 
 Racine, Wis., March 15, 1912. 
 
 The writer is just bacli from Wasliington and reports most interesting and 
 important negotiations, having as their purpose the passage of a law appropri- 
 ating several millions of dollars to Industrial education. 
 
 The need of industrial education is coming to be seen in all quarters and the 
 
 movement has a tremendous impetus. Massachusetts is spending $200,000 this 
 
 year on industrial education. Twenty-flve States either have introduced in 
 
 recent years industrial education in most practical forms for children 13 years 
 
 ■ of age and up or are now drafting laws to that end. 
 
 The Page bill makes large donations to industrial education and about an 
 equal sum to agricultural education. About half our population lives by agri- 
 culture; many millions every year are spent one way and another in educa- 
 tional and development work for the farmers. As a class agriculture is so 
 powerful politically and socially and so strong in Congress that it gets every- 
 thing it wants. Manufacturers are weak, disassociated, and get little or 
 nothing. For instance, the Department of Agriculture spends four millions 
 directly in promotion work — study of soil, animals, pests, etc. The Bureau of 
 Manufactures for its interests gets $40,000. 
 
 The present issue. — The question now is whether about $3,000,000 more shall 
 be given for agricultural education and nothing for the education of the chil- 
 dren of the factory worker, or whether an appropriation shall be made for both 
 in something like equal amounts, or for neither. 
 
 The Page hill. — The Page bill (Senator Carroll S. Page, Vermont) is before 
 the Senate, having been favorably reported on by Senator Page's committee. 
 It a'ppropriates about $1,000,000 a year for two or three years for the instruc- 
 tion of teachers, and thereafter it continues this appropriation and appro- 
 priates about $5,000,000 for education in the mechanic arts, and in domestic 
 science- the purpose of the bill being not to develop engineers through poly- 
 technic ' schools, etc., but to educate the boys and girls who are going to earn 
 their own living in factories, stores, etc., and as wives of our working people. 
 This money would be spent in continuation schools, evening schools, and in day 
 schools for boys and girls of about 14 years of age and over. This would be 
 the first appropriation to make happy and efficient and educated in a measure 
 to their life-work the children of the common people who live in the cities 
 and towns. 
 
76 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUEAJL EXTENSION DEPAKTMENTS. 
 
 The Page bill likewise recognizes tbe otlier lialf of our population, tliose who 
 live by agriculture, by giving about the same amount, $5,000,000, for agricul- 
 tural and the domestic arts, not in the high-grade schools that turn out ex- 
 perts, but in the common schools where are educated the boys and girls who 
 will be the real farmers of the future. Senator Page is magnificent in his 
 position. Not one dollar has ever been given educationally to the factory 
 boys and girls, and he proposes that it shall now be given. I think he is also 
 contending that if Congress does not know the infinite harm that is coming 
 because of this lack of consideration that it had best right now get Information, 
 and that it had best not give millions and millions more to the farmers, who 
 already have had so much, until it gives the first crown to the factory boy. 
 
 While the Senator insists upon the spirit and the purpose of his bill, and 
 proposes that the factory boy shall have his turn and his recognition, he is 
 delightfully broad and splendid in not standing for the expressed conditions 
 of his bill, the exact terms, etc., and It is so likely that these will be changed 
 that I beg to advise that no stress be put upon these terms and exact pro- 
 visions, and it should be made clear to those who oppose the bill that there is 
 no strength in their opposing it simply on the ground of its minor provisions, 
 which will be altered when needed. 
 
