268 TwENTY-FiEST Biennial Eepobt 



pecuniary or personal benefit either in emoluments of of- 

 fice or some pecuniary advantage is a menace. By that 

 I mean that the man who votes simply to keep up some 

 political organization, the man who votes at the call of a 

 boss, the man who votes for money in hand, is a menace 

 to the liberties of a free people. This Government rests 

 upon the disinterested devotion to high ideals of its citi- 

 zenship; it is the foundation upon which the republic 

 rests because a majority absolutely rules in this country. 

 And whenever that majority ceases to be honest, this 

 Government will topple like a house of cards. 



What has preserved this Government for 150 years 

 or morel I will tell you — The plain citizen seated in a 

 cane-bottom chair on a rag carpet, before an open fire- 

 place, with a Bible on his knees, and his family grouped 

 about him, his head bowed, and simply and reverently 

 asking God to guide him through the night, and arising 

 in the fear of that same God at dawn to take up the 

 simple tasks of the day. He votes with no thought of 

 profit to himself, but for the good of his family and 

 the honor of his country, and the glory of his God. This 

 is the power upon which this republic rests and must 

 forever rest. Now we talk about this simple life, its 

 high ideals, and its noble purpose, and yet there is, in 

 Kentucky, a continual exodus from the country to the 

 town. I make no warfare upon the city. I have lived in 

 towns the most of my life, but what I mean to say is that 

 what we need is more good people on the farms in the 

 country. It will cheapen the cost of living in town. It 

 will bring more customers, and new life and new capital 

 to our great cities. It is an invincible instinct for men 

 to seek the society of their fellows, to gather as we have 

 gathered here today in great multitudes. It is as natural 

 as for partridges to gather in covies in the field, or birds 

 in flocks in the sky. It is essential to the happiness, the 

 mental and moral welfare of mankind, just so much as 

 food or clothing. The thing that has destroyed rural 

 life, the thing that has depopulated fertile lands is the 

 loneliness and isolation of life in the country. Our girls 

 and boys who live in rural districts are literally marooned 

 in the winter, without access to the post-office, the church 

 or the school; to the doctor in time of sickness, or the 



