ITS CAUSE AND REMEDY 25 



speech uttered by Major Leonard Wood, 

 who was always an admirer of Theodore 

 Roosevelt and his ideals, as follows, in the 

 Oregonian : Farm Decline Menaces. Wood 

 Advocated Protection to Agriculture. State- 

 ment Declared Most Candid Attitude Any 

 Presidential Candidate Ever Took. Chi- 

 cago, III, Feb. 17. — (Special.) — The need of 

 measures destined to correct the decline of 

 agriculture in the United States were em- 

 phasized today in a statement by Major 

 General Wood, candidate for presidential 

 nominee on the Republican ticket. Political 

 leaders who read Major General Wood's 

 statement this afternoon pronounced it the 

 most far-reaching and candid attitude on 

 agricultural problems that any candidate 

 for president has yet adopted. 



The decline in agriculture is one of the 

 greatest dangers to our civilization. Major 

 General Wood declared. The farmer has a 

 right to expect from every national admin- 

 istration the biggest sort of co-operation 

 and encouragement. He makes up a third 

 of our entire population and is the back- 

 bone of the nation. He must be given a 

 square deal and I propose to see he gets 

 it if ever it lies within my power to act in 

 his behalf. 



Salient points in Major General Wood's 

 statement were: 



"The farmer sacrificed much during the 

 war. We owe him a debt of gratitude. 



