READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



of employment would afford some relief. The curtailment of 

 production through the development of a taste in the community 

 for other than productive employment would also have a favora- 

 ble influence. The unfriendly influence of climate can to a small 

 extent be overcome by irrigation, or by the adoption of a system 

 of agriculture better suited to climatic environment. By increas- 

 ing the diffusion of information, so that the farmer may expend 

 his energy with a better knowledge of what his fellows are doing, 

 the evils of disproportionate production may be slightly dimin- 

 ished. But here the prospect of amelioration ends. Beyond what 

 is involved in the above suggestions, it is probable that no remedy, 

 legislative or other, can render the influence of these conditions 

 less unfavorable to profitable crop-production. They are for the 

 most part unalterable, and no discussion of any remedy proposed 

 in the farmer's interest can proceed intelligently without holding 

 them constantly in mind. They therefore mark the limit within 

 which statesmen and ' others interested in the welfare of the 

 farmer should confine their efforts. The recognition of such limi- 

 tations may dampen the zeal of social enthusiasts ; but, on the 

 other hand, it will discourage them from advocating fanciful and 

 impracticable schemes, and will save society from the economic 

 loss arising from the unstable business conditions which these 

 schemes create. 



Proceeding now to the remedies that have been proposed for 

 the difficulties of the agricultural class, we shall consider only 

 four : namely, the free coinage of silver, a general property tax, 

 an export bounty on agricultural staples, and a greater develop- 

 ment of thrift among the farmers. 



The free coinage of silver and the farmer. That the gen- 

 eral range of prices for the products of the farm has greatly 

 declined since 1873, no one will deny. There are those who, 

 overlooking the influence of the forces to which attention has 

 just been called, believe that the cause of this fall is the ap- 

 preciation of gold. Whether or not gold has really appreciated 

 (that is, become dearer in terms of commodities because of its 

 scarcity) is beyond the scope of the present inquiry. Assuming 

 that it has, let us consider to what extent changes in the prices 



