The Raymer enterprise., 1912-03-14
WORK TOGETHER IN FINLAND
Agricultural Cooperation Initiated a
Few Years Ago, Reaches High De-
/. gree Of Development.

Agricultural cooperation in Finland,
although 1t was initiated only few
years ago. has now reached high de-
gree OF development. This result Is
largely due to the work Of propaganda
and organization carried out by the
Pellervo society, which was founded
in 1899 for this purpose.
Thus the contrary has taken place
in Finland in what usually occurs In
other countries; that Is. there has
been central organization before the
single cooperative societies have been
founded. 1t must also be pointed out
that the Pellervo was founded by the
Intellectual members Of the towns
rather than by the farmers, because
they realized that a prudent and we'll.
organized agricultural cooperation
was one Of the principal sources Of
we'll being for the country.
After the foundation Of the Pellervo
society and in consequence OF tAe law
Of 1901 on cooperative societies, the
development Of the latter was very
rapid. In fact, after the Pellervo 49
agricultural societies were founded In
1901, SO in 1904 and 1922 in 1909.
In Finland the cooperative society
extend its operations in the most va
ried branches Of the agricultural In.
dustrY Some Of the more important
societies are those for dairy products.
In 1908 there were $40 Of these socis.
ties, with more than $4,000 members,
who supplied the societies with $685..
$40 hectoliters Of milk, taken from
23S.000 cows. There were lO,912, 900
packages OF butter sold, being S8.6 per
cent Of the total expectation Of butter
from Finland.
The cooperative credit societies are
Of equal importance. They are car.
ried on on general lies In accordance
with the principles Of the Raitfeisen
banks and their business is almost ex.
clusively the supply Of small sums to
small farmers. In 1909 there were
1884 OF these funds, with $4,000 mem.
bers, to whom loans were granted for
q sum total Of 4.02s. 900 francs, an av'
erage Of about 266 francs member.
The local cooperative credit socie'
ties are all afiiliated with central
bank, which was founded In 1902, and
carries on It's operations by means oi
q loan Of 100000 francs, granted to
1t by the state. and an additional an
nual subsidy Of 10000 francs. 1t acts
as q kind Of heart In the organism oi
the Finland cooperative credit socie
ties. supplying capital to the small
local societies, which have to submi,
to It's control. In 1909 $40 coopera
tive societies out Of 34S Joined the
central institute, receiving 1000. CSC
francs In loans.
This Capitalization has been brough,
about, not only i1 connection with the
cooperative credit societies. but also
with the others. Thus, In addition to
the central bank Of which we have
spoken. there Is the important orga
nixauon. the Haukkija, founded IN
1905, the object Of which Is the pur
chase and sale Of agricultural require
ments, the labor. constituted for the
same purpose; the falio. which 10 q
central organ for the sale Of the but
ter produced by the local cooperative
societies. and finally the cooperative
distributive central. In 1909 tho foul
central societies texcluding the La
bor) comprised $50 cooperative socie
ties. possessing capital Of S9S,O0(
francs, their business for the year be
ing 32,109.OoO francs. These figures
are sufficient to demonstrate the de
velopment Of agricultural cooperation
In Finland. which really appears mar
velous when the geographical position
the distribution Of the population ant
the climate Of the country are takei
into consideration.