THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FARMING. 253 



conditions that we are living, and not the conservative ideas 

 of the past. Those vrho would win the golden prize of a 

 successful life must rely upon a strong intellect that can 

 only come from mental exercise. 



It is for ourselves that we should seek for business suc- 

 cess, for the manhood thvat is within us, which feels the 

 stimulation that comes as a reward for honest labor ; for 

 those who are dependent upon us, and can thus enjoy the 

 comforts success affords them, and for others that they 

 may be stimulated by our success and be encouraged to 

 emulate it. To this end let us all take to heart Dickens' 

 comment, that " To be thoroughly in earnest is everything, 

 to be anything short of it is nothing." 



Mr. Taft. I want to ask the essayist if he is in favor of 

 a law limiting the number of acres that one individual may 

 own, and, if so, how does he propose to bring it about? 



Dr. BowEN. The old Eoman law, I believe, limited the 

 number to seven acres, and it was a very good law for the 

 Roman Empire ; but I hardly think that any average Yankee 

 would be contented with any such limit as that. Neither 

 would I, at this time in our national history, limit the posses- 

 sion of homesteads to any number of acres ; but I would limit 

 the holding of American land by foreigners. They have no 

 business here. I believe that America was created for 

 Americans and not for English capitalists [applause] ; — and 

 I would be in favor of a law saying that an Englishman can 

 come here and buy our land, live upon it and derive his 

 living from it ; but he shall not come here to bring the feudal 

 systems of the old world and impose them upon Americans. 

 [Applause.] Our ancestors had the English yoke on their 

 necks once ; they threw it off, and it is not for us to allow 

 Englishmen to put it upon us again. [Renewed applause.] 



Mr. Tatt. I rather agree with that kind of talk, but I 

 am somewhat of a practical man, and the question is, how 

 are you going to do it? In this matter of emigration, I am 

 about of the opinion of Josh Billings, when he was asked if 

 he believed in universal salvation. He said, " I do ; let me 

 pick the men." I presume the essayist may be in that frame 

 of mind. He is willing that foreigners should own land in 



