122 READINGS IN RURAL ECONOMICS 



desired. If we continue indefinitely to allow practically unre- 

 stricted immigration, we shall in time reach the cheap-labor con- 

 ditions of the Old World. Their yields per acre are attractive, 

 but are secured at what cost ! Women and children must work in 

 the fields in order to live. The returns per acre are high, but per 

 worker they are low. It is estimated that the American farmer 

 produces twice as much per worker as does the Belgian peasant 

 and five times as much as does the Chinese peasant. The city 

 dweller must not deceive himself by thinking that he can keep 

 up wages in the city and pay poor wages to the farmer. The 

 European system secures larger yields, but the farmers receive 

 more for nearly all farm products. Their cost of production per 

 bushel is higher in spite of the cheap labor and the high yields. 



Perhaps the worst suggestion made for increasing farm pro- 

 duction is that we bring in cheap labor of other races to help the 

 farmer. The worst calamity that can ever come to a rural region 

 is to have it settled by two races that will not intermarry after 

 a generation or two. 



One of the most serious problems in the country is to maintain 

 schools, churches, and other social institutions. The chief school 

 problem is distance. There are not enough children within 

 convenient distance of a schoolhouse, nor is there usually enough 

 wealth to maintain a good school. If two school systems are to be 

 maintained, they will be poor indeed. The money that is inad- 

 equate to maintain one good school system must be divided 

 between two schools, one for each race. 



Persons who have never lived in such a community may 

 question the need for two schools. The rural school is the chief 

 social meeting-place of boys and girls of the farm. To a large 

 extent the noon hour and the recess take the place of the evening 

 parties in town. In the United States, whenever any large 

 number of each of two non-intermarrying races have settled in 

 a community, two school systems have resulted. In parts of 

 South America, less racial distinctions have been made and the 

 different races have intermarried. 



The physical fact of the scattered population is the chief 

 reason for the poor rural schools of the South and for the high 



