follow agriculture and must be supported in large measure by the
agricultural industry. Merchants, lawyers, doctors and teachers are
in a sense agricultural parasites."

An hour before he would not have included teachers in this class;
for, next to the mother in the home, he felt that the teacher in the
school is the greatest necessity for the highest development of the
agricultural classes.

"Without agriculture," he continued, "America could never have been
developed, and, unless the prosperity of American agriculture can be
maintained, poverty is the only future for this great nation. The
soil is the greatest source of wealth, and it is the most permanent
form of wealth. The Secretary of Agriculture at Washington told me a
few days ago that eighty-six per cent. of the raw materials used in
all our manufacturing industry are produced from the soil.

"Yes, agriculture is certainly the first industry in this country;
and I am fully convinced that to restore the fertility of the
depleted soils of the East and South, and even to maintain the
productive power of the great agricultural regions of the West,
deserves and will require the best thought of the most influential
people of America.

"Throughout the length and breadth of this land, the almost
universal purpose of the farmers is to work the land for all they
can get with practically no thought of permanency. The most common
remark of the corn belt farmer is that his land doesn't show much
wear yet; and it is holding up pretty well, or as well as could be
expected; or that he thinks it will last as long as he does. All