10 INTRODUCTION 



nation. We were founded as a nation of farmers, 

 and in spite of the great growth of our industrial 

 life it still remains true that our whole system 

 rests upon the farm, that the welfare of the 

 whole community depends upon the welfare of 

 the farmer. The strengthening of country life is 

 the strengthening of the whole nation. 



If country life is to become all that it should 

 be, if the career of a farmer is to rank with any 

 other career in the country as a dignified and 

 desirable way of earning a living, the farmer 

 must take advantage of all that agricultural 

 knowledge has to offer, and also of all that has 

 raised the standard of living and of intelligence 

 in other callings. We who are interested in this 

 movement desire to take counsel with the farmer, 

 as his fellow citizens, so as to see whether the 

 nation cannot aid in this matter; for the city 

 dweller in the long run has only less concern 

 than the country dweller in how the country 

 dweller fares. I am well aware that the working 

 farmers themselves will in the last resort have to 

 solve this problem for themselves; but as it also 

 affects in only less degree all the rest of us, it 

 is not merely our duty, but in our interest, to 

 see if we can render any help towards making the 

 solution satisfactory. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 



