The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1910-08-12
GERMAN FARMERS IN UNION
United States AgrisuIturists Might
Profit by Following Example,
Says Consul Thackara.

! i naCkdTd Oh Berlin luIuhS thc iohi IL
ers of the United States could study
with profit the agricultural conditions
| in Germany. He points out that the
! German league is effective in aiding
! the membership financially, the loans
aggregating over s300,000,000, in inn
proved culture through travelling ex-
perts, in selling farm products and in
purchasing supplies which amount to
many million dollars annually
The largest of the German organi-
cations has been known since the
year 1903 as the Imperial Union of Ag
ricultural Societies. The second or
ganization, known as the General
Union of Agricultural Societies, was
founded in 1871. These two agricul-
tural organizations were united in
1906 for all administration purposes.
The local societies making up tho
organizations were founded for vari-
GUS purposes Many Of them may have
single activity, others have their
functions so lntermingled that 1t Is not
always possible to distinguish them
In general, however, one may make
the following classification of groups,
namely, savings and loan societies, So
cetics for consumers and societies for
the sale of farm products. This latter
group is often subdiyided according
to the character of the products sold
At the close of last year, the I'm
perial agriculture organization en-
braeed 81 unions, made up of 1888
local societies. The total membership
of these societies was then 1000.
The local societies were divided into
groups, In accordance with their prin-
cipal purpose of union. There were
,5S4 saving and loan societies, 2,12S
cooperative purchasing societies, 1860
dairy societies. and approximately
1851 societies devoted to various 9th
er objects.
The general agricultural organiza-
ton has membership of 5,172 local
societies. OF this total number 1928
are saving and loan societies. These
locals have a total membership of
405,S persons. The fee for admis-
sion as a member of either of these
groups is a nominal one. The coop
erative purchasing society Is the Sec
ond in number and In Importance OF
any of the group of the Imperial orga-
| niZation. II has a membership of 2l6,-
00s persons The value of goods pur-
chased through it last year exceeded
by approximately $4,2S4 600 the pur-
chases of the previous year. The prin-
cipal articles purchased by the farm
ers through their organization are fer
| tilizers, food stuffs. seed coal and ag
rieultural machinery The working
capital of the cooperative working
societies is a little over 10000 600.
The consul general at Berlin points
ont that the function of these great
farmer organizations is much broad
or than merely for the purpose of col
| lectiye bargaining in the sale of farm
| products, etc. for in each division
there are scientific experts. who, "a
/ application. and payment of the fee.
visit the farms of the different mem
hers and advise with them concerning
the cultivation of their growing crop
and the care of their live stock.
Aside from the saving and loan
/ group, which is by far the most
numerous of any of the groups of the
! general organizations, there are 77S
| local societies cooperating In purchas-
ing and selling agricultural nipple
/ ments Among number of the local
! societies In certain communities ag-
rieultural machinery is owned by the
society for the general use of the diff
/ fereut members. The common use of
such machinery has proved of great
assistance to the members. particular
| ly OF such machinery as grain clean
/ ers. thrashers. etc. which are toe ex-
/ pensive for one man To buy and which
are used only during a short season of
/ each year,
Consul General Thaekara quotes an
eminent German economist as saying
| that the significance of the agricul-
tural unions in Germany lies in their
/ honest business dealings, in their in
sistenee on cash payment and on
| economy in operating expenses. In
their struggle against usury and de
eeption. in the business and moral
training which they give to the lower
and middle classes. and in the happy
combination of progressive principles
and brotherly feeling which they slim
ulate.