60 Agriculture and Its Needs 



without ignoring other branches of liberal 

 learning, would lay particular emphasis 

 upon those bearing upon agriculture and 

 the mechanic arts. The act was passed 

 after a long struggle. It was passed more 

 than once. It was vetoed by Buchanan. 

 It was signed by the great Lincoln. This 

 act was as epoch making in education as 

 the Declaration of Independence was in 

 political progress, or as the Ordinance of 

 '87 was in the advance of public enlighten- 

 ment and morality. 



The newer states had the larger part in 

 procuring its passage, and they were the 

 quickest and the keenest to claim their 

 rights under it. They had the freer democ- 

 racy. They were in the pioneer stage. 

 They lacked nothing in assertiveness. 

 They wanted all that the older states had, 

 and much more. Universal education 

 became speedily a universal passion. Their 



