I am sure, however, that something of
the sort is a good and hopeful idea, and the best way of making the
ladder complete. And I am emboldened to think that something of the sort
will be tried gradually in some places, when I see the number of
landlords' sons who are in this and other universities taking the best
courses they can get in the science and economics of agriculture. They
know this is the only way to retain a remnant of the old acres. It is
quite new since the war--and a most hopeful sign.
INDEPENDENCE
I need not urge the importance in our villages of real independence of
life. It was the absence of independence combined with long working
hours and little occupation for the hours of leisure, which, more than
low wages, caused the pre-war exodus from the country. Should the
prospects of industry improve, but agriculture remain depressed, there
will be another exodus from the country-side of the best of the young
men who have come back to it after the war. It is of first-class
importance, both from the national and from the agricultural point of
view, that they should stay, for there was a real danger before the war
that agriculture might become a residual industry, carried on mainly by
them, too lethargic in mind and body to do anything else.
Pages:
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333