ONE] INTRODUCTION 



hausted by 1930, and that we must react to a more 

 quiet mode of life, and a larger use of wood as a fuel. 

 Electricity was already working out the solution of 

 the problem of congested population — as well as 

 the isolation of scattered population. 



It is not true that the people deserted the country 

 for town life because of any lack of appreciation of 

 country comforts, and of the desirability of free and 

 independent methods of living. Farm machinery 

 had lessened the number of men required to do 

 farm work; while manufacturing machinery gave 

 employment to larger numbers in the city. In 1790 

 the percentage of the population in the cities of the 

 United States was only three and one-third per cent; 

 in 1890 it was about thirty per cent; and in 1900 

 fully one-third of all our population was resident in 

 the cities which contained more than eight thousand 

 people. In New York State seventy per cent of the 

 population was urban; in other States it graded 

 from seventy-six per cent down to fifteen per cent. 

 Conditions which thus drew the people into masses 

 reached their maximum influence about 1894. 

 From that date the reaction has been steady. Those 

 industries which were taken away from homes by 

 steam power are returning, to be done by electric 



[5] 