 The Smith-Lever Mil. — The Page bill is as a matter of fact opposed by the 
 Lever bill (introduced in the House by Mr. A. F. Lever, M. C., and in the 
 Senate by Senator Hoke Smith). It has been favorably reported out of Mr. 
 Lever's committee in the House, and Is not unlikely to pass the House. It has 
 not been reported out of the Senate committee, of which Mr. Bumham is chair- 
 man and Mr. Smith a member. This Lever bill appropriates $3,000,000 a year 
 for " extension " work in agriculture. It is spoken of by Mr. Smith and Mr. 
 Lever as the apex of the system of agricultural education — the finishing touch. 
 We have agricultural colleges all over the land, and spend untold millions on 
 them to everyone's satisfaction and approval. This $3,000,000 would now 
 take the work of the agricultural schools to the actual farmer as he will be 
 found on his farm, through traveling " extension teachers." The Lever bill 
 does not, however, give assent to the instruction of the boy and girl in the 
 common schools. We believe that these children should be taught the ele- 
 mentary principles of agriculture and domestic science in the common schools 
 wherever those schools can be made efficient for the work. We would, there 
 fore, do more for agriculture than this bill proposes. 
 
 The Page bill. — Mr. Lever is not at all against a bill for industrial education, 
 but thinks it is inopportune, and that the agricultural representatives will 
 rush his bill through, and one for the city workers should be left for slow and 
 later development. His mind is open, however. He has acquired a new interest 
 In our proposition. He is a very lovely gentleman and we greatly hope that, 
 with the information which will be brought to his attention, he will most 
 earnestly seek to give now and along with the agricultural appropriation the 
 one for the industries, which we are now insisting upon. 
 
 What to do. — All those who favor the spirit and purpose of the Page bill, 
 being the development of industrial education throughout our urban popula- 
 tion at the same time that further appropriations are made to agriculture, 
 are urged to write their Senators and Congressmen, to Messrs. Page, Smith, and 
 Lever, and to the members of the Agricultural Committee, whose names are 
 attached, and generally to develop general Information and Interest in the sub- 
 ject. For those who are interested in some of the arguments in favor of the 
 position here taken, there are inclosed arguments in favor of the Page bill 
 in its "spirit and purpose" and against the Lever bill. I emjjhasize "spirit 
 and purpose " because later discussion has made it seem clear that minor modi- 
 fications may be required. For instance : 
 
 (a) The amount of the appropriation in the Page bill Is said by some te be 
 too large. The size of the country and grounds of the proposition require a large 
 appropriation, but we need not stand for any precise amount. 
 
 (6) The method of distribution among the States Is thought to need slight 
 correction so as better to fit the State laws. This is being given full consid- 
 eration. 
 
 (c) Some think that the Federal supervision would restrict action in the 
 States and interfere with State autonomy. All who are concerned will wish 
 that the widest latitude be given, not only to the States, but as is necessary 
 in the matter of industrial education, to the needs and industries of the various 
 
TO ESTABLIsil AGRICULTURAL, EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS. 77 
 
 communities. Tliere must only be euougli Federal control to malje sure tliat the 
 appropriation is used in accordance with its spirit and purpose. 
 Respectfully, 
 
 H. E. Miles, 
 Chairman Committee on Industrial Education. 
 
 The following letter from President Gompers expresses the views 
 of the American Federation of Labor, an association vitally antag- 
 onistic and hostile to the National Association of Manufacturers, 
 which, through Mr. Miles, speaks in the foregoing letter. It is 
 worthy of especial note that these two great labor organizations, 
 while disagreeing as to almost every other proposition, are in hearty 
 accord as to the necessity of the passage of the Page bill. 
 
 American Federation of Labor, 
 
 M^ashington, D. C, March 'il, lOlH. 
 Hon. Cakeoll S. Page, 
 
 Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. 
 
 Deak Sib : The position of the American Federation of Labor is so well known 
 in reference to vocational education that it ought to be unnecessary to further 
 present its views. However, as you are actively and earnestly engaged in an 
 effort to secure the passage of the Page- Wilson vocational education bill, drawn 
 upon similar lines as was the Dolliver-Davis bill, which latter was acceptable 
 to the organizations of labor, I desire to assure you that the American Federa- 
 tion of Labor desires to give every assistance within its power to secure the 
 final enactment of this legislation. 
 
