Graham guardian., 1902-03-28

knowledge. Those who oppose
the teaching Of economics in the
secondary schools, try to make it
appear that the subject is one of
special difficulty. They. claim that
it is abstruse and difficult of COM
prehension. The plain truth is
that political economy is simple.
easy of comprehension, and can be
taught successfully to any one of
ordinary ability in one-third or
one-fourth of the time required for
Latin. The purpose Of our schools
ought to be to prepare for COM
plete living in the twentieth CEN
tury, not in the sixteenth.
Waste on the farm may result
from carelessness and incidence;
it may result from lack Of informa-
ton and scientific training. How
ever, it is true that carelessness
grows directly out Of ignorance.
Economics does not claim to give
detailed scientific knowledge of
farming, it merely sets forth gen.
eral principles. Many of the ills
of life arise because men and wo-
men fly in. the face of known
truths, AT the present time many
excellent people profess the belief
that scientific agriculture will in
crease indefinitely the worlds food
supply Yet if there is any one
principle capable Of absolute
proof, it is the law of diminishing
returns. The food supply Of the
earth eau only be increased in a
decreasing arithmetical ratio, while
population tends to go on in an in
cressing geometrical ratio. Now,
doubling the labor applied upon
an acre will not double the pro-
duct; hence it seems clear that so.
called intensive farming may re-
suit in as much waste in its upper
limits us extensive farming IN it's
lower limits There comes a time
IN the -yation of every acre
Wnen .ne employment Of an ad.
'.,lonal laborer is waste pure and
simple. It would also follow that
minute parceling Of lands should
be avoided. The point intended
from the foregoing is that purely
scientific farming, carried on re-
gardless Of economics, may be
/ come just as wasteful as empirical
farming.
Enormous waste has resulted
because agricuiturists have not un-
derstood the principle of economic
rent. The tribute paid by the cul-
tivator of the soil to the landlord
is economic rent. 1t increases
with every descent that cultiva.
ton makes upon inferior soils. 1t
is reasonable to suppose that in
the settlement Of country the
best lands, either absolutely or
relatively, will be taken up first.
Suppose, the best lands which are
not taken up, will yield so per
acre, and that the next best lands,
which are not taken up, will yield
80 units per acre. A, desires to
enter upon land cultivation in the
vicinity. He may cultivate soils
already taken up and pay tribute
to the owners, or he may take up
and cultivate the inferior soils and
realize 30 units per acre. 1t is
easy to see that what he would be
willing to pay for the privilege of
cultivating the superior soils is the
difference between so and 80. If
30 is increased the difference di-
minishes. Hence the economic
way to abolish rent is to build up
in every way inferior soils. Bring
them in fertility along side super
ior soils. If the farming classes
generally understood the principle
Of economic rent, they would
strive earnestly to increase the
fertility Of poorer soils and thus
take long step in the direction of
abolishing the landlords tribute.
Rents exacted by the landlord
nearly always represents waste,
His expenditures are along the
line of luxury and selfindulgence;
he stands for unproductive con-
sumption.
1t is principle ofeconomics that
capital results from saving. This
great truth should be thoroughly
impressed upon the minds Of the
farming classes; because out of it
would grow two important results:
men would be stimulated to culti-
vate the habit Of saving simply
for the sake of the habit they
would study more carefully how
to transform waste in gross into
savings in net. Also it would
naturally cultivate the incentive
that arises from the prospect Of
enjoying future stored up wealth.
Forethought and continuous sys-
tematic effort are the two elements
in saving. Any principle that
tends to deepen and widen the
sway of system and forethought is
invaluable. The desire to save
and the act of saving result in the
formation of some of the finest
ethical principles of life. No oc-