PREFACE 



This book does not offer a complete analysis 

 of the rural problem; but attempts, in general, 

 to present some of the more significant phases 

 of that problem, and, in particular, to describe 

 some of the agencies at work in solving it. 

 Several of the chapters were originally magazine 

 articles, and, though all have been revised and in 

 some cases entirely rewritten, they have the 

 limitations of such articles. Other chapters 

 * consist of more formal addresses. Necessarily 

 there will be found some lack of uniformity in 

 P style and in method of presentation, and 

 ^j occasional duplication of argument or statement. 

 For permission to use articles, in whole or in 

 part, I have to thank the editors of the Chau- 

 tauquan, Arena, Forum, Review of Reviews, 

 Popular Science Monthly, Michigan Alumnus, 

 New England Farmer, Cornell Countryman; 

 also Professor L. R. Taft, superintendent of 

 Farmers' Institutes in Michigan, and the officers 

 of the American Civic Association. Two chap- 

 ters comprise material heretofore unpublished. 



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