189 



as the safeguard of order and liberty." Yet we believe that the emphasis 

 should be laid on efficiency and service for ''order and Hberty" grow out 

 of efficiency and service. 



It seems to me that on the three things: health, trained efficiency 

 and the desire to be of service, hang all the laws of popular education and 

 its regenerative influence on free government. 



Then, another one of our planks is that of good roads. We have 

 talked to the farmer about poor roads, but we have not laid stress on the 

 social side; it has been more the matter of getting in and out to market 

 more readily and all that sort of thing. Good roads are one of the greatest 

 necessities of the country today, and they lead in more good directions 

 than we can contemplate. You of Pennsylvania, and also of New Jersey, 

 Delaware and Maryland, are doing each year more than ever along this 

 important line of public improvement, but much more must be done. 



We have few good roads in Illinois, and you are undoubtedly ahead 

 of us in that respect. 



Rural credits is another phase of the farm situation which the banker 

 is interested in improving, because we are especially concerned in proper 

 and economic and remunerative results on the farm. If the new currency 

 bill is what it ought to be, it is going to make it possible to take care of 

 the short-time credit needs of the farmer. 



The other feature that the currency bill can't take up is the matter 

 of mortgage credit. It seems to me that may be best handled through 

 state legislation, because the requirements of the forty-eight states differ 

 radically and then, too, the various states know their own needs better 

 than the Federal Government knows them. 



Marketing and distribution is one of the greatest problems, for mark- 

 keting is just as necessary to production as is harvest. 



The country town must be maintained and made one of the rural 

 centers, for farming is a life as well as an industry, and must be built up 

 upon the social as well as the productive side. 



This gives you a brief outline of some of the planks in The Banker- 

 Farmer platform, some of those with which we are most concerned. 

 You know the story of the man who walked up to the bank counter and 

 wanted to make a loan. After various propositions had been offered by 

 the would-be borrower, the banker made his answer short by saying, 

 ''I can't make the loan; circumstances over which I have no control 

 prevent my making the loan." ''But," said the would-be borrower, 

 "what are those circumstances?" and the banker replied, "Your circum- 

 stances." [Applause.] That happens very frequently, and we are apt 

 to look at the agricultural proposition in the light that "We are not 

 concerned with the farmers' circumstances." 



We must, however, be concerned with his circumstances, and those 

 of every man, woman and child in this country, because we are beginning 

 to remember that the welfare and life of this nation depend on the 



