To come down to more precise and commonplace terms, what does the
great Government of the United States, centered in Washington, do
for the people of the United States? The moment we attempt to make
a list of his benefits we discover that they outrun the capacity of
any human comparison. The United States Government is more like a
telephone exchange, with direct wires to every hamlet and household.
It is like a vast school with many class rooms in which are taught
various branches of the same subject, namely how to make the United
States citizens happier, better and more prosperous. Out of the
many radiations from this central influence, let us select a few of
those in which the benevolent side of our Government is more clearly
presented. For instance, let us see what the Government does for such
matters as education, labor, agriculture, commerce, and the carrying of
intelligence, for the defense of the community, and protection of free
institutions here and elsewhere in the world.
[Illustration: BUREAU OF STANDARDS, WASHINGTON, D. C.