THE TRAINING OF FARMERS 



Individualism 



We are gradually evolving into a social 

 conception of government, by which I mean 

 that the inherent rights and welfare of all 

 the citizens are to be recognized and safe- 

 guarded and that the whole body of citi- 

 zens shall work together cooperatively for 

 these common ends. Privilege and oppor- 

 tunity belong to every man, according to 

 his ability and deserts. It is a common 

 misapprehension that this gradually ap- 

 proaching social stage will eliminate indi- 

 vidualism and that its methods will con- 

 stitute a leveling process; but individual- 

 ism and social solidarity are not at all 

 antipodal. 



Individuality and personality are much 

 to be desired, and we are under obligation 

 to see that they are not lost in our pro- 

 gressing civilization. The farmer is the 

 individualist. His isolation, and his owner- 

 ship of land and of tools, make him so. He 

 may lose his individualism when he at- 

 tempts to dispose of his product, but he 

 nevertheless retains his feeling of individ- 

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