260 RURAL DENMARK 



factories, and this of course must mean a vast addition 

 to the number of the pigs that fatten on the skim. 

 There would be many more fowls also, and an 

 enormous consequent increase in our egg output. 



But it is useless to go into details. All that is 

 happening in Denmark to-day would happen here, for 

 the Dane, who reclaims his own sandy wastes such as 

 we never touch, would be grateful if he could obtain 

 even our more indifferent land at a moderate price ; 

 and if he were its owner as distinguished from its 

 tenant, by the help of science and co-operation, out 

 of that land, as I believe, would in a few years produce 

 much food and profit. As I have implied, my view 

 is that in a couple of generations or less the country- 

 side would shine with prosperity and teem with popu- 

 lation, and this without the help of Protection or any 

 other adventitious aid. On the other hand, however, 

 our rural districts might become less popular as a place 

 of residence for very rich people, and if so, those 

 classes that depend upon them would suffer to some 

 extent. Also the small shopkeepers would be affected 

 by the general adoption of a co-operative system, 

 and the number of middlemen would be much 

 lessened. 



It is sad to reflect, however, that such a state 

 of affairs as I have tried to depict above is, and 

 must remain nothing but a dream so far as England 

 is concerned ; " all nonsense," as Mr. Tesdorpf said 

 of the Danish small-holdings. 



The optimist may ask why, and I will answer the 

 question to the best of my ability. Till within a few 

 years ago, that is, from the date of the great depression 

 which began in 1879 and onwards, it was the fashion 



