THE STATE AS FARMER 73 



and leguminous crops ; for the issue to the 

 farmer of the feeding stuffs and the fertilisers 

 he needs, and the heavy machinery that is to 

 be hired for threshing and other operations ; 

 and, finally, for the great store purposes 

 which co-operation includes in its beneficent 

 work. 



In all these activities there are some 

 principles which must be observed if the State 

 is not to stultify itself. One of the tendencies 

 in human nature which, curiously enough, 

 must be watched, even in co-operative move- 

 ments, is that of reducing the means of liveli- 

 hood in others in order that our own may be 

 increased. The hunger for cheapness might 

 conceivably cause the inhabitants of one slum 

 to sweat their neighbours in the next ; and a 

 sleepy State might wake up to find that it 

 had tolerated in itself exactly that which it 

 had refused to sanction in the individual. 

 The consideration, therefore, of this bundle 

 of useful labours should always include the 

 well-being of those who are to be engaged in 

 the various occupations. It is not necessary 

 to crowd them all together just because there 

 appears to be only one station on the trunk 



