6 



through a knowledge of nature, and the practice of her 

 laws. It would be interesting today to take up that dis- 

 cussion, but it would be fruitless. That cause has been 

 tried, and today in monumental form, we record the verdict. 



It will be enough to point to the most tangible lesson 

 of history that agricultural industry has been the surest 

 foundation for a state and the extent to which it was 

 fostered has been the measure of a people's progress. 



Mysterious Egypt, of which we know only that it was 

 great, at the height of its development made slaves of its 

 farmers. Magnificent India founded its future upon agri- 

 culturalists whom she condemned to a degraded caste. Rome 

 plundered and oppressed her farmers to a condition of 

 poverty and discredit. They are all gone, and volumes 

 have been written in an effort to trace the cause. It could 

 be written in a sentence. They built their societies from 

 the top, and devoted their efforts to the worship of false 

 social quantities. That we should honor agriculture is the 

 lesson of their dread experience. But we cannot do this 

 as a duty; it must spring from an honest estimate. This 

 building stands for this appreciation and respect. It will 

 help us to honor agriculture, through making it honorable. 

 It will unfold its mysteries, it will exhibit its beauties, it 

 will develope its strength till an admiring and respectful 

 nation will proclaim its primacy. 



This country was founded upon the principle that labor 

 is honorable, and we made agriculture our chief pursuit. 

 We have grown in devotion to that truth. We have got our 

 vigor from the soil. Most of our ablest men have been 

 country-bred. Our distinctive institutions were nourished 

 there. Its ideals have colored and formed our policies. In 

 recent years this dominance has been threatened, and our 

 problems have multiplied. This way lies their correction. 



I will not attempt any elaboration of this structure's 

 significance. It stands as a monument to the new agricul- 

 ture, the agriculture of thought and knowledge which has 

 come to redeem the industry and to secure for it its propor- 



