188 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



We aro now facing a democratic experiment, not only here, but all over 

 this great world of ours. What is America's duty? To keep faith in our 

 experiment; to keep faith in the efficacy and success of the government; 

 to stand loyal to our ideals, and shoulder to shoulder to combat the man 

 that raises his voice pleading the ideal of class in American life; to un- 

 derstand that we are all here together; to march on and on, cost us what 

 it may, and let this crisis that is facing America be a lesson to you and 

 to me to let little politics and little issues go by the board, and let us 

 stand up straight before God feeling that the future of the world probably 

 depends upon the steadiness of the American spirit, this great cosmopoli- 

 tan spirit; our steadiness, our willingness to serve, our willingness to 

 make the sacrifice that is necessary, that is demanded of us in the ser- 

 vice of the flag. Francis Thompson speaks of this old globe of ours as a 

 ship "riding at anchor off the orient sun". What a wonderful figure tha>, 

 is, and in these days she is lifting her sails for a new and far voyage. Her 

 course is down the blazing path of the dawn of a new era, and who are 

 the crew? You and I that come aboard from out the morning mists 

 serve for a dav. and then go over side again at the call of the evening 

 bell, but God grant that we may serve truly and loyally under this flag, 

 that we may have the undaunted spirit of the old Italian, Columbus, when 

 he cried, "Sail on! Sail on! and on!" Let us be sure that this is not the 

 peak we have reached in the life of the world and that it is going down 

 henceforth, but that we are just beginning one of the most wonderful 

 eras that the world has ever known. Let me close with these lines: 



"Each age is a dream that is dying, 

 Or one that is coming to birth." 



Let us make it an era coming to birth. Let us live these remaining 

 years in our civil life so that our children and our grandchildren, and all 

 the ages following us, will say that there was in us the same spirit as in 

 the Revolutionary days, as in the days of the War of the Rebellion, the 

 same that was shown by the boys who gave their lives on the "other 

 side" in this great conflict, that we have had the will and devotion to 

 make it a safe world for the ages to come. 



"Ye who had faith to look with fearless eyes. 



Beyond the tragedy of a world of strife. 

 And know that out of death and night would rise 



The dawn of ampler life. 

 Rejoice, whatever anguish rend your heart, 



That God hath given you this priceless dower. 

 To live in these great times 



And do your part in Freedom's crowning hour; 

 That you may tell your sons, who see the light 



High in the Heavens, their heritage to take, 

 'I saw the powers of darkness put to flight, 



I saw tne morning break.' " 



The Toastmaster: I know that you all appreciate the great address 

 that has just been given to us by Mr. Weaver. In the arrangement of 



