110 BOARD OF AGRICULTUKE. [Pub. Doc. 



The stirring, progressive and prosperous atmosphere sur- 

 rounding the home of such a farmer will unconsciously Imt 

 surely prove a most powerful bond of family union and an 

 incentive to loyalty to the homestead and the occupation on 

 the part of sons and daughters. They will grow up with a 

 living sense of the beauty, the dignity and the independence 

 of such a life ; and the farmer will see to it that they are so 

 well educated as to be al)le to take their places as the peers 

 of the children of men eno;ao;ed in other callino;s. 



One of the greatest needs of the farmer is to form a just 

 appreciation of both his advantages and his drawbacks, and 

 then lay out and follow a plan of life based upon his best 

 judgment. Enlightened by experience, he will be on the 

 alert to take up improved methods, but will steadfastly 

 adhere to his fixed aim and purpose. He will not then 

 listen to the cheap advice of the cheap agitator or the cheap 

 demagogue, whose solicitude for the farmer's welfare ends 

 with securing his vote; who talks volubly of "wrongs," 

 which exist only in his own vapid imagination ; and who 

 insults the intelligence and self-respect of every man whom 

 he attempts to patronize, — to the end that he may by the 

 farmer's help secure a comfortable seat at the capitol. 



Let the farmer, besides being master of his own business, 

 keep himself well informed on public questions, and then 

 vote for men who have won his confidence by deeds, not 

 words. The truth is, that there is no legislative body any- 

 where which has not a genuine desire to do whatever will 

 really advance the interests of a class of the community 

 which they fully recognize as its most stable and conserva- 

 tive and trustworthy social force. The farmers can have 

 all the legislation that they really want, when they pre- 

 sent a well-considered case ; but let them avoid depending 

 on legislation to do things which can be done only by 

 themselves. 



What was last said respecting facilities for self-improve- 

 ment relates to those which are placed within the reach of 

 the active w orking farmer himself, and these are available to 

 all who can read and think. But, besides these, the United 

 States and the several States, acting in co-operation, have 

 made special and generous provision for the education of the 



