ORGANIZATION OF THE FARM 



so abstract that men may be fully agreed upon 

 its acceptance as their standard, and yet hold 

 exactly opposite opinions as to the desirability of a 

 particular measure. The statesman needs a more 

 concrete standard which may be used with safety 

 in his efforts to set proper limits to the free action 

 of farmers and of those with whom they have 

 economic relations, in the pursuance of their 

 daily toils. 



The highest value of the productions of a coun- 

 try has been set forth as a practical economic ideal 

 for the statesman. It has been said that "the 

 prosperity of a nation is in proportion to the value 

 of its productions." 1 This is the economic ideal 

 which was set forth by their leaders as the aim 

 and the end of the Patrons of Husbandry in their 

 efforts to promote the interests of agriculture. 



To this principle, as an economic ideal, it might 

 be objected that legislation may be of such a char- 

 acter as to increase the value of the agricultural 

 productions of a country and at the same time not 

 improve the economic well-being of the people of 

 the country as a whole. It is quite conceivable, 

 for example, that duties on imports may be so 

 levied as to increase the total value of the agricul- 

 tural products of a country, without increasing 

 the prosperity of the nation as a whole. 



It is necessary, also, in order that this national 



1 See the Preamble of the Constitution of the Patrons of 

 Husbandry. 



55 



