CHAPTER VII 



STOCK-TAKING 



In days gone by there was a familiar song 

 which had for its refrain "the only independent 

 man is the man behind the plow." The refrain 

 was catching, and was sung lustily, not only by 

 those who had never stood between plow handles, 

 but also by many honest farmers themselves. 

 No more striking illustration of the fact that 

 the most solid and contented citizen is the pros- 

 perous farmer could be found than these 

 same singing agriculturists. But unfortunately 

 many farmers did not sing that song. The fell 

 clutch of circumstance had taught them the 

 true character of their independence and the 

 shallow sentiment of the refrain. The farmer 

 was free to rise at five or seven, to plow today 

 and harrow tomorrow as he chose, but when 

 debts came due and market day told its tale, he 

 learned that of the larger collective, economic 

 and intellectual freedom, he enjoyed compara- 

 tively little. Of individual, competitive freedom 

 he exercised much, but when he came to employ 

 his wits and his strength in competition with 

 other classes he learned how helpless he was. 



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