/ 

 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 79 



vocation as well as for the higher relations of life, and enable its recipi- 

 ents to become loyal, useful, intelligent American citizens. 



When the Puritan Fathers first landed on these uncultivated shores, it 

 was not their undaunted courage and high ideals that made (he wilder- 

 ness to blossom as the rose; it was untiring industry that changed rhe 

 haunts of the wild beast into an abode for civilized man, that laid on that 

 rock-bound shore the corner stone of a republic that should be known as 

 the land of the free, and the home of the brave, as also the laboring man's 

 best refuge. 



America's province is to elevate not the few. but the many; to bring 

 about a universal prosperity by the greatest possible encouragement of 

 the arts of peace. The world will not j^et completely learn the great 

 lesson of honor to the working classes in proportion to their industry and 

 merit. 



"Let Labor, then, look up and see 

 His craft no path of honor lacks; 

 The soldier's rifle yet shall be 



Less honored than the woodman's axe." 



DISCUSSION. 



PRESIDENT J. L. SNYDER, AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



This is an age of problems— there have been many problems solved during the 

 present century. Within the memory of some of those present tonight the sailing 

 vessel has given way to the monster of the sea; the man-of-war with its exposed 

 hull and high rigging to the floating citadel, such as our Oregon and Massachusetts, 

 each of which will consume a million dollars worth of ammunition in twenty-four 

 hours. The flint-lock musket to the modern weapon of destruction. The old stage 

 coach to the lightning express with all the home comforts and conveniences. These 

 advantages are not for the few alone; there is scarcely a comimunity which does 

 not hear the shrill voice of the locomotive. For years after this century was 

 ushered in there was not in all the farm sheds of the world a single plow with a 

 steel or metal mold-board. The harvesters of the wheat fields of all countries 

 cut the grain with sickles. There was little leisure time for anybody except the 

 rich, who had in most instances obtained their wealth through government grants. 

 Little research had been made in the domain of science; chemistry, physics and 

 botany were idle dreams except to the very few, and their knowledge of these sub- 

 jects was as nothing compared with the present knowledge. Biology, bacteriology 

 and other important fields of science were unknown. By the aid of human devices 



THE POWER OF THE EYE HAS INCREASED 



a thousand times and the ear can hear the voice of a friend hundreds of miles 

 away. If we have anything to say that people are anxious to hear, we can talk 

 through the press to hundreds of thousands of people, and if it be of paramount 

 importance to the world, hundreds of millions will be moved by our acts or 

 thoughts before the earth makes one revolution on its axis. The onward march 

 has been along all lines of activity. The steam engine has revolutionized the 

 world. Hand work has been superseded by that of machinery. This all redounds 

 to the advantage of mankind. Hours of labor have been shortened. More time 

 is left for leisure and intellectual development. Comimerce makes it possible to 

 place on the table the best food of all lands without giving it a thought as we sit 

 down each day to our meals gathered from all corners of the earth. The direction 

 of the storm is foretold days ahead and notice given to prepare for it. 



THE INTELLECTUAL HAS KEPT PACE WITH THE MATERIAL. 



The eight-pao-e daily has found its way into all parts of the country and nlmost 

 everyone has the privilege of reading the news of the world. Cheap books and 



