48 COMMISSION ON COUNTRY LIFE 



In making its inquiries, the Commission has 

 had constantly in mind the relation of the farmer 

 to his community and to society in general. It 

 has made no inquiry into problems of technical 

 farming except as they may have bearing on 

 general welfare and public questions. 



The Commission has not assumed that country 

 life conditions are either good or bad, nor is it 

 within its province to compare country con- 

 ditions with city conditions; but it has assumed 

 that we have not yet arrived at that state of 

 society in which conditions may not be bettered. 



It is our place, therefore, to point out the de- 

 ficiencies rather than the advantages and the 

 progress. In doing this we must be distinctly 

 understood as speaking only in general terms. 

 The conditions that we describe do not, of course, 

 apply equally in all parts of the country; and we 

 have not been able to make studies of the prob- 

 lems of particular localities. 



Before discussing the shortcomings more fully, 

 we may explain how the Commission undertook 

 its work. 



