native fecundity to pile up here, in a generation, riches past the wildest dreams of Cræsus.

Despite the increasing value of all breadstuffs and meat stuffs, the wealth of the world is growing in such a way that demand for these is not likely to fall off, but is likely rather to increase for an indefinite time to come. Food is costing and will cost a little more each year, but the cheapening of wealth-producing processes in other departments will for a long time make it possible for non-agricultural producers to have all the food they wish, giving a little more nonagricultural commodity year after year for a given amount of agricultural material.

There can be but one conclusion from the above facts: namely, that the farmer, if he is wise, is destined to be better off and more influential in the future than he has ever been. Art and culture will pervade farm life and the farming public. Farmers' families will be better educated, agricultural states will more and more control legislation and public opinion.

A vigorous country population is necessary in order to assure the highest physical health throughout the total body of citizens. It is equally necessary to the finest average character and integrity of the whole people, and also for the richest development of common sense, sincerity, large views, and patriotism. These qualities spring from Mother Earth. They are found in cities, of course, but usually because they are brought there. The strongest instances of them are not indigenous in towns. It is generally recognized that town life would soon grow pale and sickly, as well in moral as in physical regards, but for incessant importation of blood and character from the country. It is a matter of common knowledge that nearly all the men and women in the most commanding positions in society, business, literature, and life were born and reared in the country.

Over and above the preceding considerations, some of which apply to other countries as well as our own, there is a special reason for conserving and strengthening

rural interests here in the United States. Europe was settled mainly under military motives, land going to great vassals of the king. All over Europe even today the great landowner is a more significant person than the great townsman, manufacturer, or banker. Socially, land-owning counts more than wealth in other forms. The blooded aristocracies of European lands all stand in some sort of connection with the proprietorship of land. It is easy to see that in the countries named there is an immense influence other than that of wealth operating against that of mere wealth. In the United States, unfortunately, we as yet possess no such counterpoise against the dead weight of Mammon. We need to raise up such; and the only apparent way, at least the best way apparently, to accomplish that result is to cultivate rural interests. Build up and keep up a country population worthy and able to determine our national character.

How can such a country population in the United States be reared? How can the landed interest be put in a condition to be