New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-17
IGRICILTER4L 4TLON

Agriculture in Great Britain Is. says Lord
Masham. in a state of collapse That is and
has for some time been. perfectly evident.
What is equally evident and even more dis
hearenng is that the majority Of Englishmen
seem to accept this as natural and inevitable
fact The present Government. largely dom
mated by landlords. is making desperate efforts
TO remedy the evil to some extent by legislation.
In so doing. however. il il earning the dcrision
if not the condemnation of its own constituents
There is general notion throughout the United
Kingdom that the days Of British agriculture
are past Mr. Gladstone thinks something may
yet be done in the way of raising small fruits
for the manufacture of jam. But that is about
the least hopeless view any one ventures TO
take. With a faiasm worthy of the Grand
Turk the average Englshman looks on the
ruined agriculture OF the realm and grumblcs.
"KiSmct. 1t is fate
There is. however. one symptom of the case
which politicians and political economists large
~ ignore. yet which seems To offer far more
promise of relief and returning prosperity than
anything else-evcn than Mr.. Gladstones jam
pot. That is that the principle of cooperation
is at last beginning 10 be applied 10 agriculture
we'll To manufactures and trade II is
worthy Of remark that this should have been
long delayed in England which is pre-emi-
nenty the home of cooperation. Perhaps that
is only another proof of Samuel Adamss
mark that the English are a nation Of shop
keepers. They invented cooperation but ap-
piled II merely 10 shOpkeepng their favorite
occupation. Their neighbors of France on the
other hand, borrowed the idea from them and
being largely "A nation Of peasant farmers, forth
IL.
Or. perhaps. British backwardncss has been
due TO the landlord system. and Frances for
wardncss to her system of peasent proprietor
ship. However that may be. British agriculture
is not cooperative. and is in IA state of col
lapse while French agriculture Is cooperative
and in a state Of robust prosperity.
1t is now about thirty years since agricultural
cooperation was begun in France. To-day the
whole land is covered with societies. or syndl-
Gates as they are there called. What is the re-
suit? Without going into details. it may be- sufli-
Client TO say that the cost Of fertilizers and other
supplies has been reduced by from 40 to 10 per
cent, while by the consequent frcer use Of them
the average yield of wheat has been increased
by fully y per cent. and of other crops In pro-
portion. Those few figures are significant of
the whole case. Nor is that the only example
England has NJ ner very doors. similar work
Is under way in Ireland. 1t was organized
only seven years ago. and has had no Govern
ment cncoura cement. and the active opposition
OF the politicians and the Storckeepers- lat
ter an influential class Its progress has natu-
rally. therefore. been slow. but 1t has been sub
stantal and the benefcence Of the system has
been amply demonstrated
Under the selfish domination Of Cobdensm
and the Manchester school II has long been
the fashion 10 sniff at rural England" and to
make Hodge the butt of every maadroit and
contemptuous joke Now however. men
beginning TO realize what neglected fields and
Il declining peasantry mean. II Is quite pos
sible that the obvious lesson closely brought
home to them may in time be needed As
have said strong effort Is Just now being
made 10 Introduce the cooperative principle
into British agriculture, no less man than
Lord Winchesea being at the head Of IT, Per
haps IL may be necessary. for its entire
cess TO modify the landholding system and
establish general peasant proprletorship. The
six million peasant frecholders of France
doubtless one of the prime causes Of that conn
try's agricultural prosperity and general thrift.
Nor would II be difficult ~ effect such a