The Springfield herald., 1912-08-02
TEST COOPERATIVE FARMING
Great Success Financially and Socially
Have Proven Economic Value
of the Movement.

Experiments in cooperative farming
have not been numerous either in this
country or abroad, yet their great sue
cess financially and socially proves
beyond question the economic value
Of the movement. About five years
ago associations OF farm laborers
sprang up In Italy known as anttanze
collective, which rented and operated
land either as single farm under
manager or in allotments to the In
divtdual members. These associations
arose as remedy for the lack OF
steady employment among farm la
borers. and from the start so pro
nounced was their success in keeping
rural families on the land, making
farm hands more contented with their
surroundings, and particularly in rails
Ing laborers to a condition OF eco
nomic independence, that they grew
at the rate of about fifty a year and
spread throughout Italy and Sicily,
says the Country Gentleman.
One striking feature OF the move
ment in those countries where Social
ism issrapidly spreading Is the ten
dency toward indlvidualism in Co
operative farming. This is shown by
the fact that Of $50 such farming as
sociations only about one-fOurth were
operated collectively under n man
ager, while the remainder were work
ed under the individual allotment
plan. Many societies grew SO fast
In membership that they could not
furnish allotments without renting
more land or cutting down the size
OF the lot originally granted to each
member. These associations have been
highly successful in furnishing en-
ployment to the members and in the
financial returns they have obtained
from the labor. They are destined to
become established permanently in
densely populated countries where
land is cut up into small holdings and
where farm laborers cannot be en-
ployed steadily under the wage sys-
TEN.
This last aspect OF the associations
has been demonstrated more clearly
in our own country. Practically the
first cooperative farming plan was
the italian colonization scheme on
swamp lands north of Wilmington.
North Carolina, which was begun
about six years ago. The plan con-
sists of central farm surrounded by
smaller farms. on which the colonists
at first are given employment in clear
Ing wooded land and paid labor wages.
Agricultural experts train the laborers
In American methods of farming and
In the use OF farm machinery, and the
land Is then sold on easy payments.
Farm supplies are purchased and the
products of the farms are marketed
comparatively by the central farm By
this method laborers are trained to be-
come Independent farmers and land
owners, and 1t is not unusual for
colonst to clear $1,000 year. They
have their own community church, a
school for the children and night
schools for adults. The plan is in no
sense philanthropic. but is establish
ed on strict economic principles. Large
tracts of cutover lands are being
brought under the plow in this way,
and otherwise useless land is made to
yield good profits. So successful has
been this undertaking from the eco
nomic, educational and moral points OF
view that plan for the establishment
OF cOlOny OF HollanderS on 1.OOO-
acre farm in the same state has been
perfected On similar plan Farm
Homes association for establishing
city and town people on large tracts
Of unused land In Missouri has been
launched, similar associations are In
practical operation in Arkansas, and
cooperative farming is being con-
templated on the cutover timber lands
along the Columbia river in Oregon.
This movement has acquired such an
impetus for the moral and social up
lift of the laboring class that 1t stands
forth as one of the most practical
plans hitherto put in operation for
strengthening the forces that make
for the conservation and extension of
our modern rural life.