THE DEMONSTRATION WORK 



(4) To make the farm attractive and country residence desir- 

 able. 



Dr. Knapp's analyses of conditions and his suggested 

 remedies made a profound impression upon the public mind. 

 He appeared upon many educational and agricultural pro- 

 grams. His writings and speeches were widely published and 

 discussed. His direct method of approach to the very heart 

 of the matter and his simple yet profound philosophy were 

 not lost upon the thoughtful people of his time. For instance, 

 in his argument for the necessity of greater earning power for 

 the masses, he changed the viewpoint of many educators and 

 publicists. It was another case of beginning at the bottom 

 first. He made many deliverances similar to these : 



"Every substantial advance in the progress of human society 

 costs money and must be maintained by an increased earning 

 capacity of the masses. Food and clothing are the first require- 

 ments. If the earning capacity of a people is only sufficient to 

 supply these, progress is blocked and it is useless to insist upon 

 better houses, more home comforts, schools, or any upward step. 

 The problem is, are the rural masses unwilling to provide the 

 betterments which a progressive civilization in the country 

 demands — comfortable houses with the improved home and farm 

 equipment, good school and more months of schooling, better high- 

 ways, rural free delivery, telephones, etc, — or do they lack the 

 means ? 



Upon the answer depends the proper remedy for existing con- 

 ditions. If unable, steps should be taken to increase the earning 

 capacity of the rural toilers; if able but unwilling, the rural pride 

 should be aroused and the force of public opinion, and even law, 

 brought to bear. Nearly every man, even among the poorest, will 

 -clothe his family better, improve his home, and add conveniences if 

 he earns more. In the course of social investigations in rural dis- 

 tricts for many years the writer noticed that invariably better 

 clothing and more comfortable homes result from increased earn- 

 ings. Go into a thousand villages in the South and ask the merchants 

 if the poorest colored men would buy better clothes if they had the 



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