40 CHAPTERS IN RURAL PROGRESS 



of federation is to bring together, for conference 

 and for active work, farmers — especially repre- 

 sentatives of farmers' organizations, agricultural 

 educators, rural school-teachers and supervisors, 

 country clergymen, country editors; in fact, all 

 who have a genuine interest in the farm problem. 

 Thus will come clearer views of the questions at 

 issue, broader plans for reform, greater incentive 

 to action, and more rapid progress. 



CONCLUSION 



In this brief analysis of the social problems of 

 American farmers it has been possible merely 

 to outline those aspects of the subject that seem 

 to be fundamental. It is hoped that the impor- 

 tance of each problem has been duly emphasized, 

 that the wisest methods of progress have been 

 indicated, and that the relation of the various 

 social agencies to the main question has been 

 clearly brought out. Let us leave the subject by 

 emphasizing once more the character of the 

 ultimate farm problem. This problem may 

 be stated more concretely, if not more accurately, 

 than was done at the opening of the paper, by 

 saying that the ideal of rural betterment is to 

 preserve upon our farms the typical American 

 farmer. The American farmer has been essen- 



