DEVELOPMENT OF FARMER'S ECONOMIC PROBLEM 25 



will enable the farmer, one year with another, to win the largest 

 net profits. For example, if a farmer is operating land in a given 

 community he should endeavor to determine which grade of 

 land to cultivate, which kinds of crops to grow, how intensely 

 the land should be cultivated in the case of each crop, and how 

 large a farm he should attempt to operate in order that, after 

 he has counted out the rent of the land (or the interest on the 

 value of the land, the taxes, and the cost of repairs, etc., if he 

 owns the land), the expense (in the forms of interest and wear 

 and tear) to which he has been put for the use of equipments, 

 that is for the use of capital goods, and the cost of hired labor, 

 the total net profit which is left to him and his family in return for 

 their own labor, skill, and enterprise shall be as large as possible. 



From the standpoint of economy in production, commercial 

 agriculture is, without question, far superior to the old self- 

 sufficing system, for it undoubtedly enables the farmers to win 

 a large net profit ; but from the standpoint of justice in distri- 

 bution, the commercial system has been challenged, and there 

 is unquestionably a chance for improvement in this regard. 

 It is believed by many that when a given farmer puts forth a 

 certain amount of labor and capital in the production of goods 

 which he sells upon the market for one hundred dollars and then 

 invests in the various articles which he wishes to consume, 

 it will be found that the commodities which he is taking home 

 in return for his products were produced by much less labor 

 and capital than the amount which he expended upon the com- 

 modities which he took to the market. Certainly where such a 

 condition exists it is an injustice to the farmer, even though the 

 articles which he received in this way would satisfy many 

 more wants than he could hope to satisfy if he tried to produce 

 for himself every article which he consumes. 



It has been alleged that there are men who do no work, but 

 simply sit at certain points where exchanges are made and 

 demand that their baskets be filled. To avoid this alleged 

 injustice in the distribution of wealth, it has been proposed 

 that " Farming Corporations " be organized, and that these 

 corporations make it their business to produce for themselves 



