r blessing to come with good roads will be the stimulus and
encouragements to rural life, farm life. The present tendency of
population to rush into the great cities makes neither for the health
nor the character, the intelligence nor the morals of the nation. It has
been said that no living man can trace his ancestry on both sides to
four generations of city residents. The brain and the brawn and the
morals of the city are constantly replenished from the country. The best
home life is upon the farm, and the most sacred thing in America is the
American home. It lies at the foundation of our institutions, of our
health, of our character, our prosperity, our happiness, here and
hereafter. The snares and pitfalls set for our feet are not near the
home. The pathways upon which stones are hardest and thorns sharpest are
not those that lead to the sacred spot hallowed by a father's love and a
mother's prayers. The bravest and best of men, the purest and holiest
women, are those who best love, cherish, and protect the home. God guard
well the American home, and this done, come all the powers of darkness
and they shall not prevail against us. Fatherhood and motherhood are
nowhere more sacred, more holy, or better beloved than upon the farm.
The ties of brotherhood and sisterhood are nowhere more sweet or tender.
The fair flower of patriotism there reaches its greatest perfection.
Every battlefield that marks the world's progress, the victory of
liberty over tyranny or right over wrong, has been deluged with the
blood of farmers. He evades neither the taxgatherer nor the recruiting
officer. He shirks the performance of no public duty. In the hour of its
greatest needs our country never called for help upon its stalwart
yeomen when the cry was unheeded. The sons and daughters of American
farmers are filling the seminaries and colleges and universities of the
land. From the American farm home have gone in the past, as they are
going now, leaders in literature, the arts and sciences, presidents of
great universities, the heads of great industrial enterprises, governors
of states, and members of Congress. They have filled the benches of the
supreme court, the chairs of the cabinet, and the greatest executive
office in the civilized world. Our greatest jurist, our greatest
soldier, our greatest orators, Webster and Clay, our three greatest
presidents, Washington, Lincoln, and McKinley, were the product of rural
homes. The great preside