226 SPEECH OF HON. JUSTIN S. MOREILL. 



are closed ; and he may feel sure his taste has become vitiated if 

 he indulges the idea that other avocations are more fruitful of 

 health, honors or happiness than that of the genuine American 

 farmer. The business of agriculture is sometimes thought to be 

 uninviting by those in other walks of life, and they shun any inves- 

 tigations of the great truths which underlie and surround it, as 

 much as they would shun instruction in the craft of a tinker, lest 

 they should some day be called upon to mend their neighbor's pot. 



The experience of other nations in war, in arts and in the sci- 

 ences, is unhesitatingly resorted to, and all progress therein is 

 appropriated as common property of the world.; but in legislation, 

 philosophy and education, reform based upon the most valid tests 

 of foreign examples is treated with the coldest hospitality. It is 

 not a suflScient reason because agricultural and military education 

 has been extensively ingrafted upon the system of other nations 

 that the same policy should be transplanted here ; but confuting 

 the stupid idea that success is impossible, it is a reason why we 

 should earnestly investigate the subject, and, if our necessities 

 show that we stand in as much or more need than those who have 

 successfully led the way, it is a strong argument why the policy 

 should be adopted. 



Popular common school education has been slowly combatting 

 the prejudices of the world for generations. Starting from the 

 Sunday afternoon catechism in Protestant Europe and America, it 

 required two centuries to arrive at its present condition. At this 

 moment the cause is receding in Prussia, but gaining in England 

 and elsewhere. We mock the timid pace with which other nations 

 adopt our plan of universal education, but forget what laggards 

 we are in the adjoining field where they appear so much in the 

 advance. Whoever is at the lowest round of the ladder manifests 

 the least inclination to rise, and those highest up have the most 

 ambition for still greater achievements. Among the motives 

 which should stimulate us is the desire to improve man himself, 

 and added to this we have all that moves our great European com- 

 petitors, namely, the increase of wealth and power. Manufactures 

 take no steps until agriculture produces a surplus beyond what is re- 

 quired for its own consumption, and from this surplus arises raw ma- 

 terial and cheap bread, which make the arts and manufactures flour- 

 ish. From these results commerce. Trade derives all its support 

 from the basis furnished by agriculture and manufactures. Then 

 follows the necessity for military and naval protection. In a free 



