FEDERATION FOR RURAL PROGRESS 251 



templated cannot possibly achieve large success 

 unless it is done with the farmers, rather than 

 for the farmers. The problem is far from that 

 of doing a missionary work for a down-trodden 

 and ignorant class. It is a much less heroic, a 

 much more commonplace task. It is simply 

 carrying the idea of co-operation of individuals 

 a step farther, and endeavoring to secure the co- 

 operation of interests that have precisely the 

 same goal, although traveling upon different 

 roads. The prime purpose of the movement is 

 to bring the specialist into close touch with the 

 more general phases of the problem, to secure 

 breadth and wholeness, to assure well-balanced 

 effort. 



[NOTE. A paper with the title of this chapter was read 

 before the American Civic Association in 1901, at Minne- 

 apolis. A portion of the paper is retained here. The history 

 of the development of the idea of federation is brought down 

 to the present time.] 



