406 TWENTY-SECOND ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART V 



legislation as well as in the awakening of a national agricultural con- 

 sciousness. 



In conclusion may I draw to your attention what seems to me to be a 

 new national alignment of farmers' thought and national farm organiza- 

 tion activity? 



There is clearly developing what is already called at Washington and 

 by the press a radical agricultural group who advocate a policy of settling 

 all our grievances, social, economic, or otherwise, through governmental 

 mediums and agencies. 



They believe in a thoroughly established state or national control of 

 the regulation of human relationships. 



They would settle all such problems as transportation by direct govern- 

 ment ownership and operation of railroads and merchant marine, and bit- 

 terly oppose all farm organizations and leaders who are not of that mind. 



They are beginning to talk of various artificial schemes of price fixing. 



Some of them are avowedly in sympathy with the organization of new 

 political parties, such as the Farmer-Labor movement or the plan of the 

 Old Committee of Forty-eight or similar movements. 



Do not understand that I say that such a movement has yet reached 

 definite organization stages so far as membership following is concerned, 

 but that the thought and tendency of certain leaders toward such an 

 amalgamation is well defined. 



These forces, in my opinion, will rapidly increase during the next few 

 months in the event of delayed agricultural economic adjustments. When 

 men, by strenuous and well applied labor, cannot make interest and taxes 

 for continued periods, you must expect that many will see red. 



Opposed to this group are those who are convinced by study or expe- 

 rience that in matters of business the state is less eflicient than the in- 

 dividual; that while men make governments, governments cannot make 

 men. 



This group question the government's power to create or materially 

 alter laws of fundamental economics any more than it can alter the ebb 

 and flow of the tide. 



They hold that the purpose of government is to so order conditions in 

 fairness and equality that every individual citizen and class of citizenry 

 can have the largest and fullest opportunity to develop the best that is in 

 him or them. 



Personally, I approve that constructive radicalism which provokes seri- 

 ous thought. It spells progress. It is evolution seeking the ideal trust of 

 better things. I will go the limit regarding cooperative marketing, co- 

 operative banking and government supervision of all public utilities; 

 in opposition to all unjust and unfair combinations and competition, and 

 the preventing and redressing of human wrong in every spot and place. 



But I must draw the line on any and every ism that is destructive and 

 not constructive, particularly if destructive of that greatest of all human 

 agencies — personal initiative. 



I deplore a growing tendency on the part, not only of some farmers, but 

 other men in high places, to stress the functioning of government too 

 much, and of the individual too little. 



The nation's strength is that of its average citizen. A virile self- 



