Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-11
DAVID LUBlN
kNEMcAN DELEGATE
TbIHE INTERNATIONAL lNSu-
TUrE OfAGR1cULTURE AT RTE
M1ERE 1HE CORRESPONDENT
Its STUDIES

are harvested, the farmer is bound to sell
them through the merchant at the latters
prices.
No part of the Union is more dependent
upon the farmers for healthy develop
ment than the south, and it is easily UNI
derstood that the farmers could not be
reused to their best efforts SO long as the
local merchant continued to exact this
pound of flesh from every harvest.
study of the question, however, early
made 1t clear that the farmers of the
south were not the only ones handicap
ped by a lack of financial resources.
The annual tightness of money in the
crop moving season proved to be per-
feet demonstration of the need of an ade-
Quate agricultural credit system. The
American mortgage systems proved to be
an antiquated affair thrown aside by
European countries q century ago. So
the work was taken up as national I'M
dertaking
David Lubin. founder and American
delegate 10 the International Institute of
Agriculture at Rome, had for years been
unsuccessfully endeavoring to get hear
ing for his hobby of agricultural Coop
Grafton. Washington persisted in turning
a deaf ear to his pleading. The Southern
Commercial Congress learned Of his ef-
forts and induced the State Department
to call him to the United States to ex-
plain the European systems to their dele
gates in conference at Nashville, Tenn.
This was in April, 1912.
An Irishman, Sir Horace Plunkett. who
had secured the adoption of agricultural
credit systems among the Irish farmers,
had conducted a commission of Irishmen
through Europe to observe the operations
Of the continental systems. Lubin thought
that this would be the best way to bring
the matter before the attention of the
American public. Consequently it was
decided to- form an American commits
sion to have at least two delegates from
every state. The American commission
is the result. Three-fourths of the states
OF the Union are represented.
While this work was being pushed
ahead others were busy at the same
task from different directions. Myron T.
Herrick of Ohio had taken up the study
of agricultural credit from the bankers
viewpoint. About three years ago Mr.
Herrick had spent year In Germany and
had studied the German systems then.
He appeared before the American Bank
ers' Association and succeeded in having
a committee OF that organization appoint
ed to investigate the question.
Later he interested President Taft in
the matter, and when Mr.. Herrick was
appointed ambassador to France he was
given the direction of the government in
veStigation which was carried on through
the diplomatic officers. In October. 1872.
President Taft called the subject to the
attention of the governors Of the states
and the Southern Commercial Congress
was asked to provide speakers for the
conference of governors held at Rich
mond last December. Gov. ONeal of Ala
barna made the address at the invita-
ton of the congress
r
y
When the governors We're the guests OF
the President at the White House to con-
fer upon agricultural credit Senator
Fletcher president of the Southern Com
mercial Congress. explained the investi-
cation to be undertaken by the Ameri-
can commission a committee of nine