 In my report to the St. Louis convention of the American Federation of 
 Labor in 1910 I made the following observations: 
 
 " While the public schools and colleges aim only at teaching professions, the 
 greatest need of America, educationally, is the improvement of industrial intel- 
 ligence and working efficiency in the American youth. We need an educational 
 uplift for the work of the boy who will work with his hands, and we not only 
 need to give an educaitonal uplift to craftmanship, but the school needs the 
 help of the worlcman and his better work in education. We should realize 
 better the interdependence between our common education and our common 
 industries. This can be effectuated only by a system of industrial schools, 
 differentiated from the manual training schools, which shall actually train 
 workmen for the trades and at the same time give them a broader mental 
 culture. 
 
 " In accordance with a resolution passed by the Toronto convention, a com- 
 mittee was appointed to confer with Secretary Nagel of the Department of Com- 
 merce and Labor and with Commissioner Neill of the Bureau of Labor, to 
 present the request of the convention that the United States Department of 
 Commerce and Labor investigate the entire subject of industrial education. 
 The committee, consisting of Vice Presidents Mitchell and O'Connell, Secretary 
 Morrison, and myself, conferred with Secretary Nagel and Commissioner Neill 
 December 20, 1909, and after an exhaustive discussion of the matter in all its 
 phases it was agreed that an investigation was desirable to all interests con- 
 cerned and should be undertaken within the year. The investigation was 
 begun April 3, 1910, and is now nearing completion. 
 
 " From my observation and Information it is evident that the investigation 
 comprehends a thorough and exhaustive study of all schools in the United 
 States which are giving real trade or vocational training — that is, training 
 which will fit a boy (or girl) wholly or in part for a trade or vocation. 
 
 " The interest of organized labor in industrial education has always been 
 progressive as in contrast to the employers' interest. For five years the em- 
 ployers In associations have been talking, but they have made little progress. 
 The trade unions have talked, but they have also accomplished something. A 
 special committee made a deep study of industrial education and has reported. 
 That report we published, and It has had a wide circulation. Action upon the 
 report has been taken by us. The Federal investigation, as already shown, was 
 brought about through the efforts of organized labor. 
 
 " In pursuance of the recommendation of your Committee on Education, 
 labor's bill for congressional action was drafted. This vocational education 
 bill better known as the Dolllver bill, was introduced by the late Senator Do!- 
 liver and through the efforts of your committee was put upon the calendar. 
 
78 TO ESTABLISH AGEICULTUBAL EXTENSION DBPABTMENTS. 
 
 " The fact that industrial education, like academic education, Is becoming a 
 public function, and that it should be paid for by public funds is fast gaining 
 supporters. At a recent meeting in Indianapolis the department of superin- 
 tendents of the National Education Association placed on record Its approval 
 of the general plan, and especially emphasized the desirability of enlarging 
 the work of the Federal and State departments and bureaus which have to do 
 withe public education. But most significant is the following declaration by 
 that organization : 
 
 " ' That the department, while heartily approving every agency that may be 
 used to advance the educational Interests of both States and Nation, places 
 itself no record as disapproving any appropriation made by either legislatures 
 or Congress for any institution which is not supported exclusively" by public 
 funds, and which is not subject to complete Federal and State control' and 
 Investigation.' " 
 
 May 6, 1910, at a joint meeting of the American Education and Cooperative 
 Farmers' Union and the American Society of Equity the following resolution 
 was passed: 
 
 " Resolved, That we approve the provisions of the Dolliver vocational edu- 
 cation bill, which provides national funds for the establishment of rural high 
 schools, to be administered by State authority, and earnestly urge Members of 
 the United States Senate and House of Representatives to favor this bill." 
 
 At the St. Louis convention of the American Federation of Labor, 1910, th6 
 report of the special committee on industrial education, under the subhead, 
 "Attitude of organized labor," had thisto say, the entire report' biCtlie cdm- 
 mittee being unanimously concurred In : 
 
 " Organized labor has taken the same stand on the question of industrial 
 education that it has always taken on the question of general education. " It 
 Is a public function and should be provided for by public funds. No person 
 should be denied the best possible preparation for his life's work because he is 
 unable to pay a school tuition ; neither should that person be obliged to be 
 regarded as an object of charity and forced to get his training through the 
 offices of philanthropically inclined persons. He is entitled to It and the State 
 or Nation should supply it equally to all. The machinist and the carpentei^ Is 
 entitled to training for his work as fully as the lawyer, the doctor, the teacher, 
 or the business man. 
 
