60 COMMISSION ON COUNTRY LIFE 



who own and work the land. This results di- 

 rectly in social depression as well as in economic 

 disadvantage. 



The organized and corporate interests rep- 

 resented in mining, manufacturing, merchan- 

 dizing, transportation and the like, seem often 

 to hold the idea that their business may be de- 

 veloped and exploited without regard to the 

 farmers who should, however, have an equal op- 

 portunity for enjoyment of the land, forests and 

 streams, and of the right to buy and sell in the 

 open markets without prejudice. 



The question of the moral intention of the con- 

 solidated interests is not involved in these state- 

 ments. The present condition has grown up; 

 and without going into the reasons, it is imper- 

 ative that we recognize these disadvantages to 

 country life interests and seek to correct them. 

 The way in which discriminating conditions may 

 arise is well illustrated in the inequalities of tax- 

 ation of farm property. It is natural that visible 

 and stationary property should be taxed freely 

 under our present system; it is equally natural 

 that invisible and changeable property should 

 tend to evade taxation. The inevitable result is 



