David F. Houston to Woodrow Wilson

I had a fine meeting in St. Louis of State Commissioners of Agriculture and representatives of the Land-Grant Colleges of the Nation. I had also a conference with nearly one hundred of the editors and publishers of farm papers. The latter were emphatic in their view that an appeal by you to the farmers through the farm press would do a great deal of good. I share this view. I send herewith a statement which may serve as suggestion for the appeal. If you are willing to issue the appeal and will either dictate a statement or return the enclosed statement with such amendments as you may care to make, I shall see that it goes out this evening. It is necessary that it be sent out at the earliest possible moment.