THE STATE AND THE 

 FARMER 



THE person who works his own land for 

 a living is usually a strong individualist. 

 He looks to the earth, rather than to persons, 

 for his livelihood. He does not cater. If, in 

 any country, he patronizes, it is because of his 

 social position, not because he is a farmer. 



This individualism conduces to isolation of 

 ideas. The farmer's work is founded on per- 

 sonal experience ; and when he is not able to 

 analyze his experience or to understand it, he 

 falls into the experience-routine of the season, 

 and his ideas become crystallized. 



The first or original real occupation was the 

 management of land. It is the basic occupa- 

 tion. Out of it most other occupations and 

 trades have developed. The constructive and 

 imaginative spirits took to these newer trades, 

 and the conservative forces tended to remain 

 on the land. 



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