Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1913-03-21

@auon being used to improve social
conditions. In the terms of orr
lIlSh formula, the problem of rural
iiie Is to be solved by better farm
ihg' better business, better living '
ana you must begin with better bust
ness.
what have told you so far is sim
ply the story of Ireland's attemnt IN
give up the agricultural economy INV
winch l mean the whole method of
DONG the farmers business) which
OBTAINS in the British Isles in favor
OF the agricultural economy which
was enabling the continental farmers
to beat the Irish farmers in sunnlv-
ing the British markets. And here
thlnk 1t well to say a few words
about the origin of the difference
between the agricultural economies
OF the English speaking countries
ana OF the continental countries.
The relegation of agriculture to a
subordinate position in the national
economy dates from the Industrial
revolution which began in England
IN the latter half of the eighteenth
century. 1t happened that in those
days England, owing to her insular
position, was the only country which
was free to make full use of steam
power and of the succession of me-
oAanlcal inventions, beginning with
the spinning jenny, which e.-',-.;+-t-
ed for the scattered industries, once
regarded as subsidiary to agriculture,
the concentrated manufacture of the
modern city. That was the begin
ming of the rural exodus which is
still draining the agricultural popu-
lation of it's best element. At the
same time the social and economic
well-being of the city populations be-
came the almost exclusive concern of
philanthropic effort and constructive
craftsmanship. The Idea became
rooted in the English mind and DOM
mates the English speaking peoples
that a nations political and military
strength depend upon industrial de-
Velopment at home and commercial
expansion abroad, and that to those
ends all other considerations must
give place.
In the Continental countries of
Europe the necessity of maintaining
Il military regime no doubt retarded
industrial development; but on the
other hand it compelled governments
to give as much attention to the
needs of the rural as to those of the
urban population. Thus we find that
quite as much attention was given in
these countries to the education re-
qnired to fit the farmer for his in
dustry as was given in the cities to
the education of the commercial and
industrial classes. AS the result of
this policy, the agricultural economy
of such countries as France, Ger
many Austria-Hungary, Belgium,
Denmark and the North of Italy is
wholly different from, and, l think
it might be added, vastly superior to,
that which exists in the United States
and other English speaking countries.
However opinions may differ as
to the cause, l do not think there
will be any questioning the fact that
while in these continental countries
the farmers are applying methods Of
combination to their business, in the
United States, where the organiza-
ton of business has been brought to
the highest perfection, the farmers,
speaking generally, have signally
failed to adopt methods of combina-
ton | attribute this not so much
to their failure to recognize the
need for combination as to a gen
eral attitude of mind which has UNI
fitted them for organized action. In
the Identification (if l may coin
such a word) of all thought, it has
been assumed that the form of com
hination suitable to town business
must be suitable to country business3
which it is not. The ordinary joint
stock corporation is pooling of
business for more economic or eff
eient conduct or an investment Of
capital for profit. The great major
ity of those who join it part with all
control of their business. The farm
ers combination is wholly different
in its purpose. He who enters 1t
does not wish to part with his busi-
ness or with its control, and he does
not seek an investment for his cap
ital. He joins with his neighbors
with the sole object of bettering the
conditions under which he conducts
his own business. Hence, ii the
combination is organized on the
Joint stock or capitalistic basis it
usually breaks down-here | am