The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-09-09

arHterS Convention. Ladies and
tcntiemen:
rise invitation extended TO ME Nv
your PRESIDENT to speak before this
convention is not considered by me =
personal compliment, but an evidence
~ NoJr desire to have placed before
his body a brief personal report from
ont ~ your representatives upon the
american Commission to investigate
agricultural conditions in Europe. You
ua,c already followed the
accoGnts which stated that the Amer
can mission, consisting of about
TO persons representing thirty-six
states Of the American Union and
four provinces Of Canada. visited
itaiy. Hungary. Austria. Germany.
France, England and Ireland. You
are also aware hat small commits
Sons we're sent by the main BODY to
visit Russia, Switzerland. Belgium.
iiuliand, Denmark. Sweden. Scotland
and Spain. The general plan followed
~ the commission was to hold pub
lie sessions in the capital cities OF the
various countries for two or three
d"ys. at which sessions public men
delivered addresses on the subjects
apon which they were most qualified
and were thereafter questioned at
great length by the commission. After
securing all the testimony available
n this way, the commission divided
INTO groups Of from 5 to 10 persons
and travelled by train and autono-
lille. We personally met the farmers
face 10 face and examined their CO.
operative banking institutions and
ether cooperative enterprises.
All in all we secured a tremendous
volume of very valuable testimony.
This testfmonyawy awayyaopawyyoa
This testimony, consisting Of several
thousand pages. is now being properly
assembled at Washington, d. c., By
u committee appointed by the com
mission, and, during the latter part
Of November. it is hoped that the of.
ticial report Of the committee can be
placed in the hands of the farmer:
Uf America.
You also understand that a grea,
majority Of the American Commission
incurred their own amount
ing in most cases to as much as 81,
500, 90. or a general total Of perhap
SEQ, 10000 expended by your owl
people to secure this infOr
nation. In addition to the expense
paid by your own members. the Gov
ernments Of the various EurOpeal
countries probably expended at leas
1900. 0o0.00 toward collecting this in
formation for the commission and fo
the proper entertainment Of the com
mission.
THESE matters have been called I
yuur attention in order that YOU ma
form Il complete idea Of the serious
.t.SS of the work done by the Amer
can Commission. This great BODY c
representative persons. mostly mad
w of farmers ami agriculturallSt
have contributed very largely of the
time ana their substance FOR me gel
sral benefit Of our country. The
aSf and expect no personal reWar
further than the simple conscIousnes
that their Investigations in FuroI
have contributed greatly to the world
information about cooperation an
in me lone run. V+n Re Of great Walt
in helping the American farmer
industrial agriculture in America al
bring the production of our own coui
try W. to the highest standard of G.
c~eiience existing in European coul
tries. Throughout continental Eurol
agriculture IL triumphant. taruilI
L. on top. while in our own country
is a well-established fact that u pr
duct3on per acre is less than any cou1
GN ~ the world except R.iSSaa- =
less we mend our ways il is a safe pr
dlction that in the next ten years '
viii be sending to Europe for suppli
20 feed our own people. we are icd
1rE the world in and lnou
Try, bat there are a great many leSSo
IL rural credits. agricultural produ
uor. marketing and country LIE tn
W may we'll learn from our frlen
across the seas. Pending the ofhcl
report Of the com mittee III NOVemD
am. Of course. not only
&C. express my own views. At tt
TIME. | would not like to be understo
aN speaking for the entire Com mlssHc
Ia the few months Of time ailott
To- me tonight. | will attempt TO q
you Il general IDEA of the WORK OF I
commission. and will attempt TO G
I" Your attention, only in a most se
-ral way. a few general bservatlo
regard TO cooperation. In the N
place. We can learn from our Eur
lean friends.
desperation Means.
organized seif-heip. avs Sir Ht
ace Plunkett, is the best dehMition
eo-operation." Everywhere in =
rope 1T was found that the triunnQna
march Of agriculture was due mall