The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1912-05-29
Is Destined to Make the
Farmers Kings.
FUTURE CAPTAINS OF INDUSTRY
Will Be Agricultural Leaders
And Not Merely Men
Of Wealth.
1T CAN BE DONE EVERYWHERE


their exceptional ability to discern
the conditions of success in various
large undertakings, backed by a
genius for organization and the in
fiuence which comes from COM
handing powers, who have become
leaders in the various lines of pro-
duction and transportation, the
American people are fond of apply
ing the name Captains of Indus
try" And that to such men, rath-
er than to knights and warriors as
of old, we are prone to award the
highest social status, is not the
smallest of the many indications of
the growing ascendancy of ideals
which make for peaceful progress
over those of a receding barbarism.
But it is significant that, while
agriculture is the foremost of
American industries and the basis
of all others, so few of the afore-
said captains of industry are to
90 be. found among our farmers. We
hear, now and then, of a Peach
King" in the East; of a Corn
King" in Missouri of a Cotton
King" in some Southern State. He
is usually entitled to a place among
the captains, if at all, only from the
fact that he has acquired, and
shown himself able to manage with
unusual success, an exceptionally
large acreage of land devoted to the
crop from which he takes his royal
title. 1t might seem from this that,
IL agriculture is ever to show it's
due proportion of captains of in
dustry, it must be through the
building up of great estates, to the
sacrifice of the democracy whose
best experiment is the small farm.
But the steady growth of the
principle OF cooperation among
farmers, and its application in an
increasing variety of forms, would
appear to open before able and as
piring men such opportunities for
conspicuous leadership as make
those offered by the ownership ard
skillful management of a single big
estate, seem insignificant by COM
parison. The man who can take
the lead in encouraging, directing
and organizing the forces which
make for cooperation in an agri-
cultural community, will not only
be at the head of larger affairs than
any OF the aforesaid kings" but
he will perform a more beneficent
work. For while-as one of the
co-operators-he may we'll share in
the individual gains of co-opera-
ton, the main inspiration for his
endeavors must ever be lofty pub
lie spirit, which kindles everywhere
among his fellows a desire to help
one another" as the surest way of
advancing ones self.
Prior to 1882, Denmark was a
comparatively poor country; it's
farmers an ignorant peasantry; it's
agricultural resources undeveloped. |
In that year agricultural co-opera-
tion had its beginnings; and, in the |
thirty years which have since inter-
vened. it has wrought a complete
social and economic revolution. Not
only has Denmark now become, |
next to England, population con-
sidered) the richest country in Eu-
rope, but the whole population has
an educational and So
cial uplift. Hardly anywhere has
cooperation been developed in so
many phases. In II has been found
the key to universal prosperity.
What has been done in Denmark,
can be done. under efficient leader
ship in Minnesota, Texas. Califor-
mia, Maine and every other State in
the Union. American life, 1t is
true, Is already on far higher
plane than that of Denmark thirty
years ago; but the uplift which
comes from the development of CO.
operation should therefore be grand
er in relatively long period. And
the honor which shall come to the
captains of cooperation, who take
the lead in such development. shall
far outshine that which is bestowed
to-day on the captains of industry;
who, after all, are only the best
Representatives of the selfish indi-
we once gloriied, It
which is now recognized as mimi III
to the best interests of Ameri{ |
democracy. Minneapolis jour-