35 



the citizens. Primitive life is very simple ami beautiful under primitive condi- 

 tions, liut under the conditions of a highly orj^anized civilization primitive life 

 woulil i)e decided evidence of de.generation. Civilization l)rinj;s not only its 

 opitortunities, but its duties us well. Education is therefore a constantly expand- 

 inj,' in-oiilem. These colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts must recognize 

 that up to date their work is only outlined. They must. then, not only as the 

 pre.-orver^ of the past, the protestors of the future. Init as the designated 

 agencies of the State, stimulate and develop the possibilities of both land and 

 men. These institutions therefore stand in a very important relation to society 

 and must help to solve the problems of practical living for the millions of our 

 industrial classes. 



It is not unnatural that in the presence of this large expenditure of money 

 and of the tendency to increase this expenditure of money as time goes on the 

 thoughts of men siiould turn to a consideration of the results of this national 

 movement in education. I have no desire to enter into a discussion that might 

 be tabulated in figures. For our purpose here this evening it might be well 

 to remind ourselves, however, in the tii-st place, that this national movement 

 has given great importance to worlc in agriculture in the United States Gov- 

 ernment. The Department of Agriculture now stands as the nation's testimony 

 to the importance of the problems with which it deals. Apart from the move- 

 ment for these land-grant colleges, it might be seriously doubted whether there 

 could have been such a development of the nation's work as is now organized 

 in the Department of Agriculture. We recognize the importance of the work 

 undertaken by the Government and also the generosity toward the States as 

 shown in the two Morrill acts. We can not fail to recognize the helpful coop- 

 eration of the Department of Agriculture with the colleges and stations. Too 

 much could not easily be said in praise of this work. On the other hand, we 

 are quite as much under obligation to recognize the heliiful attitude of the sev- 

 eral States in making possible the highest efficiency of this national movement. 

 They have gone at the matter with a steady purpose and a steadily growing 

 enthusiasm. The movement has not been by any means a rural one. Our city 

 populations have come to see the intimate relation between the development of 

 agriculture in this country and the prosperity and safety of much of our com- 

 merce. They have seen how it affects the quantity of our food supplies, the 

 health of our people, and the permanence of much of our prosperity. Those of 

 us engaged in the agricultural colleges recognize, therefore, that our work 

 could be so incomplete as to be extremely unsatisfactory but for the logical 

 development at Washington. It is also true that they without us should not 

 be made perfect. Indeed, every enteri)rise of this association has made mani- 

 fest that the interest of the nation, of the States, of the colleges, and of the 

 people are all one. The work of investigation, the work of supervision, the work 

 of stimulating and aiding the local enterprises all unite to emphasize to us the 

 fact that the nation has been pretty well aroused. The further development 

 of this work must inevitably emphasize the common interest of the entire 

 country and so lead to an increasing intelligence as to the real unity of the 

 country. In the large and broad field of the nation's interests the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture in its several fields of work may be regarded as the logical 

 outcome of the Morrill Act and also as the nation's appreciation of the impor- 

 tance of the colleges and experiment stations. Without design on the part of 

 anyone there has gradually grown up an institution at Washington which give* 

 expression to the national ideals, just as the local college expresses the ideals 

 of the community in which it is located. I am disposed, therefore, to say that 

 the colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts have fully justified their exist- 

 ence by the national infiuences that have been set to work as a consequence 

 of their founding. On the other hand, the results in a local way that have 

 been realized from these colleges are by no means to be despised. They have 

 wrought out local problems and stimulated local enterprise. They have trained 

 some valuable citizens and produced some efficient men and women. This in 

 itself would be ample justification, but through tlie agency of these efficient men 

 and women the resources of the country are not only being perpetuated, but 

 increased, so that both local and natiijual governments are finding their patri- 

 mony undiminished. These institutions, while devoted to the cause of educa- 

 tion' have iKjinted out the possibilities of increased revenues and trained men 

 to protect themselves in the strenuous struggle for existence. 



The results realized from the establishment and maintenance of these laud- 

 grant colleges are not to be looked for entirely in the graduates of such 

 institutions or iu the renewed interests that may be aroused in either agri- 



