THE ORIGIN AND CONSEQUENCES OF RURAL NEGLECT
The origin of rural neglect in English-speaking countries traced to the Industrial Revolution in England--Effect of modern economic changes upon the mutual relations of town and country populations--Respects in which the old relations ought to be restored--Three economic reasons for the study of rural conditions--The social consequences of rural neglect--The political importance of rustic experience to reënforce urban intelligence in modern democracies--The analogue of the European exodus in the United States--The moral aspects of rural neglect--The danger to national efficiency of sacrificing agricultural to commercial and industrial interests--The happy circumstance of Mr. Roosevelt's interest in rural well-being 35
Reasons why the rural problem resulting from urban predominance exists only in English-speaking countries--Neglect of farmer more easily excused in the United States than elsewhere owing to his apparent prosperity--Country Life Commission's pronouncement on rural backwardness--Why the matter must be taken up by the towns--A survey of American rural life--The problem economically and sociologically considered in the Middle West--Causes and character of rural backwardness in the Southern States--The boll-weevil and the hookworm as illustrations of unconcern for the well-being of rural communities--The problem in the New England States not typically American--The progressive attitude of some communities in the Far West in rural reform 57
The three elements of a rural existence--Mr. Roosevelt's formula: "Better farming, better business, better living"--A comparative analysis of urban and rural business methods shows that herein lies chief cause of rural backwardness--Reasons why farmers fail to adopt methods of combination--A description of the coöperative system in its application to agriculture--The introduction and development of agricultural coöperation in Ireland--The Raiffeisen Credit Association successful in poorest Irish districts--Summary of coöperative achievement by Irish farmers--British imitation of Irish agricultural organising methods--A criticism of American farmers' organisations--Lack of combination for business purposes the cause of political impotence--Urgent need for a reorganisation of American agriculture upon coöperative lines 83