paradox of the problem 117

CHAPTER VII

THE TWO THINGS NEEDFUL

Summary of diagnosis and indication of treatment--Chief aim
the cooerdination of agencies available for social work in
the country--Numerical strength and fine social spirit
abroad, but leadership needed--Mutual interest of advocates
of Conservation and of rural reform--The psychological
difficulty due to predominance of urban idea--Roman history
repeating itself in New York--The natural leaders of the
Country Life movement to be found in the cities--The objects
of the movement defined--Two new institutions to be created;
the one executive and organising, the other academic--The
National Conservation Association qualified to initiate and
direct the movement--Possibly an American Agricultural
Organisation Society should be founded for the work--The
chief practical work the introduction of agricultural
cooperation--Necessity for joining forces with existing
philanthropic agencies--Suggested enlistment of country
clergy in cooperative propagandism--The Country Life
Institute, its purpose and functions--Reason why one body
cannot undertake work assigned to the two new
institutions--The financial requirements of the
Institute--Summary and conclusions 145

THE RURAL LIFE PROBLEM

CHAPTER I

THE SUBJECT AND THE POINT OF VIEW

I submit in the following pages a proposition and a proposal--a
distinction which an old-country writer of English may, perhaps, be
permitted to preserve. The proposition is that, in the United States, as
in other English-speaking communities, the city has been developed to
the neglect of the country. I shall not have to labour the argument, as
nobody seriously disputes the contention; but I shall trace the main
causes of the neglect, and indicate what, in my view, must be its
inevitable consequences. If I make my case, it will appear that our
civilisation has thus become dangerously one-sided, and that, in the
interests of national well-being, it is high time for steps to be taken
to counteract the townward tendency.

My definite proposal to those who accept these conclusions is that a
Country Life movement, upon lines which will be laid down, should be
initiated by existing associations, whose efforts should be supplemented
by a new organisation which I shall call a Country Life Institute. There
are in the United States a multiplicity of agencies, both public and
voluntary, avail