STATE POMOI.OGICAL SOCIETY. IC9 



for the schoolboy of the past generation, but today we are seri- 

 ously talking about traveling in company with the stork and 

 the crane. 



The great Russian seer and philosopher has emphasized the 

 fundamental principle which distinguishes good from evil. 

 What is it? "Whatever tends to separate men is evil; what 

 helps to unite and draw them together is good." 



The ocean greyhounds, the railways and cables are uniting 

 and drawing together the nations of the world and hastening 

 the day when war shall be no more. Likewise the co-operative 

 societies that dot the western prairies, now only scattered here 

 and there, will in time unite and like a great prairie fire sweep 

 over the land, not to destroy but to bind men together with the 

 bonds of mutual goodwill and fellowship. 



The noble Scotchman, Professor Drummond, preached a ser- 

 mon on "The greatest thing in the world." It was soon trans- 

 lated into many languages, for it appealed to the soundest 

 thought and the deepest feeling in man. "Charity (love) is the 

 greatest thing in the world." Love unites, binds together. 

 Love organized is co-operation. 



But one thing must be remembered : This thing will not do 

 itself. There must be a firm union of willing hands and strong. 

 Nice talk about it will not do it. But while all must work 

 together we must not forget the old saying, founded on much 

 sad experience: "What is everybody's business, is nobody's 

 business." There must be a strong, capable, watchful driving 

 head. Nothing now goes without organization and a powerful 

 steersman with a firm hand at the helm. A good general man- 

 ager is worth more to a railroad than a million of capital. As 

 you will remember, the Wisconsin and Minnesota societies 

 formed county organizations with a central manager and expert 

 accountant to superintend ten or a dozen stores. "United we 

 stand, divided we fall," but the bond of union must be both 

 visible and strong. 



What shall be the future of country life? Much is heard 

 nowadays about the return movement from the city to the coun- 

 try. This is well. But I do not take it to mean simply that 

 because of the automobile and the trolley some city millionaires 

 are to build palaces in the country. It means much more than 

 this. The massing of millions into great centers of population 



