stering all farm lands by government in the interest of
maintenance of fertility. Leaving aside the primary desirability, as I
see it, of reserving individual initiative, it is to be said that this
kind of regulation of the tenant is possible only with a live-stock
husbandry; nor do we yet have sufficient knowledge to enable us to
project a legal system for all kinds of agriculture; nor again is it
applicable to widely differing conditions and regions. A keener sense of
responsibility will enable owner and tenant to work out better methods
in all cases, but it is now impossible to incorporate complete control
methods into successful legislative regulations. The increasing
competition will make it ever more difficult for the careless man to
make a good living by farming, and he will be driven from the business;
or if he is not driven out, society will take away his privilege.

Yet we are not to think of society as founded wholly on small separate
tracts, or "family farms," occupied by persons who live merely in
contentment; this would mean that all landsmen would be essentially
laborers. We need to hold on the land many persons who possess large
powers of organization, who are managers, who can handle affairs in a
bold way: it would be fatal to the best social and spiritual results if
such persons could find no adequate opportunities on the land and were
forced into other occupations. Undoubtedly we shall find ourselves with
very unlike land units, encouraged and determined by the differing
conditions and opportunities in different regions; and thereby shall we
also avoid the great danger of making our fundamental occupation to
produce a uniform and narrow class spirit.

We need the great example of persons who live separately on their lands,
who desire to abide, who are serious in the business, and who have
sufficient proprietary rights to enable them to handle the natural
resources responsibly. There is a type of well-intentioned writers that
would have the farmers live in centres in order that they may have what
are called "social" advantages, betaking themselves every morning to the
fields when the dew is on the grass and the birds sing, hastening back
every evening (probably when the clock points to five) to engage in the
delightful delirium of card-parties and moving-picture shows (of course
gathering the golden harvest in the meantime). Other writers are to have
the farms so small that the residences will be as cl