has been inevitable where the farmers take no pride or
interest in it, and has often been necessitated by their parsimony or
conservatism. This is well illustrated by an incident related by
Professor Herbert B. Adams:

"In my native town, Amherst, Mass., the villagers struggled
for years in town-meeting to secure some system of sewerage
for 'the center,' but the 'ends of the town' always voted
'no'. On one occasion, in order to allay suspicion of
extravagance, a leading villager moved that, whatever system
of sewerage be adopted, the surface water and rainfall be
allowed to take their natural course down-hill in the
ordinary gutters. The farmers sniffed danger in this wily
proposition and voted an overwhelming 'No.' Accordingly by
the local law of Amherst, water had to run uphill until the
next town-meeting! Such is the power of Democracy."[77]

This separate incorporation of the village has been a large factor in
making a distinction between villagers and farmers and preventing their
recognition of their community interests. Not infrequently, however, it
will be found that some of the more progressive villages are not
incorporated and that they have the loyalty of the farmers. Numerous
examples of unincorporated villages might be cited to show that where a
spirit of pride in local village institutions has been developed among
the farmers of the territory tributary to it, that village improvements
not only are not impeded, but the community is much strengthened. This
is more likely to be true, however, where the township boundary and the
natural community area are practically the same.

On the other hand, the progress of a rural community, i.e., a village
and the territory tributary to it, often is prevented if it cannot
command a majority of the votes in a township. In a nearby village is a
town hall which might be used as a community house and be a social
center for the whole community. But the borders of the township belong
to other communities and do not come to the township center, and these
people on the edge of the township very naturally take the position that
if the village and neighboring people wish to use the town hall, let
them rent it of the town, but why should the whole township be taxed for
advantages which only half of it can enjoy. The same line of argument
arises with regard to the location of schools, roads, libraries, and the
dist