THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM 



uality and independence throughout life. 

 He may even resent any inquiry into his 

 welfare by government, even though it is 

 apparent that the sole purpose of the in- 

 quiry is to aid him. We need to preserve 

 and even encourage the spirit of independ- 

 ence, at the same time that we forward the 

 social cohesion and working together of 

 farmers on all points of mutual or collec- 

 tive interest. The educational and other 

 institutions should help to do these two 

 things, to assist the farmer to rely on 

 himself and to be resourceful, and to en- 

 courage him to work with other farmers 

 for the purpose of increasing the profit- 

 ableness of farming and of developing a 

 good social life in rural communities. 



Not an "uplift" 



It will be seen at once that this is not at 

 all a question of "uplift," as this word is 

 commonly understood. The rural ques- 

 tion is broadly a problem of stimulation, 

 redirection, and reconstruction. 



Nor is it, therefore, merely a problem 

 of technical agriculture as an occupation, 

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