The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-11-18
Cooperative Agriculture-How it
is Managed in France.

The Agricultural Syndicates of France
are the theme of a very instructive paper
in the Economic Journal by Mr.. III. W.
Wolff. These syndicates were started "to
stimulate private initiative"
OF the success generally of the Syndi-
cats AgricOles, Mr.. Wolff says ''there can
be no doubt Begun most modestly scarce
ly ten years ago by handful of agricul-
turists brought into union by Professor
Tanviray, of Blois, they have in little time
overspread France, multiplying in all to
the number of l 300, with about 600, 900
members, and doing annual business at
present of 100, 600, 900 francs, which prom
ises to grow rapidly to higher figures.
They are to be met with in almost every
part of France.
"The Syndicates help the vine grower
aud the sugar-beet grower, the horse
breeder and the market gardener, they
lend hand in the destruction of obnox-
ious insects, the embankment of water
courses, fumigation for keeping off the
frost they have even provided French
agriculture with Boards of Cancellation
and Arbitration, and insurance Of laberers
against accidents and, above all things,
they have, in NJ Gatallier's apt words,
wholly 'democratized' the use of artificial
manures, insecticides, feeding stuffs, ETC.,
placing what was formerly luxury re-
served for the rich within the easy reach
of the poor, improving the quality, reduc-
ing the market price by from 20 to 30 per
cent, and yet increasing the annual con-
sumption from the paltry figure of 52,-
100000 francs-barely more than 2,O00,-
900 for all France -to12O, ,OOO,0 900 francs. y
CONSTITUTION: RICH AND POOR oLAssED
The effort to get rid of the middle has
not, on the whole, succeeded. But-''Ii
cooperative selling has proved failure
cooperative buying has proved a granc
success-indeed, coupled with cooperation
in labor, the one success Of the movement
That success is really all the more credita
Bile, since the French law of 1884 does no
deal over kindly with the syndicates. Il
France the syndicates must not trade ol
their own account. The dealer has t.
collebt the money for the collective order
executed from every individual membe
separately"
The constitution of the associations whicl
were ayowed promoted in order to "sur
press Socialism" varies considerably
''Most of the Syndicats have two classes O
members-the rich, who take up heav
shares, must not borrow, and are bound
remain members for a definite time, fiv
years or so, these are the membres fond;
teurs; and the poor, who take up smalle
shares, are free to leave and who ma
borrow, these are the membres effectifi
In one Syndicat l have found Q
many as four distinct orders of men
bers But it seems to me tn;
the spirit of common interest and eommo
action has been most strongly aroused
the Syadicats having only one class {
members, all with equal rights and equi
obligations, such as that of Auxerre, {
which its secretary proudly boasts that "
form veritabe little republic. The men
bers, of course, elect their officers an
committee and council, but they elect then
as rule, from out of the rich 'founde
class Most of the services are given gr
tuitous"
THE SERVICES THEY HAVE RENDERED
The cooperative purchase and use {
machinery and implements, the provisic
in some districts of winter employment b
, means of domestic industries, banking an
lending, arrangement Of technical lecture
provision for analysis and field experiment
prizes for the best managed farms, an
subsidies toward the introduction of in
proved machinery and the construction
liquid manure tanks are among other Sc
vices rendered by the Syndicates.