Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-06-03
WHY farmers N i
Of DENMARK
ARE PROSPEROUS
Special to The Tribune.

Special to The Tribune.
WASHINGTON, June 3.-The won
derful story of how the Danes upoI
land but poorly suited to grazing ant
in the face of repeated reverses, have
brought their country to a state Of
agricultural prosperity second only tt
England among the Old World coun
tries is told by DR.. Maurice Francis
Fan, American minister to Denmark
who is now in this city on leave, hav
! in grecently completed on behalf. OF
| the State Department. lecture tour
through the farming districts of the
South.
DR.. Egan, together with several 9th
| err of the American diplomatic officers
| in Europe, has, under instructions
from the State Department., made a
thorough study of the farmers vel
fare" problem in the European coun
tries. of the part played by the gov
ernments in advancing the material
prosperity Of the farmers, of the sue
! cess of the farmers themselves in
forming cooperative societies for mu.
tual assistance. and of the advantage
es secured to the whole people of
those countries from the promotion
of their agricultural resources. He is
engaged now in preparing report
upon the methods of the Danish Gov
eminent in supplying cheaper money
for their farmers, which idea Presi-
dent Taft hopes to introduce into the
United States for the benefit of the
American farmer.
Speaking of his recent lecture tour
through the South, DR.. Egan said:
Il was sent ny the Department of
State to expose to dairymen and far
mers especially interested in dairy
ing. the methods by which the Danes
have become the most prosperous
people agriculturally in Europe
When I say most prosperous, mean
by comparison. and taking into con-
sideration the obstacles they have
had to meet and overcome. The
wealth per capita of Denmark is COM
paratively next to that Of England.
This wealth, however. is equalized.
There are no very rich people there.
Every man is fairly we'll Off. but the
poorer he is the more carefully does
he conserve his resources. Material
we'll being is as common in Denmark
as education.
There is no illiteracy in the coun-
try Every man, woman, and child
over the age of Z years, unless he be
an idiot, can read and write. The
methods by which they have achieved
their present prosperity are three:
Education - practical education-a
perfect system of cooperation, and
intelligent assistance OF Government.
"For instance, the only means of
living which the Danes have is agri-
culture. Denmark. like julius Gaze
sar's Gaul of ancient days, is divided
into three parts-butter, bacon. and
eggs. Now, the Government. being
dependent upon the farmers, does ev-
erything in it's power to increase the
number of small farmers. and this it
has done by making money as cheap
as possible for the farmers It con-
trolls a great series Of banks, man.
aged somewhat after the manner of
the Credit Foncier.
IAN agricultural laborer in Den
mark who has worked on a farm for
five years. who is poor, and who has
character so good that two reputa-
Bile members of his commune will
certify to it. may obtain from one of
these banks loan Of about 1882 in
our money. He obtains this solely on
his character and ability and not by
any material security he can offer.
With this money he may purchase a
farm Of from 3k to ~ acres. This
farm means live and dead stock on
the land and the necessary imple-
ments for the working of it. The
amount loaned by the bank covers
probably nine-tenths of the value of
the farm-not of the land. because
land in Denmark is never sold mere
ly rs land. The farm is Judged by the
value of it's production for. let us say,
at least seven years in hard corn,
which represents it's ability to Gus
tain dairy cattle and hogs. This is an
example of the way in which the Dan
ish Government encourages the multi
plication of small farms.
''Now. as to the question of educa-
ton. It is compulsory. 1t has been
compulsory for many years and the
awakening of Denmark to the careful
use Of its natural resources is due to
two things-the Danish sense of the
practical value of practical education.
and a series of disasters.
"The first disaster occurred in the
late 40's. when the discovery was
made that the Danes had so impover.
ished their soil by the continuous
growing of grain that bankruptcy
threatened. even the great landown.
ers being in danger. Then came the
closing Of British ports to Danish
grain and the growth of American
connection. which killed off whatev-
or prospects of profit the Danes might
have made from their impoverished
land
"A very admirable Lutheran bish-
op. Grundtwig. saw that the Danes
must be kept at home. but that they