.
Chapter XXV. Imprudent Consumption.
Chapter XXVI. Social Organization For Consumption.
Chapter XXVII. Economic Functions Of Government.
Chapter XXVIII. Economic Machinery Of Government.
Conclusion.
Index.
Advertisements.

DEDICATION

To The Thousands Of Students In Agricultural Colleges
With Whom I Have Studied Economic Questions
During The Past Thirty-Five Years

This little volume is thankfully dedicated

In Remembrance Of
Many Pleasant Hours

Geo. T. Fairchild

PREFACE.

In giving these pages to the public I offer no apology for a restatement
of fundamental principles always requiring adjustment to new life and
circumstances; but economic literature has usually dealt too exclusively
with the phenomena of manufactures and commerce to gain the sympathy of
rural people. An experience of more than thirty years in handling such
subjects at the Michigan and Kansas Agricultural Colleges, together with
the expressed confidence of former pupils whose judgment I trust, has led
me into the effort to bring the subject home to farmers and farmers'
families in this elementary way.

I have carefully refrained from quotations, or even references to works
consulted, for the obvious reason that such formalities would distract the
attention of most readers from the direct, common-sense thinking desired,
and render the style of the book more complex. I hereby acknowledge my
debt to the leading writers of past and present upon most of the topics
treated, not excluding any school or party.

The statements of facts I have taken from best authorities, with care to
verify, if possible, by comparisons. Many data have been diligently
compiled and rearranged for more exact presentation of facts, and the
phenomena of prices of farm crops have been analyzed with especial care.
The necessities of the printed volume have to some extent obscured the
charts by reduction, but I trust they may be intelligible and interesting
to all students of agricultural interests.

No attempt has been made to argue or to expound difficulties beyond a
simple statement of principles involved, and the spirit of controversy has
been absent from my thoughts throughout. Whatever bias of opinion may
appear is without a tinge of bitterness toward those who may differ. I
trust that men of all views may recognize in these pages the wish of their
author to have only truth prevail.

In offering this volume to farmers I do n