55 THE LETTER THAT 



PROMPTED THIS BOOK 



" Now, let us look at the city man's side of the question. I 

 mean the laboring man and the man who works for a wage. 

 In times of prosperity, it is very true that he can command 

 the conveniences and many of the luxuries of life; but 

 prosperous times make high prices and therefore he is 

 compelled to pay liberally for all he receives. If he has 

 been fortunate and provident, he probably owns his own 

 home, which affords him bodily shelter during times of de- 

 pression and adversity, but is in no sense a revenue-produc- 

 ing investment. It is not necessary to go into all the details 

 of the adversities, the mental and physical suffering en- 

 dured by the wage earner in times of strikes, lockouts, and 

 periods of business depression. 



" The man who has a little farm can fall back upon it 

 when other avenues of support fail him. It is 



" 1. A refuge in times when adversity, business stagna- 

 tion, or strikes and lockouts deprive him of work or his 

 usual source of support. 



" 2. A healthy outdoor life in God's own sunshine, where 

 his sons and daughters can be reared in an atmosphere that 

 will insure self-reliant, strong and morally and physically 

 perfect men and women, a credit to their parents and to 

 the country that gave them birth. 



" 3. The knowledge that he is an American freeholder, 

 with all of his privileges and responsibilities, and therefore, 

 is as vitally interested in the affairs of this great country 

 and as fully entitled to her protection and consideration as 

 any other citizen in the land. 



" 4. Last and best of all, the knowledge that he has a 

 comfortable and productive home awaiting him in his old 

 age, where he can be assured of a competence and a refuge 

 after he has reached the pinnacle of life and is traveling 



