Conclusion 



and consumer, instead of the vested interests 

 of shareholders merely. With all this, however, 

 the farmer in any country is surely well advised 

 to bear in mind that he stands at the door of 

 the food storehouse of the race. In his desire 

 to produce for profit, and so swell his bank account, 

 is he not too apt to forget that in so far as he 

 can produce for his own and his family's use his 

 position is a singularly independent one ? 



The thought of wealth as expressed in dollars 

 and cents seems to have a hypnotizing effect, 

 making us overlook the fact that the commodi- 

 ties we need and use are really the material wealth, 

 and that really comfortable food, clothing, firing, 

 and shelter are of more value than a big bank 

 account. Thus, Tom and I had emigrated with 

 the hope of making a lot of money by wheat 

 growing, but as the months and years passed, 

 we came to realize that our bread baked from 

 our own flour, our butter, milk, and cream, egg& 

 and bacon, all produced on our own homestead, 

 also our cured or frozen bacon and beef, our own 

 or our neighbour's production, bulked largely on 

 the credit side of our account. One could easily 

 extend this list, and it was none the less welcome 

 for the thought that it escaped the profit of the 

 middleman and the competitive system. 



Of course, I am not blind to the virtues of the 



297 



