bailey] THE SCIENCE-SPIRIT IN A DEMOCRACY 9 



authoritative example in the conquest of his conditions. At 

 first perhaps rebellious, then tolerant, then curious, then cautious, 

 he now accepts the new way and begins to demand exact reasons 

 for everything he does. Gently this attitude will work itself 

 out in ethics, in education, in politics, in local leadership, as well 

 as in agriculture and in commerce. Our experiment stations 

 are laying the very foundations of democracy. 



I begin to see a new ambition arising in the open country, as 

 I see it also in the towns. It is an ambition to be of service, not 

 merely to hold office; it is a desire to know the facts and then to 

 project a rational line of action. Formerly, to hold some small 

 political office was practically the only outlet in rural districts for 

 a young man of ambition, aside from being a good farmer; and 

 the office was a gift. Now the opportunities are made by the 

 man or woman without other ambition but to be of use. 



I know there are those who look on the rural situation hope- 

 lessly except only so far as the production of supplies is concerned. 

 A man of high attainment remarked recently that he sees no 

 chance that the farmer will ever apprehend the spiritual side of 

 his situation, for if he has a vision he forthwith quits farming. Ah, 

 well! The present moment is not the measure of time; and yet 

 even the present moment gives more promise than any other 

 moment has ever given, and those who know the people far and 

 wide on the land have no despair. We must face the man and 

 woman right toward their work, providing them the facts, 

 opening the windows of the imagination, cutting them loose from 

 the slavery of old restraints; and as for the rest, we shall wait. 



The great nature-folk, the farmer-folk, who own a bit of the 

 earth, who do not run away from winter and storm and blight, 

 must hold us to our planet. Our responsibility is to see that they 

 have knowledge and understanding. They do not restrain us 

 from the earth. There may be closed shops but there are no closed 

 farms. Farming is yet unorganized as an occupation, and long 

 may it so remain; labor is organized on a partisan basis. We 

 are fond to say that farming rests on knowledge of natural science ; 

 very good, then: every occupation that rests on science must be 

 substantial and progressive. Permanency and moral worth 

 lie in the nature of the occupation. 



And now I have given you my outlook and I must bid you 

 good-day. Your work lies in the foundations of things. However 