 " Organized labor holds also that all education should be under Federal con- 
 trol and subject to Federal supervision and regulation; and therein we dIfEer 
 from the most recent stand taken by organized employers. While they indorse 
 Industrial education at public expense they would have It under the supervision 
 and control of the manufacturers interested. Such a policy must eventually 
 defeat, in part at least, the real purpose of trade training * * *." 
 
 In the report of the executive council to the Atlanta convention of the Ameri- 
 can Federation of Labor in 1911, is to be found the following, which was ap- 
 proved : 
 
 " Most unfortunately for the cause of the vocational education and trade 
 training bill, advocated by labor. Senator Dolliver passed away before his 
 ambition and our great hopes of speedy legislation in this direction could be 
 Idealized. His great loss, combined with many other obstacles constantly tak- 
 ing place in both Houses during the Sixty-first Congress, prevented the bill 
 from being advanced. 
 
 " During the present Congress, Senator Page, of Vermont, who is favorably 
 inclined toward this measure, and who is a member of the Senate Committee on 
 Agriculture, Introduced the bill (S. 3) on the first day the Senate was In ses- 
 sion during this Congress. Largely on account of the great interest Senator 
 Page has taken in industrial education, the Senate Committee on Agriculture 
 recently passed the following resolution, which, in our estimation, Is a matter 
 of great encouragement : 
 
 " 'Resolved, That Senator Page, as a subcommittee of one, be Instructed to 
 correspond with leading educators and others interested in the purposes of the 
 proposed measure, and to report to the full committee the result of his investiga- 
 tion, and to submit a bill amended to conform ,to the suggestions he might 
 receive from such correspondents, or any he might have to make, and that the 
 committee approves the general purposes of. the bill.' " 
 
 Senate bill 3 now stands, as amended and corrected, as the best expression 
 of what is desired for an effective and equitable vocationaJ, education ^ill, and 
 it is hoped that this may be incorporated Into law at the earliest, : POssiJjJ,e 
 moment. It might also be stated that Representative Wilson of Pennsylvania 
 
TO ESTABUSH AGRICULTUEAl, EXTENSION DEPARTMENTS-. 79 
 
 has iutroduced a isimilar bill In the House, which also is receiving the active 
 support of the American Federation of Labor. 
 
 Trusting that you may be successful in securing favorable action upon Senate 
 bill 3 at an early date, I am, 
 
 Very truly, yours, Samuel Gompers, 
 
 President Americwn Federation of Lalwr. 
 
 The foregoing letters from Mr. Miles and Mr. Gompers should 
 be very carefully read, because, taken together, these men probably 
 represent the labor element in the United States more completely 
 than any other two living men. 
 
 As showing that agricultural college officials favor the Page bill 
 as the best plan yet devised for promoting vocational education, in- 
 cluding agricultural extension, the following from a large number 
 of letters received, are hereby appended and made a part of these 
 hearings : 
 
 Massachusetts Aokicultubal College, 
 
 Amherst, Mass., March 19, 1912. 
 Hon. Cabeoll S. Page, 
 
 United States Senator. Washington, D. G. 
 Mt Deae Mb. Page : I have your letter of March 14. I fear you have mis- 
 interpreted my attitude toward your bill. I have never been opposed to your 
 bill. I believe fully In the principle of Federal aid to vocational education. I 
 felt when I attended the hearing in Washington that it would be wise if you 
 were to separate the extension bill from the other bill, for I have learned during 
 the past year, from good authority, that we might hope to get the extension 
 bill through. 
 
 There is one section of your bill which I did not approve of at that time, 
 and do not at the present time. That is, the plan of establishing branch experi- 
 ment stations all over the several States. 
 
