The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-26
F. d. Coburn Writes FareweIl
Letter to His Friends.
win Resign ~ Secretary Boar1
Of Agriculture July 1.
PAYS LAST TRIBUTE TO kAnSls
"A Kansan Away From Hone
Is Always Homesiclyr
Coburn's Place win Be Takes
BY Assistant J. C. Mohler.

+. d. Coburn. secretary Of the state
board Of agriculture, will retire. to
private life June 80. after Il years In
the service Of the state. Today Seo-
retary Coburn sent his goodbye to
his old friends and with the little in
formal letter, he sent his latest trib-
ute to Kansas.
Beginning next Wednesday morn
ing. J. C. Mohler will succeed Mr.. Co
burn rs the oficial head Of the state
department OF agriculture. For
longer period. even. than Coburn him
self has been identified with the de-
partment. Mohler has been q quiet.
unassuming. modest and humble
worker in preparing the stories Of the
Kansas bumper crops and educating
people to forget such expressions a.
drouth. grasshoppers, crop failures
and hot winds. So when Coburn's
resignation went to the board of az
rtculture last winter. Mohler's friends
rushed to the Topeka mans assist
ance and gave to him the honor for
which he had waited nearly a quar-
ter Of a century.
Now Coburn is sending his farewell
greetings to his old friends in an
parts Of Kansas and in all parts OF
the world and with 1t is q word for
the Kansan away from home-the
kansan who is homesick to get back.
After nearly FL years Of activity
as secretary of the Kansas board of
agriculture, made possible by ten
unanimous biennial reflections,
have given my resignation to be ef-
fective June 80. this year." said Co.
burn in a letter to his friends. II am
not disabled. but tired enough to
gladly step aside from the once and
its responsibilities. which will pas to
my long time assistant and capablo
successor, Mr.. J. c. Mohler.
cd more generous treatment chan. hqs
IN all these years been given me ~
both public ana press, and NO 90
could appreciate e nnofes .Ak60x1G&
separated from the particular work IN
wnlch you have longest known fhe,1
shall indeed. hope still to have your
kind regards" .
VIII Stay I'm Topeka.
Then at the close Of his letter. Co,
burn adds:
my address will still be 4s4 Topeka
avenue. Topeka, Kansas"
With the farewell letter, Coburn
sends characteristic tribute to the
state. He says: ~
Kansas. child of conscience, IL the
product Of courage, a fortitude ana
q progressive spirit never. surpassed.
Her pioneers grappled a wilderness
and fashioned from 1t an enviablo
abode for. Times favored and master
products who would be its heirs When
but an infant she CHALLENGED with
arms slavery's insolent greed; within
the decade a race of bondmen was
freed and slavery dead amidst its wor-
shippers. She saw and abhorred the
ruin wrought by alcoholic liuuorp:
straightway the liquors and their pur-
veyors were branded outlaws, and now
the nations are wheeling into line to
follow where Kansas led. Viewing
capital punishment as a blot on civil
ization, 1t was prescribed. She be-
lieved women entitled to the same DO
litical privileges as men, her dream OF
yesterday is today an actually Such
history fs typical of Kansas. and re-
fleets the masterful spirits who made
a domain like ours possible.
Kansas. however, does not respond
to all alike. Those who demand much
for little. who ignore Providence ana
environment, who, not allowed their
way refuse. to play. and who fail to
note and heed her moods. are not
vouchsafed her largest bounty, her
gentlest caresses or happieet smiIea:
yet Kansan away from home Is al
ways homesick."