Greene County herald., 1910-12-09

COIN FIsHIN'-oNE COUNTRY JOY WHERE
COOPERATION IS EASY.
er is in favor of clean government, be-
cause that is the kind of government
which serves his interests.
| There are few complications in the
country to influence the farmers vote.
In the city the question of employ
ment, of special favors, of social rec
| ognition, often swings votes where
they would not otherwise go. multi
tude of influences surround the voter,
and it is little wonder that election
day often finds his conscience off
guard. City life, too, tends to develop
cynical attitude in q man. He knows
that an imported thug from a neigh
boring city is likely to kill his vote if
he does stand up for what he believes
to be right. The machine has been
giving the city a fair sort of govern
ment, and he is too often content to
let good enough alone.
With the farmer it is different. He
has more confidence in the power of
his vote. He sees the issues unob-
scured by petty outside considerations.
He has time to think and read. He
takes an active interest in politics, and
this interest does not end with election
day. He watches the successful can
didates to be sure that they fulfill
their promises.
AS yet the farmer has hardly real
lied his power as politician. There
| has been a wide variation of views on
details, even though all stood firm for
principles. There has been little at
tempt at organization.
In Denmark the farmers appreciate
the advantage of their position much
more than they do in this country.
In many ways Denmark is an interest
| ing country and in no way more so
| than in it's system of politics. Coop
Grafton has developed the independ-
ence Of the Danish farmer. 1t has
given him a sense of responsibility and
power. When he saw how quickly
the business of the country came un-
der the control of his organized
strength it was but natural that he
should try his hand in politics. He
was as successful here as in business,
and today Denmark is governed by
| farmers. Every one in Denmark rec
ognizes the influence of the farmer,
and the name is a symbol of respect.
The policy that has been advocated
SO long in this country, that the pros
perity of the manufacturers is the
chief index of the prosperity of the
| nation, has been reversed in Den
| mark. There while acknowledging the
Importance of manufacture, the pros
| perity of the farmer is recognized as
| the true basis of prosperity.
The problem of land ownership that
has been solved in Germany by CO.
operation has been met In Denmark
| by the government. A farmer who
| wants farm of his own can have it
| purchased for him by the government.
He has from forty to fifty years in
| which to pay for 1t, so that the an
nual payments amount to little more
than the cost of rent AS a result of
| this system more than so per cent of
| the farmers of Denmark own the land
which they cultivate. This is one of
| the factors that give to the Danish
| farmer sturdiness and independence
which make him famous the worlt'
| over.
Nowhere have the evils of landlord
ism been felt more severely than IL,
| Ireland. In 1908 the farming classes
secured law for which they had beer
| lighting for years-a land purchase Law
similar to the one in operation in Den
mark. In little more than a yea
nearly one-thrd of the land in Ire
land was purchased by the men VIII
were working it. The results wer
| quickly seen in better farming. NOR
Industrious farmers and better cond!
| tions throughout the whole country
The farmers of the United State
have yet to decide whether to sett
| the land owership problem by G.,
operation or by government assiS
| ance. This is the most important que.
tion before the country today. 1t i
a question that directly affects CT.
| production. The farmer, as the o.
most directly concerned, must be for
most in the solution. Yet he is by Il
means the only one affected. IT
prosperity Of the whole nation is &
rectly concerned, for the nations fou
supply is hanging in the balance.
If the high prices impress upon I'll
country the fact that national pro,
perity depends as much upon the pros
perity of the farmer as upon that o,
the manufacturer, the farmers exist
ence will be justified. The day of u
government Of the people, by the farm
ers, for the cities, is at an end. Tht
farmer must be considered in legisla
ton. He will force consideration o.
his interests. He is already demand
ing his rights.
There need be no fear of the farmer
domination of government in this coun
try. Our territory Is too large and oul
interests too varied. At the same time
all indications point to the fact that
business domination must end If
Business cannot thrive without special
favors from legislatures 1t would bet