 It may be said, touching this criticism, that the plan of establish- 
 ing branch experiment stations has been absolutely eliminated from 
 the Page bill. This was done at the suggestion of agricultural col- 
 lege representatives at a meeting of educators held at Washington, 
 December 14, 15, and 16, last. 
 
 Anyone who has had anything to do with research work understands that this 
 must be carried on in a most careful manner. I do not believe that the men 
 whom it would be possible to obtain to carry on these stations would be paid 
 the salaries or have had the experience so that reliable data could be worked 
 out. 
 
 I wish to make it clear that in the part I have taken in the present matter, 
 I have never said a word against the Page bill, but, of course, I have tried to 
 bring support for the Lever and Hoke Smith bills, for I think these are much 
 needed, and I believe they will pass. 
 Yours, very truly, 
 
 Wm. D. Hurd. 
 
 February 27, 1912. 
 My Dear Mr. Haugen : I have made a careful examination of the Page bill 
 (S. 3), the Lever bill, McKinley bill, and one or two other measures that have 
 been introduced in Congress looking to extension of Federal aid in agricultural 
 education. I have given this matter quite careful consideration for a number 
 of years, and I wish to say that I am very favorably impressed by the plan 
 proposed by the Page bill. This is the only measure that I know of that is 
 formulated along sufficiently broad and comprehensive lines to extend Federal 
 aid that is needed in promoting and upjtiuilding the agricultural and industrial 
 interests of the United States. It provides for instruction and the training of 
 teachers in both agriculture and the trades and industries ; it provides for 
 extension work in agriculture; for special vocational schools, and all of these 
 agencies are needed and most urgently; and they are so closely united that 
 work in all of these lines should be carried on together. The bills that merely 
 provide for extension work in agriculture would be of limited help, but they 
 
80 TO ESTABLISH AGKICULTUKAL EXTENSION DBPAKTMENTS. 
 
 do not go to the bottom of this problem and lay the foundation for permanent 
 help and industrial training in the public-school system of the country as does 
 the Page bill. They make no provision for the training of teachers for agri- 
 cultural and industrial work, and it will be impossihle to make progress without 
 provision for the training of teachers. All of the agricultural colleges combined 
 can not catch up with the demand for agricultural teachers in the next 20 
 years. 
 
 I sincerely hope that you will give this bill your hearty and earnest support. 
 The question of rural and industrial education has a vital relation to our 
 future industrial progress and our prosperity as a nation. 
 Very truly, yours, 
 
 C. F. CURTISS. 
 
 Hon. Gilbert N. Hatjgen, 
 
 House of Representatives, Washington, D. 0. 
 
 University of Florida, 
 
 Gainesville, March 9, 191 2. 
 Hon. Carroll S. Page. 
 
 United States Senatf , Washington, D. C. 
 
 Sir : Replying to your communication of the 16th ultimo, which came to this 
 office during my absence ou extension work of boys' and girls' clubs, 1 wish to 
 say that I consider the Page bill (S. 3) the best educational bill that has ever 
 been prepared and presented for congi'essional action. It is both comprehensive 
 and practical, and will meet southern needs. 
 
 Dr. Thompson and Dr. Russell, in a communication under date of March 4, 
 1912, stated that this bill was not likely to pass the present Congress, but that 
 the Lever bill (S. 4563), which is very similar to the extension section of the 
 Page bill, has a very good showing for passage at this session of Congress. If 
 this is tiTie, it seems to me that all should consolidate their efforts on the 
 Lever bill. While the Page bill may not be passed as a whole during one ses- 
 sion of Congress, the different parts may eventually be enacted into law during 
 different sessions of Congress. I am satisiied that the leading educators in the 
 \vhole country are in favor of the Page bill, but it seems to be largely a ques- 
 tion of getting the bill through, carrying such a large appropriation, at any 
 one session of Congress. I want you to know that I am entirely with you for 
 the Page bill at any time it can be passed, and I am sure that you and your 
 forces will, if it becomes necessary, transfer your support to the best measure 
 that is most likely to be enacted into law. 
 
