Preface 



If this book serves to arouse the interest of 

 even a few of my readers in Land Problems, and 

 induces them to study these problems for them- 

 selves, I shall feel that my effort has not been 

 in vain. 



While correcting this work for the press I 

 came across the Report, lately published, of the 

 Country Life Commission appointed by Mr. 

 Roosevelt during his presidency. Though 

 dealing entirely with America the conclusions 

 of the Commission are applicable in so striking 

 a degree to our own conditions that I quote a 

 few paragraphs from the Report, as they form 

 an excellent preface to the whole subject of 

 Rural Development. 



** The underlying problem is to develop and 

 maintain on our farms a civilization in full 

 harmony with the best American ideals. To 

 build up and retain this civilization means, first 

 of all, that the business of agriculture must be 

 made to yield a reasonable return to those who 

 follow it intelligently, and life on the farm must 

 be made permanently satisfying to intelligent, 

 progressive people. The work before us, there- 

 fore, is nothing more nor less than the gradual 

 re-building of a new agriculture and new rural 

 life. We regard it as absolutely essential that 

 this great general work should be understood by 

 all the people. Separate difficulties, important 

 as they are, must be studied and worked out in 



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