sively goes after the trade in the farming territory 

 tributary to the city. That is, he goes out with his 

 message to the people. The concentration of trade in 

 local trading centers affords to the merchant a larger 

 opportunity. This attracts a more capable man to 

 utilize the opportunity. The old-time merchants are 

 gradually eliminated or are stimulated to growth and 

 improvement. In brief, a race of far more efficient 

 merchants in small cities is in process of evolution. 



The Influence of Leadership 



The problem of reaching any group of people is 

 largely a problem of reaching the leaders. The retail 

 merchant says: "I carry what my customers want." 

 Analyzed, he means that he carries what a relatively 

 small number of leading customers want. If he satis- 

 fies them he is certain to please the great majority of 

 his customers. A few people in every community are 

 aggressive, know what they want, and insist upon 

 getting it. The great majority more or less meekly 

 take what is handed out to them. Hence, a relatively 

 small number of leadership families largely determines 

 what the merchant carries and what will be bought by 

 the majority of his customers. Hence, it is of vital 

 importance to reach and influence these leadership 

 families. 



The influence of leadership is one of the most 

 striking facts in the farm field. County agents 

 and home demonstration agents in all sections work 

 largely with leadership farm families. Their success 

 depends largely upon securing the cooperation of 

 these leaders. To illustrate, one of the ablest county 

 agents in the United States says : " My problem is one 

 of reaching a few leading farmers in the county. I 

 depend largely on about twenty farmers of this type 

 residing in different parts of the county. When I want 



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