 I consider the secondary -education part the most important feature of the 
 I'age bill. It would reach the greatest number of young men and young women 
 at the age when the most good could be done, and therefore I consider all the 
 other parts of the bill of less importance. 
 
 If there is anything further that I can do to assist you, please command me. 
 Very respectfully and obediently, yours, 
 
 J. J. Vernon, 
 Dean of the College of Agriculture. 
 
 Farmeks' National Congress, 
 
 Cliieago, 111, April 1, 1912. 
 Hon. Carroll S. Page, 
 
 The Senate, Washington, D. C. 
 
 Dear Sir : At the last annual session of the Farmers' National Congress, held 
 at Columbus, Ohio, October 12 to 18, 1911, the following resolution was reported 
 from the committee on resolutions by unanimous vote and was adopted by the 
 congress by unanimous vote : 
 
 " Resolved, That the Farmers' National Congress declares in favor of the 
 Page educational bill now pending in the Congress of the United States, and 
 urges the speedy enactment of this bill into law." 
 
 I would remind you that the Farmers' National Congress is a representative 
 body, composed of delegates appointed by the governors of the various States 
 on the recommendation of the agricultural organizations of the State. At our 
 annual sessions more States are represented than at the sessions of any other 
 agricultural organization, hence we believe that we can claim that the sentl- 
 
TO ESTABLISH AGBICULTTJRAli EXTENSION DEPAETMENOK. 81 
 
 ment of the Farmers' National Congress, expressed in the above resolution, is 
 the sentiment of the very large majority of the farmers of the United States, 
 and, in fact, we know of no contrary sentiment among farmers. At our session 
 at Columbus more than 1,300 delegates were present from Colorado to Massa- 
 chusetts and from Georgia and Texas to Minnesota. 
 
 The Farmers' National Congress, having held 31 annual sessions, has for 
 years recognized the interdependence of industries among a people as far ad-, 
 vanced in civilization and industrial development as we are. It has at every 
 one of its sessions for many years emphasized that the city can not prosper 
 permanently when the country does not prosper and that the country must suf- 
 fer in times when city industries languish. We believe that any lawful pro- 
 vision for the wider industrial education of our boys and girls, in both city 
 and country, is eminently for the public good. Idleness is the greatest breeder 
 of crime, and the conditions in both city and country indicate that from the 
 moral standpoint wide and thorough provision for industrial education is ad- 
 visable. It is also certain that unless we make very thorough provision for in- 
 dustrial education in city as well as country other peoples, notably those of 
 Germany, will gain the markets in foreign countries, actual and potential, 
 that our manufacturing industries must have to remain prosperous and to de- 
 velop with our increasing population, and a prosperity and development es- 
 sential to that home market for our farm products that is always the best 
 market. 
 
 Needless to say that the Farmers' National Congress heartily approves of 
 the provision in the Page bill for the extension of agricultural education in 
 rural schools. It none the less approves of the proposition to give equal indus- 
 trial education in urban schools. 
 
 Kespectfully, yours, John M. Stahl, 
 
 Legislative Agent Farmers' National Congress. 
 
