New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-21
FRENCH AID TO THE LAND
Americans Studying Rural
Credit Scheme in France.
INTENSIVE SYSTEM SOON
Former Minister Of Agriculture
Thinks Country Will Soon
Lead in Produce Exports.
From The rribun. Correspondent

From The Tribune Correspondent
! Paris, Sept. l2-The study OF Frencf
! financial methods dealing with agricuit'
ure has occupied the attention OF al
American commission for some time past
| In this work MIR. Herrick, the American
| Ambassador, has lent much valuable aid
| The labors Of the commission In so vas
field may not be completed, however
| for some time 10 come The question OF
! the very efficient land credit banks has
| occupied the attention and interest or the
I commission 20 a considerable degree. the
studies OF the commission having beer
much directed to the possibility of intro
ducng into the United States a similar
system of allowing monetary advances or
credit for the development of agricultural
! produce
Foreigners have often envied the variety
OF French agricultural products. showing
the completeness OF IT'S alimentary re-
sources. France is not so great granary
, of wheat as the United States or Russia,
or even Manitoba. but untn recent years
this country has been able TO meet the
requirements Of the population within It's
borders in wheat and other cereals Sew
eral bad seasons. however have rendered
necessary the importation Of little
wheat. and the colony Of Algeria has sup
plemented deficient vintages I'm the moth
erlaud Yet. on the whole. France suf-
Gees for her own needs
The customs laws protect the produce Of
the country with unsuitable frmness and
even last year when there was a heavy
falling off I'm the wheat CROP the sup
porters Of protection in Parliament re-
fused 10 allow any appreciabe CONCESSION
20 imported foodstuffs. Notwithstanding
the outcry that bread in many crowded
centres was approaching famine prices.
But France exports cereals In various
manufactured forms and is compelled 10
counterbalance this exodus after a bad
season by an equivalent quantity import
cd In normal years the home supply
meets the general needs without impor-
tation.
Land Industry transformed.
NJ. PANS. a recent Minister OF Agricult-
ure. eulogized the agriculture OF France
Just a year ago in these terms when clos
Ing the agricultural exhibition OF BourSes
Your Initiative shows that a fine agri-
cultural industry IL rapidly developing;
the transformation Of the land industry OF
France appears 10 be not far of. and one
feels that an event OF world import Is not
FAR distant. France will reap "a great ad-
vantage from this transformation. We
shall succeed In making the productive
soil OF France 30 remuneTative that this
country will become the leading nation
for the export OF agricultural crops.
In years OF .hortness the customs ou-
ties should be nothing more than COM
pensatlon rate 10 protect foocstufis nero
lv I'm the measure OF what Is necessary
In order 20 balance prices With foreign
competitors"
The new conditions that must Interest
specially the American visitors no"
STUDYING the subject with view TO pro-
posing certain financial measures for the
benefit OF American agriculture Include
mutual cooperation by small agricuItur-
lists 10 obtain in common new mechanical
contrivances and motive power 70 exploit
their Industry The other Is the recent
ana SUCCESSFUL 4l4Nl w AANNtS't - '@o''~-'N
ural banks or facilities with the branch
houses OF the great credit banks OF
France 70 be able to obtain monetary ad-
vances on acceptable terms when needfuL
The Associations Agricoles" are des-
tined to play a big part In the develop
ment Of French agriculture. District
banks known as Caisses Regionales are
allowed by a recent law to lend money
10 cooperative associations for the sale
Of agricultural produce. During the sec
ond year after the PRONUNCIATION Oh inc
law these societies received money ad-
vanccs showing an increase OF more thah
100000 francs over the nrst tWe!Ve
months following its introduction. The in
surance societies against FIRE and other
accidents also present a remarkaDle
growth Reinsurance IS Distinguishing
feature. and as far back as the year lsIi
si,.ty-hve companies OF reinsurance had
3.4l3 local societies affiliated with them
which insured capital OF nearly
ga 0l,p 0i0