20 PRINCIPLES OF RURAL ECONOMICS 



of that earlier period ; but these figures signify at least that 

 there is as yet no tendency toward such a concentration in 

 agriculture as has taken place in manufacturing, trade, and 

 transportation. That these farms were generally of respectable 

 size is shown by the fact that in 1900 there was one farm of 

 fifty acres or more for every 13.4 rural residents. When we 

 consider that living in towns and villages of less than 8000 

 inhabitants there are vast numbers of people who are not farmers 

 at all, we shall see how generally true it is that agriculture is 

 still an industry of small units. Moreover, as shown by the 

 above figures, the size of the unit is certainly not increasing, 

 but appears to be decreasing slightly, though this may be only 

 temporary or accidental. One is therefore safe in saying, on 

 the basis of these figures, that there is no other large indus- 

 try where the individual has so good a chance of becoming his 

 own employer, or of being the head of an independent business 

 unit, as in agriculture. Certainly there is no other large industry 

 where so large a proportion of the men engaged are actually 

 self-employed, and where so small a proportion are in the posi- 

 tion of employees. For high-spirited men and for men of 

 independence and initiative this will always be an attractive 

 feature of the agricultural industry. But there is little in this 

 industry to attract two other classes of people. Those with 

 a liking for speculative risks, who are willing to risk everything 

 for large prizes, will find little here to attract them. It is not 

 a field for vast enterprise, nor are vast fortunes made in it. 

 Again, they who have little initiative they to whom the 

 question of what to do next is always a painful one will 

 always prefer industries where questions of this kind are solved 

 for them them by bosses, foremen, and superintendents. 



Reaction of business upon life. The two last-named charac- 

 teristics of the agricultural industry combine to produce a most 

 profound reaction upon the life and character of rural people. 



