No. 4.] THE FARMER'S OPPORTUNITY. 243 



they want can be found together, and such partiss will get 

 better prices than will the owners of small lots scattered 

 over a large area. Now, through this agent the buyer can 

 find what he wants, and time and troulile can be saved both 

 the seller and buyer, and both be benefited. If this plan 

 were carried out a better feeling and closer relation would 

 exist between farmers, and it would help to make their lives 

 pleasanter and happier and more profitable than would have 

 been possible without this co-operative action. 



Another opportunity which the farmer should improve is 

 to take an active part in political aftairs, and do what he can 

 to influence legislation in the right direction. He should see 

 that the burden of taxation does not fall upon the farmers 

 more heavily than upon those engaged in other callings. 

 Every farmer is willing to pay his part, but it ought not to 

 be asked of him to do more. Farmers can do a great deal to 

 improve their conditions along these lines. They can see to 

 it that those of their own profession are elected to represent 

 them in the halls of legislation. One reason why this is not 

 done as much as it ought to be is because there is too much 

 jealousy among farmers, and they are afraid that one of their 

 number will get honored more than themselves. So, rather 

 than have him promoted to where he can do good and efi'ect- 

 ive work, we throw him aside and give our influence to the 

 election of a professional man, who does not take any par- 

 ticular interest in our necessities. Thus many a measure 

 that would be a benefit to the farmer is lost, and we grumble 

 because there are so few farmers elected to legislative offices. 

 This ought not so to be, for there are no citizens more intel- 

 ligent or better able to express their views than are those of 

 the fanning community. It is said of clergymen who preach 

 in cities that when they go into the country to preach they 

 take their best sermons with them, because the country con- 

 gregations are more critical than are those of the city. 



The farmers should exert their influence against the idea 

 of paternalism, or a few dictating how the many shall be 

 governed. Take, for instance, our district schools, which 

 the Board of Education is trying to centralize by taking the 

 scholars from the outlying districts and transporting them to 

 one graded school in the centre. In some respects this might 



