The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-04-08
FRENCH FARMERS ORGANIZE.
Thorough System for the Protec-
ton of Employer and EmpIOye.

France He declares that one of the
most conspicuous features % that nation
has been the recent rapid organization
and development Of societies Of semi
social and business character which in
clude all classes of society. Embraced IN
these orga nizations are employer and en-
pIoyes. the wealthy and the poor. from
the child six years ole TO the Oldest
citizen.
Consul Covert says these organizations
are based upon the principle of frater-
nifty. the development of which, it IS con-
tended. is the especial province of the
Third Republic a duty bequeathed to it
by the First and Second Republics. under
which liberty ana equality are supposed
to have received their fullest practical APP
plication.
Giving some details Of the subject Con-
sui Covert says
Associations If farmers called syndi-
cats agricoIes' have been organized alt
over France since the passage of the law
of March =. 1881. their aim being 10
further the economic, Industrial, CONNER
ciaI, and agricultural interests OF their
n ernbers and to attach the farmer more
closely TO the country. They are organ
lied under general law which authorizes
any twenty persons of one trade or OF
several similar trades to combine in a
society. The dues are fixed at from 10
cents to 81 per month.
The SyndicateS are empowered TO pos
sess such realty as is necessary for their
meetings library. and lecture rooms. 10
establish among their members banks to
provide pensions TO their members or re-
lief in sickness. and TO open offices for the
finding of employment for the unemploy-
cd y EphnDl
for the discussion and study of all ques
tons pertaining to their special calling.
and they NAV organize a tribunal for the
solution of al contentious among work
ingmcn or between capital and labor a
member Of a syndicate can withdraw
from it whenever he pIeases. but Is bound
by law TO pay his dues for the current
year A retiring member reserves the
right to a pension and relief from the
fund which he has contributed TO create
The law officer of she department or
commune where the syndicate is located
may call upon the court to dissolve a syn
dictate and to aunuI all purchases or 9TH
er acts made in violation Of law or Of the
will of a majority of it's members. False
decIara lions made by the officers or any
violation of laws provided for the Organi-
cation and government Of these Syndi-
Gates are punishable by fines of So II.
$3.50. and $3.50. The organic law upon
which these societies are based is apDli-
cab'. 10 the French colonies OF Algeria.
Tunis. GuadelOupe, Martinique, and La
Rotation; but il only applies TO persons
who are native or naturaliZed French
men.
Their had been established under this
law, and We're in operation January !. 1900,
1853 societies. divided as follows among
500, $50 farmers and farm workers of the
two sexes in France
Syndicates of employers ZI5T; syndi-
Gates Of workinEmen, ., SIS; employers and
wOTangmen mixed. no. agricuiturists, >
06l; total. 7,0Se.
This is an Increase of s56 over the agri-
cultural syndicateS of 1893. II was evenly
divided between the WoTldngmen and
owners Of farms.
To organize under the law of 1884. II is
necessary that enc OF more persons should
form q group of about twenty men OF good
standing. These recruit a number OF nom
orary members, often Of the wealthy or Of
the titled gentry, and they proceed to elect
4 president one or TWO wee presidents. a
board Of administrators consisting OF
from three 10 nine persons, q secretary,
and a treasurer. OF the !, 192, $50 members
OF the various syndIcates the farmers
number So, 194
"A union has all the rights and powers
Of the syndicates, except that il cannot
sue or be sued or hold real property, pre-
negatives which are conferred only upon
the syndicates and which they cannot
delegate Each society is divided into
number of Subordir mate societies The de-
part mental county union Is NfNittFd INTO
reimbursement syndlcates, these into can
tOnal SyndicateS, and these in turn-intO
communal SyUdicateS- The agricultural
societies therefore extend through. all
the qualifications of the body polite of
France. from the Central Government
down to the lowest political unit cor
responding division in our country would
Involve national. State. county. township,
and hamlet agricultural boards, all inter-
linked and iuterdependenT-
In the bylaws, the general object OF a
interests Of agricuHUrt.' The special OBJ
jects are 10 favor the discovery of new
agricultural products; To obtain, at the
lowest cost, the best fertilizer and seeds
the best agricultural implements and ami
mails, to increase production; TO make la
Dor easter; to diminish the cost Of pro-
ductlOn IN agriculture by lectures, tracts.
books, etc. 10 buy or hire tie best agri-
cultural implements and rent them at q
low price TO members; TO facilitate the
sale Of agricultural products at good
prices; TO advise on all questions relat ,ne
TO farming; to provide judges and experts
for the settlement OF differences that
would otherwise go before courts; to offer
prizes; TO insure men and animals against
accident or death and to secure mutual
aid, cooperation, loans; and. in general
to cooperate for the ameiioration of the
condition Of agriculture.
Among the material interests is men
toned the buying of fertilizers and i'm
plements at wholesale prices, the secur-
ing of cheap transportation, the sale of
time to get the best prices
Among the political advantages it
was mentioned that the power of ass0-
citation permitted the farmers to exert an
influence upon legislation, favorable or
unfaYorable, as it might affect their in
terests.
These syndicates have succeeded in
protecting French farmers by securing q
nigh protective tariff on foreign farm
products. they have also induced the Gov
eminent TO create agricultural warrants
and neighborhood banks Of loan and de-
post. The agricultural warrant system
which permits the farmer to draw on the
nearest bank for his crop, has thus FAR
proved impracticable-
BY combining in syLdicates the sci
ence of agriculture Is placed more com
pleteiy within reach of the poorest farm
er, and practical, everyday experience is
brought into corporation Herewith
Farmers and students derive mutual in
struction. Scientific ideas of farming are
brought to the attention Of farmers by
lectures delivered by the professors of ag-
riculture and by articles published in the
organs of the SNndicates and IN alma
macs The syndicate also establishes
boards Of arbltrat ton for the deciding of
questions in litigation, at comparatively
no expense or loss of time
The sYndicateS are neutral. absolutely
shut ont from AL influence of political
parties No instance Is yet known where
Use Of by q political party or by q can
didate for office. The farmers are en-
phatically of the opinion that the useful
ness OF their organizations would be
greatly impaired, II not entirely destroy
ed. II politicians were permitted to use
them There has not been since the or
ganiZatiOn Of these Syudicates q politi-
cal movement among the farmers i'll
France.
The syndicates have united the great
To- In