And State Papers 127 



changed in the cities, and in consequence there has 

 been little breaking away from the methods of life 

 which have produced the great majority of the lead 

 ers of the Republic in the past. Almost all of our 

 great Presidents have been brought up in the coun 

 try, and most of them worked hard on the farms 

 in their youth and got their early mental training 

 in the healthy democracy of farm life. 



The forces which made these farm-bred boys 

 leaders of men when they had come to their full 

 manhood are still at work in our country districts. 

 Self-help and individual initiative remain to a pe 

 culiar degree typical of life in the country, life on a 

 farm, in the lumbering camp, on a ranch. Neither 

 the farmers nor their hired hands can work through 

 combinations as readily as the capitalists or wage- 

 workers of cities can work. 



It must not be understood from this that there 

 has been no change in farming and farm life. The 

 contrary is the case. There has been much change, 

 much ' progress. The granges and similar organ 

 izations, the farmers' institutes, and all the agencies 

 which promote intelligent co-operation and give op 

 portunity for social and intellectual intercourse 

 among the farmers, have played a large part in 

 raising the level of life and work in the country dis 

 tricts. In the domain of government, the Depart 

 ment of Agriculture since its foundation has ac 

 complished results as striking as those obtained un 

 der any other branch of the national administration. 

 By scientific study of all matters connected with the 

 7 VOL. XIII. 



