The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-16
I'm RMERltAN REAPER

| I had a long chat during my stay II
Lyons with Consul Covert about farm club.
and agricultural organisations.
Mr.. Covert has spent n great deal Of tim,
! with the farmers and has attended many
4 OF their meetings.
He says they are far IN advance Of u.
| in such matters.
| Every French country community. for in,
| stance. has Its clubs where the farmers NEE
and discuss how to market the crops.
They combine together and buy their fer
tilizers at wholesale and appeal to the rail
roads for low freight Gates.
Not only the farmers, but the railroad
officials. the bankers and the merchants
come to these clubs
The railroad men are asked to advise the
farmers AZ to what hey should do as te
transportation and markets, and the bank.
ers and merchants are also counseled with
! about money matters
In America the farmer wants nothing to
do with the city man.
He seems to be Jealous and afraid of him
The French farmer Is willing to say there
may be some brains outside his own class
and he Is glad to take advantage of them.
There are more. than 5000 900 farmers in
France who belong to agricultural syndi.
Gates.
There are all together over 2,oos such syn
dicates.
S~YNDIcATES SUPPORT MEASURES
FOR PROTECTIVE TARIFF.
These syndicates are for the genera,
furthering Of the farming and commercial
interests Of the members.
Iney are further organized into ten unions
wnich work together for the interests of
They have 4 head once at Paris ana tbi,
oeais with me fafiroAds az to freight rates.
and also pushes agricultural interests befors
the French Parliament
Inc farm syncicates support measures for
q protective tariff on farm products ana Az
al they can to bring the farmers int, con-
nection with the markets. the bankers and
the public. a"'
They a made 1t - that much ,,,r,
goods are nov sent over the country by
mall. ~
Butter and cheese are thus shipped. and
wine Is marketed by post in two-hottle lots
Most OF these syndicates havc their own
libraries.
! 1t is largtly d1e to them that the Nat,ous,
Government has established a hank ,vi.i,
a fund Of about 5000. 600, which ha. been
oaned out TO farmers at 3 per cent in
terest.
They have Also decreased the taxes on
farm lands and provided that certain lands
shall be exempt from taxation.
These syndicates buy things in quantities
for their members. and It might pay our ex-
porters Of f1f5ns implements and fertilizers
to treat directly with them.
Speaking Of taxes, the tax exemptions of
the farmers have caused a decrease in the
revenue q e6;F0, 0oc. and this came from
the very Smallest of the taxpayers.
Nevertheless, there are some taxes ,,rnos.
infinitesimaL.
There are more than 5000. GOO persons IN
this country who each pay a land tax rar.-
ing from ~ u % cents: more thar 3.ogo0 sw
pay from ato 8. and there are more than
2,ooe.0o0 and holeers who each pay from 81
If a farmer pays q rent Of less than $50
he is untaSed sughe pays sisp he is taxed
only on sisas but Il he pass frsre than stsj
ne is taxed . per cent on the whole sum.
TAXES IN FRANCE ARE
BASED ON INCOMES.
Almost all taxes here are based on in
comes or rents.
Business property is taxed s per cent of
the amount for which it rents, and IL IL Is
idle 1t is not taxed at all.
II a store or house burns down ~. t,~
on the land stops from that moment. and
II a factory stops work its tax stops.
Every loom in the silk mil paws a tax
while 1t y working. but IL it is broken or
becomes IDLE the tax officials are notified
and the tax is not colIectibie.
In Lyons all buildings are free from tax
atlon Lor W years after their erection. no
matter whether they are rented or not.
This is to stimulate building and IN en-
able the owner to get back something of
the FIRST cost.
The policy OF the Government Is 10 make
every man pay taxes in proportion to the
beneft he receives.
This policy extends to the smallest NJ
such benefits.
For this reason every chair and tahaA
which Is placed on the pavement oufel6k 4
store or restaurant must pay its tar.