account for the situation. The publicity given the
whole farm question during the past six months, however, has to a
large extent dispelled the inefficiency answer, as the farmer has
responded so completely to the call, and the amateurs are beginning
to realize that there is something in farming besides tickling the
earth with a feather. All the facts so far brought out show the
farmer abundantly able to produce all the foodstuffs needed,
provided he has a reasonable certainty that he will be able to
dispose of his produce at a price that will give him a fair return
for his labor. This being the case, it is easy to see that putting
more men back on farms would not remedy the condition we are now in;
but would rather increase the difficulty.

The fact is, the two blades of grass theory has been exploded, the
increased production cry has been tried out, carried to its logical
conclusion, and found wanting, and the inefficiency explanation has
been proved a falsehood on its face. It is, therefore, obvious that
with a proper system of distribution, the entire question of
production will take care of itself; but just so long as the
producers find it unprofitable to produce food, just so long will
they have to figure carefully not to grow too much, or it would be
better for them had they grown nothing at all.

The reason why we have such divergent ideas on this subject is that
so many people write about it who have had no experience in farming,
while on the other hand there are few farmers who can state the case
so the public can grasp the most obvious facts.

Finally, it is a question of the government doing what it ought not
to have done and leaving undone those things it ought to have done.
It has granted to a few monopolies transportation and terminal
facilities which enable them to hold up deliveries and thus control
prices. The remedy lies in seeing that the government attend to its
own business, which is securing equality of opportunity for all, and
special privileges to none.

It follows that cooperation should not stop either at production or
at distribution. It must embrace the source of both, nor even stop
at governmental plans of small holdings.

As a business enterprise, combining philanthropy and percentage,
capital has an opportunity.

Accordingly an option should be secured upon a large piece of land
not over forty miles from a large city, near a railroad station. The
transportation at first is not imp