8 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [12:1— Jan., 1916 



ary public acclaim, who are little concerned about some mole- 

 hill of "standing" in a community; and then shall we go to the 

 merits of our public questions. We have these men now, to be 

 sure; but there ought to be none other. The man who desires 

 much publicity is not the safe public servant, and yet our party 

 system discovers such men. 



The Application 



What is the purpose and what the value of our widespread 

 teaching of science if not that the mental attitude is to be applied 

 in all the horizons of life? If this attitude were applied in public 

 affairs we should forthwith have a new politics. The great gains 

 in scientific research and in science-teaching lie in these mental 

 postures rather than in the direct application to invention, pro- 

 duction and communication. 



It is the method of science to proceed from the concrete to the 

 abstract. It sets the example of discovering first the fact and then 

 building thereon the philosophy of action; and yet do we not 

 have in public places many persons who are spinning blue-sky 

 schemes of administration that may affect all of us? And have 

 we yet outgrown the older education, which leads us too early 

 into the theoretic and which too often lands us in pleasant and 

 easy sophistries? 



Science is free to all men so far as they are able to understand. 

 It is no discriminator of persons. It eliminates no man be'cause 

 of his position or his name or relations, but only as he lacks ability 

 to comprehend. It shuts no doors, but it opens many. 



Science also is unselfish. To be selfish with the results of one's 

 scientific labors is as much to be reprehended as to be selfish with 

 time or money or counsel, and even more so. To act grudgingly 

 with one's facts or discoveries, to hoard and withhold, to stand 

 primarily for "credit," is not the science-spirit. 



The agricultural experiment stations are factors of tremendous 

 significance to any self-governing people. The farmers, who 

 comprise the bottom factor in any democracy, have been among 

 the most prejudiced of men. With them tradition has chal- 

 lenged fact. Other occupations may come and go, schemes of 

 politics and social revolutions may pass, but the farmer is on the 

 land forever. Slowly but certainly we are placing before him a 

 new way of approach to the problems of life, an inspiring and 



