258 THE GREEN RISING 



agencies. In the process of reaching conclusions 

 with reference to these policies the farmer has been 

 regarded as a radical. But, as Bruce Bliven says, 

 the farmer is at heart conservative, and his tem- 

 porary radical tendencies have resulted from a sense 

 of injustice of the existing economic order. Agra- 

 rianism has accomplished other results that are less 

 tangible but none the less real than those to which 

 reference has been made. The farmer has become 

 conscious of his political influence. 



The Future Direction of Agrarian Efforts 



It is rather interesting to speculate with reference 

 to future agrarian tendencies in this country. The 

 like-mindedness that the farm population has de- 

 veloped is certain to remain. This means that 

 the farmer's influence will continue to be exerted 

 and that it will produce important effects on the 

 political policies of the nation. Is it likely that 

 the farmer will resort to private organization, or 

 will there emerge a strong agrarian political party 

 as a means of best accomplishing the ends of farmer 

 efforts? 



It seems unlikely at the present time that the 

 farmers of the country will undertake to accomplish 

 their aims through an independent political organ- 

 ization. At least three reasons may be suggested 

 for this conclusion. In the first place, the independ- 

 ent party movements of farmers have not been very 

 successful. In the second place, the traditional 



