ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS 101 



American farmers : '' Better living, better farming, 

 better business." Now it is as often better business 

 as it is better farming that is necessary for the 

 better living that is sought. Just as the weakness, 

 economically, of the factory worker lies in this, that 

 the capitalist, who holds the stronger economic 

 position, controls the whole product, produced co-opera- 

 tively by capitalist and laborer, so the economic weak- 

 ness of the farmer lies in this, that he has no voice in 

 fixing the price for which he sells his products, no voice 

 in fixing the cost of transport for his products, and no 

 voice in fixing the price of the commodities required 

 in his occupation ; and also in that whereas his market 

 has become world-wide, and the unit of sale has become 

 the carload, he has no means whereby he can sell by 

 sample at a distance, or furnish products by the unit 

 of delivery. The farmer must enter the modern bro- 

 therhood. The repair of country life can only come 

 on modern lines. Nevermore can we have the inde- 

 p>endent household unit or the self-sufficient farmstead 

 any more than we can have the journeyman days of 

 industry restored. The efficiency of agriculture calls 

 for organization and specialization corresponding to 

 those which have made modern industry productive. 



The rural problem is far from being solely, or even 

 chiefly, an economic one. But in so far as economic 

 in character it must have an economic remedy. Coun- 

 sels of patience avail naught here, and the rewards of 

 gracious growth under discipline are the incentives in 

 another realm of struggle than this. Yet the econ- 

 omic remedy is found to have, at every step of its ap{)li- 

 cation, a moral implicate without which it is unavail- 

 ing and unavailable. What is needed is a new rural 



