Missouri Country Life Conference. 



187 



souri mule (showing picture). These are pictures taken from 

 the farms of these business men. 



On the other hand, the worst enemy I find in this landlord 

 business, the absentee landlord (now listen; I may hurt some of 

 you farmers here, but it is true), is the farmer who owned a 

 farm, moved away, retired, but kept the farm as an investment. 

 That man — it is my experience of five years spent in this com- 

 munity — pays absolutely nothing back into the community. 

 He goes away, receives a rental, lets the premises go down, 

 doesn't look at it like the business man, from the business stand- 

 point. Here is one such place (indicating picture). That man 

 ought to have at heart the community's interest, ought to have 

 sympathy with it, yet look at the condition prevailing. It is 

 an eyesore to our community, and we cannot help it. 



Now these emphasize this idea: Do you think that in 

 beautifying a community you stimulate boys and girls to develop 

 higher ideals of life? I want you to think about that, you who 

 have farms in somebody's community where they are trying to 

 build up and make life better. In the name of sense and all 

 that is decent and right, you ought to contribute to the support 

 of that community and keep up the premises in the way they 

 ought to be; it is only right. 



The Morton hoiuo, a model 80-accc farm, Harmony community. 



