WANTED: A RURAL POLICY 85 



But a true policy must have a certain completeness 

 about it. It can be rather definitely expressed and un- 

 derstood. It must be widely and generally accepted; 

 it directs efforts and governs activities. Government, 

 farmers' associations and individuals will join in a 

 common effort for one large end, intelligently, earn- 

 estly, cooperatively. This sort of rural policy we do 

 not have in America to-day. This chapter is written 

 as a plea that we take steps as soon as possible to se- 

 cure it. Indeed, this whole book grows out of the 

 earnest conviction that perhaps the outstanding defect 

 of our American agriculture is the lack of a rural 

 policy. We must have such a policy if the American 

 farmer is to adjust himself to the demands of the New 

 Day. 



Our policy in the past has consisted of three main 

 endeavors: 



1. To increase agricultural production, chiefly by 

 opening for agricultural use as much land as 

 possible and settling it as rapidly as possible; 

 but also by education, exhortation, expert ad- 

 vice and government subsidies in special in- 

 stances; 



2. To encourage one-family farms owned by those 

 who till them; 



3. To increase as much as possible our exports of 

 agricultural products, both raw and manufac- 

 tured. 



These purposes may not have been always expressed 

 clearly, or definitely held by the leaders, but the trend 

 of our legislation for nearly a century was in these di- 

 rections. There are those who believe that this policy 



