35

CHAPTER IV

THE INNER LIFE OF THE AMERICAN FARMER

Reasons why the rural problem resulting from urban
predominance exists only in English-speaking
countries--Neglect of farmer more easily excused in the
United States than elsewhere owing to his apparent
prosperity--Country Life Commission's pronouncement on rural
backwardness--Why the matter must be taken up by the
towns--A survey of American rural life--The problem
economically and sociologically considered in the Middle
West--Causes and character of rural backwardness in the
Southern States--The boll-weevil and the hookworm as
illustrations of unconcern for the well-being of rural
communities--The problem in the New England States not
typically American--The progressive attitude of some
communities in the Far West in rural reform 57

CHAPTER V

THE WEAK SPOT IN AMERICAN RURAL ECONOMY

The three elements of a rural existence--Mr. Roosevelt's
formula: "Better farming, better business, better living"--A
comparative analysis of urban and rural business methods
shows that herein lies chief cause of rural
backwardness--Reasons why farmers fail to adopt methods of
combination--A description of the cooperative system in its
application to agriculture--The introduction and development
of agricultural cooperation in Ireland--The Raiffeisen
Credit Association successful in poorest Irish
districts--Summary of cooperative achievement by Irish
farmers--British imitation of Irish agricultural organising
methods--A criticism of American farmers'
organisations--Lack of combination for business purposes the
cause of political impotence--Urgent need for a
reorganisation of American agriculture upon cooperative lines 83

CHAPTER VI

THE WAY TO BETTER FARMING AND BETTER LIVING

The retarded application of science to agriculture and
neglect of agricultural education--Present progress in
agricultural education--Full benefit of education must await
cooperative organisation--Connection between cooperation and
social progress--Mr. Roosevelt on the cause and cure of
rural discontent--Two views upon the principles of rural
betterment--The part cooperation is playing in Irish rural
society--General observations on town and country
pleasures--The social necessity for a redirection of rural
education--The rural labour problem--The position of women
in farm life--The reason why the remedy for rural
backwardness must come from without--The