The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-01-27

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. A multi
tude Of influences surround the voter,
and 1t is little wonder that election
day often finds his conscience off
guard. City life, too. tends to develop
that an imported thug from q 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 cam
didates to be sure that they fulfill
their promises.
AS yet the farmer has hardly real
lied his power as n politician. There
has been 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
than in its system Of politics. Coop
Grafton has developed the lndepend-
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 I'M
der the control of his organized
strength 1t 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 q 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. farmer who
wants a farm of his own can have 1t
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 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 world
over.
Nowhere have the evils of landlord
ism been felt more severely than in
Ireland. In 1908 the farming classes
secured law for which they had been
fighting for years-a land purchase law
similar to the one in operation In Den
mark. In a little more than year
nearly one-third of the land In Ire
land was purchased by the men who
were working It. The results were
quickly seen in better farming. more
Industrious farmers and better condi-
lions throughout the whole country.
The farmers Of the United States