THE CALL OF THE LAND 



the character, morality, ability, and conse- 

 quently the safety of the nation, would im- 

 mensely sink should the country population 

 fall to the level of serfs or peasants. 



2. The advantages to rural districts from 

 perfect roads would be incalculable. The 

 time is coming when in all well-populated 

 sections travel will be so swift and com- 

 fortable that the entire population of a 

 county can, daytime or evening, gather at 

 the center as easily as such a crowd can now 

 form in any city; when county centers will 

 have churches, music halls, opera houses, 

 schools, and all similar agencies of culture 

 as good as there are in the world. 



3. Country free delivery of mails will 

 come immediately after roads are made 

 good, so that newspapers and other intelli- 

 gence by mail will not only speed across the 

 country at the most rapid rate so far as rail- 

 ways extend, but reach destination from post 

 offices with equal expedition. 



4. Efforts for the establishment of coun- 

 try high schools have been made for a 

 number of years. The need is a pressing 



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