INTRODUCTION
Pioneer life in America with its broad marches, long lines of frontier, sparse population and limited means of intercourse, stimulated independence and called for individual effort. To an extant unknown elsewhere in the modern world it fostered the spirit of self-reliance and the power of individual initiative, which for a century and a half have been the most characteristic features of the American people and have contributed most to our strength and our unprecedented attainments. But increase in population and wealth, scientific knowledge and modern methods of industry and means of travel and intercourse demand organization and coöperation and turn individualism from strength into weakness. Things that were formerly of interest only to the individual or the family now concern vitally the entire community and local community interests extend to municipality, county, State and Nation. With all this have come also a large extension of the spirit of democracy and a tendency to depend on the people for initiative and final decision in many things that formerly would have been left to their representatives in legislative bodies. Public opinion and popular sentiment become constantly more pervasive and more powerful. For the safety
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