148 COMMISSION ON COUNTRY LIFE 



The townsman is likely to assume superiority 

 and to develop the town in disregard of the real 

 interests of the open country or even in opposi- 

 tion to them. The city exploits the country; the 

 country does not exploit the city. The press 

 still delights in archaic cartoons of the farmer. 

 There is as much need of a new attitude on the 

 part of the townsman as on the part of the farmer. 

 This leads us to say that the country ideals, 

 while derived largely from the country itself, 

 should not be exclusive; and the same applies 

 to city and village ideals. There should be more 

 frequent social intercourse on equal terms be- 

 tween the people of the country and those of the 

 city or village. This community of interests is 

 being accomplished to a degree at present, but 

 there is hardly yet the knowledge and sympathy 

 and actual social life that there should be between 

 those who live on the land and those who do not. 

 The business men's organizations of cities could 

 well take the lead in some of this work. The 

 country town in particular has similar interests 

 with the open country about it ; but beyond this, 

 all people are bettered and broadened by associa- 

 tion with those of far different environment. 