 Mabch 1, 1912. 
 Hon. John Lamb, 
 
 Chairman Committee on Agriculture, 
 
 House of Representatives. 
 Deae Me, Lamb : Since leaving the Department of Agriculture and going into 
 college and station work I have had opportunity to study at close range the 
 problems of agricultural education from the standpoint of the man on the farm 
 and his children. There are really two problems involved. The first is to get 
 the information as to modern scientific practice In agriculture into the hands of 
 the existing farmers. Experience of the national department and the States 
 has shown conclusively that this must be done by taking the information directly 
 to them, as Dr. Knapp so efCectively did in the South. This phase of the work 
 has been taken up by this State and by quite a number of States, and is recog- 
 nized as being one of the most Important educational problems now before the 
 people. Provision for developing this work has been made in several proposed 
 bills before the National Congress. Of these, two are now under special con- 
 sideration. One is the Lever bill, which is a very excellent measure, designed 
 to provide for the agricultural extension work. The bill, if passed, would cer- 
 tainly serve to develop and stimulate this very important field, but I believe one 
 of the most important, if not the most important, problems Is connected with 
 the boys and girls now on the farms who are being educated away from them in 
 our present school system. It IS not necessary to go into figures, but you know 
 the fact. We must adjust our school system to correct this difficulty. The boys 
 and girls must be trained in agriculture and Industry in such a way that new 
 visions of opportunity in farming will open up to them. Teachers must be pre- 
 ,nared for this all-important work, and no time should be lost in providing the 
 machinery for this purpose. The exodus from the farms is still Increasing, 
 and can be stopped Only by a revival of interest on the part of the young people 
 In agriculture. These young people are not reached to any great extent through 
 the purely extension work, but must be influenced through the regular school 
 svstem For that reason we hope that the broader measure, provided for in the 
 Paee bill (S 3), as recently amended, may pass, as it is well designed to meet 
 this need As amended a State may accept the extension feature, which is es- 
 sentially the same as the Lever bill, or any other feature, as It may feel finan- 
 cially able to do. The total expenditure involved is small compared with the 
 
 32529—12 6 
 
82 XO ESTABLISH AGEICULrTURAL EXTENSIOlSr DEPAETMENTS. 
 
 immense returns which will flow from it. I trust if there is a possibility of 
 passing the Page bill that the committee will favor it. 
 Sincerely, yours, 
 
 A. P. Woods, Dean and Director. 
 
 I have received a large number of other letters from presidents and 
 other officials of agricultural colleges, favoring Senate bill 3, but the 
 above-quoted letters are deemed sufficient to show that the amended 
 Senate bill 3, as favorably reported by direction of the Committee 
 on Agriculture and Forestry of the Senate, has very little opposition 
 except that which is predicated upon the supposition that the Page 
 bill can not pass the House, a statement which is vigorously disputed 
 by the real friends of vocational education in that body. 
 
 It may be truthfully said that Senator Smith of Georgia favors 
 the vocational education features of the Page bill and Senator Page 
 favors the Smith bill, and has expressed his entire willingness that 
 Senate bill 3 be so amended as to incorporate therein every appropri- 
 ation called for by the Smith-Lever bill. Indeed, the extension fea- 
 ture of the Page bill is substantially the Smith-Lever bill. 
 
 National Association of Manufactubeks, 
 
 New Yorlc, April 2, 191$. 
 Hon. Cabeoll S. Page, 
 
 Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, United States Senate. 
 
 Dbab Senatos Page : The whole country is awakening to the imperative need 
 of industrial education. Massachusetts will spend $200,000 this year in schools 
 only lately established for vocational education. Under the Ohio law, recently 
 passed, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and other cities are accomplishing wonders. A 
 special investigating committee in New York City will give wonderful impetus 
 to the work there. The State of Wisconsin has introduced a complete system 
 which is now being established under a board, two-thirds of the members of 
 which are, by statute, employers and employees, so chosen that the work may 
 be thoroughly practical and as perfectly fitted as possible to the best needs of 
 the workers and the industries. This country can not prosper nor be socially 
 sound with only individual States or communities giving proper education. The 
 whole country must give it. 
 
 In this belief, and in response to an almost universal sentiment, the Com- 
 mittee on Agriculture of the United States Senate has reported favorably a bill, 
 known as the Page bill, appropriating about $5,000,000 for industrial education, 
 meaning thereby the education of the young workers in towns and cities, 
 whether in factories, stores, or oflSces, and including domestic science for the 
 girls. The bill also carries an equal amount for the agricultural population, 
 for the sons and daughters of the farmer. 
 
 This appropriation may seem large, but it equals only 14 cents per capita 
 per year. It is practically assured that the bill will pass the Senate. 
 
