202 THE FARMER AND THE NEW DAY 



petents. Officials tend to become conservative, cau- 

 tious rather than original and aggressive. There 

 seems to be a tendency on the part of government 

 officials to resent suggestions from outside. To be 

 sure, they are the targets for all sorts of foolish sug- 

 gestions and unfortunately, almost unconsciously per- 

 haps, they form the attitude of thinking of the outsider 

 who makes suggestions as an interloper. In the same 

 way, governmental bureaus more and more seem to 

 desire to do their work without reference to other 

 agencies. Some of the younger men engaged in our 

 great system of agricultural education hardly know that 

 the great farmers' organizations exist and often fail to 

 understand the fundamental need of preserving the in- 

 itiative and the cooperative power of the farmers them- 

 selves. The general policy of the government bureau 

 is more or less subject to the limitations of the chief 

 officials who change from time to time; generally speak- 

 ing the responsible administrator tends to be cautious 

 rather than a leader. 



THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE AGRI- 

 CULTURAL PROGRAM 



A recent letter from one of the ablest of our agricul- 

 tural leaders stated a strong conviction that no question 

 should be raised concerning the right and duty of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture to outline an 

 agricultural policy and to make our agricultural pro- 

 gram. There is no doubt but the farmers themselves 

 have always looked to the department for leadership. 

 The creation of the department as a cabinet position 

 was due very largely to the efforts of the farmers' or- 

 ganizations, led by the Grange. In the earlier days, it 

 was expected that the Secretary would be a farmer. 



