236 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



in every coniinimity and support them in bis every effort to bring 

 about better conditions, more prosperity, less friction and a square 

 deal lor the producer. 



Modesty, or rather, false modesty might come in for just criticism 

 among ihe farmers of Pennsylvania. There are men in this State doing 

 things so much out of tlie ordinary that if the things were done in 

 some of our Western states the public press would be crowded ex- 

 ploiting their great deeds. Boasting is abominable, but we are 

 commanded in the Good Jiook not to hide our light under a bushel. 



Many and various other weak si)ots might be dwelt upon under the 

 title of this talk. It is not with a view to holding up to ridicule the 

 weakness of our fellowman that reference is made to any of them. 

 We are all mortal. It is said, "A wise nian will change his mind; a 

 fool never does." Upon this theory it is our duty to find out our faults 

 and correct them. The world depends upon the farmer to be fed. 

 Financiers look forward to your bounteous harvests to know how 

 to ligure on all their large financial transactions. Our nation is 

 depending upon you farmers to furnish it with its presidents, its 

 statesmen and its leaders. The most of our rugged, honest, fearless 

 men in all the higher callings of life came from the farm. As the 

 states make the nation so do farmers make the state. It is not our 

 cities that furnish the brains to plan and the bone to build. It is 

 the farmer's son who steers his course whether in commerce, state- 

 manship or the pulpit — straight as his father guided the plow. The 

 simple, fearless faith of our forefathers is waning. The rush of 

 business, the strain of commerce, the love for notoriety in stateman- 

 ship do not encourage it. If perpetuated at all it must be perpetuated 

 on the farms of this country. You, as farmers, are entitled to all the 

 honor that such a condition imposes. IJut with it rests a responsi- 

 bility. Meet it like men and if then there is anj'^thing the matter with 

 the Pennsylvania farmer that is not in accord with the most critical 

 mind it will all be forgiven. 



"THE COUNTKY LIFE SITUATION." (Abstract) 



By T>. H. BAILEY, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, I come to Pennsylvania at 

 this time with a great deal of satisfaction. For the past two or three 

 years I have had a grudge against the State, because you took Dr. 

 Hunt from us. I am coming to you to-night to speak and to get even 

 with you. 



I shall speak a few w^ords about the "country life situation," as I 

 see it. Two movements are now much in evidence touching country 

 life. One is the "country life movement" itself, and the other is the 

 "back to the land" agitation. These two movements are not at all 

 synonymous; in fact, to a large extent they are antagonistic the one 

 to the other. The country life movement is the effort to effectualize 