 In the House there has been introduced the so-called Lever bill (Hon. A. F. 
 Lever, of South Carolina), which Ignores the requirements of the city workers 
 and appropriates $3,000,0000 to agricultural-extension work only. 
 
 It is held by some of the friends of the Lever bill (they being especially in- 
 terested in agriculture) that the Lever biU can be passed through Congress by 
 the agricultural vote, and that it is not yet time to take any thought of the city 
 children. 
 
 Those In favor of the Page bill, in its spirit and purpose, are exceedingly^ 
 concerned that the Lever bill shall be broadened so as to include the city 
 children. 
 
 These opponents of the Lever bill believe in appropriations for education in 
 agriculture. They also believe that if the Congress of the United States is at 
 this time either careless of or ignorant of the needs of the city workers it is 
 time to call a complete halt in appropriations until they become informed, it 
 being certain that such information will not only make them willing but also 
 eager to take care of this other half of our working population. 
 
TO ESTABUSH AGEICULTURAL. EXTENSION DBPABTMENTS. 83 
 
 The following reasons may be given, among others, in support of this position : 
 
 (1) The Department of Agriculture now gets $17,000,000 which it uses for 
 the development and benefit of agriculture- It spends $4,000,000 annually in 
 direct promotion work — the study of soils, pests, etc. The agricultural schools 
 of the country get very many millions of dollars annually. The amount pai^ 
 by the Federal and State Governments, all told, for education in agriculture 
 and the mechanic arts is $21,000,000 ; the part of it that is devoted to agricul- 
 ture goes down to the farmer, tlie actual worker; scarcely a penny of it goes 
 to the actual mechanic, though a good deal of it goes to the polytechnic and 
 higher engineering schools. Against all that the Agricultural Department does, 
 the Bureau of Manufactures does almost nothing, and for promotion work has 
 About $40,000 against $4,000,000. 
 
 (2) We are not opposed to appropriations for the farmers. They have been 
 given a thousand times more than any other class, and all that has been given 
 them has brought back a magnificent return. It has made farm life a happy 
 occupation and a profitable one, when it was a lonely and in some ways an 
 unfortunate one 20 to 40 years ago. 
 
 We use this example of desirable expenditure, however, as a reason why 
 and a proof that we have neglected that other half of our population that lives 
 by industry and commerce. If this Lever bill is put through it will virtually 
 settle the matter of Federal appropriations for some years to come and shut 
 the door on the son and daughter of the mechanic, and cripple the manufac- 
 turers by leaving their help unskilled and uninformed. 
 
 (3) The Lever bill takes the money from all the people and distributes it 
 among the States in proportion to their agricultural population. Something 
 like 3 per cent of the people in Massachusetts are agricultural, and probably 
 60 to 70 per cent of the people of Texas. Massachusetts would pay se-veral times 
 as much under this appropriation as Texas, in proportion to population, and 
 get back one-twentieth as much. This discrimination can only be endured if it 
 is offset by other appropriations, infinitely needed, that give to the sons of the 
 mechanics in JIassachusetts, and to the industries upon which she depends, 
 advantage by the other appropriations corresponding to the advantage to the 
 Texas farmers. 
 
 Senator Hoke Smith, who has been heard in the Senate in support of the 
 Lever bill, believes in the vocational education of the sons and daughters of 
 the factory workers. He has expressed himself, as we understand, in recent 
 conversation as entirely ready to support a bill such, in the main, as we 
 advocate. 
 
 We are confident that Mr. Lever, when he learns the extent of the oppor- 
 tunity to benefit the urban population and of the favorable sentiment and 
 readiness of the people at large to make use of an appropriation in behalf of 
 the city workers, will be more than pleased to alter the position taken in his 
 bill, so as to include all the children of all the workers of our great country, 
 in city and country alike. 
 
 Tours, very truly, J. Kiebt, Jr. 
 
 The Chaieman. This will end this hearing and the committee will 
 now go into executive session. 
 
 The committee thereupon went into executive session to further 
 consider the bill, after which the committee adjourned.