I did attempt it。 I have not done much。 Yet I have done something。 They listen to me now a bit。 If they had not listened to me I should not be here in my present position today as a missioner from the Government of Great Britain。
Well； what is it； what is this problem that moved me？ I will tell you in a few words。 I perceived and realised the enormous change that is ing over the Western world； how those； who for countless generations； dwelt upon the land； are deserting the land and crowding into the cities。 I studied the reasons for this。 For two years I studied them； going through England； village by village； county by county； town by town。 And I found out what they were。 In England the chief cause was lack of prospect on the land。 We are cramped in England with the remains of a feudal system which works nothing but ill； and under that system it is so that no man on the land seems to have a chance to rise。 The labourer on the land； say at two…and…twenty； is earning as high a wage as he can ever hope to earn。
I ask you； gentlemen； how should any of us like to know that at two…and…twenty we were doing the best we could hope to do in life？ That is the lot of the labourer on the land。 All that he has to look forward to at the end of his long career of forty or fifty years of toil is probably a place in the workhouse。 Is that an attractive prospect？ Then； no doubt； the spread of education； the facilities of travel； and other things of that kind conduce to the immigration into the cities； and this movement goes on with ever…increasing rapidity。
At the present moment in England； I believe we have but one…seventh of our population living on the land。 In the United States； if the figures given me are correct； matters are very little better。 And so it is in