nt was
about to do would pull down the whole structure of Ireland's
agricultural economy, and would clear away the chief hindrance to
economic and social progress. But upon the ground thus cleared the
edifice of a new rural social economy would have to be built. This work,
although it needs the fostering care of government, and liberal
facilities for a system of education intimately related to the people's
working lives, belongs mainly to the sphere of voluntary effort.

The new movement, which was started in 1889 to meet the circumstances I
have indicated, was thus a movement for the up-building of country life.
It anticipated the lines of the formula which Mr. Roosevelt adopted in
his Message transmitting to Congress the Report of the Country Life
Commission--better farming, better business, better living: we began
with better business, which consisted in the introduction of
agricultural cooperation into the farming industry, for several reasons
which will appear later, and for one which I must mention here. We found
that we could not develop in unorganised farmers a political influence
strong enough to enable them to get the Government to do its part
towards better farming. Owing to the new agricultural opinion which had
been developed indirectly by organising the farmer, we were able to win
from Parliament the department I have named above. This institution was
so framed and endowed that it is able to give to the Irish farmers all
the assistance which can be legitimately given by public agencies and at
public expense. The assistance consists chiefly of education. But
education is interpreted in the widest sense. Practical instruction to
old and young, in schools, upon the farms, and at meetings, lectures,
experiments, and demonstrations, the circulation of useful information
and advice, and all the usual methods known to progressive governments,
are being introduced with the chief aim of enabling the farmer to apply
to the practice of farming the teachings of modern science. Better
living, which includes making country life more interesting and
attractive, is sought by using voluntary associations, some organised
primarily for business purposes, and others, having no business aim, for
social and intellectual ends. But Irish rural reformers are agreed that
by far the most important step towards a higher and a better rural life
would be a redirection of education in the country schools. To this I
shall return in the p