Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1914-05-21

Copenhagen, Denmark.-HoW mas
Denmark. little country with less
than fifteen thousand square miles Of
area. established itself as one Of the
best agricultural centers in the world?
Why is It that Denmark produces the
best butter. the best bacon. the best
eggs. that have ever been placed upon
the markets OF Europe? How can this
little country export each year fifty
odd million dollars worth Of butter,
over four million dollars worth Of
cream and milk, thirty odd million dol
lars worth OF the finest bacon and
eight million dollars worth Of eggs?
Denmark has no rich mines, no great
forests. no water power. The soil,
the one resource, Is not naturally fer
tile. In fact, Denmark Is q low-lying
expanse OF wind.swept sand dunes,
with here and there small stretches
o: richer SOIL Much Of its more pro-
ductive soil is the result Of scientific
drainage, fertilization and rotation Of
crops. Chilling winds sweep over the
country the year around, and these.
with the prevailing fogs. render the
climate an inhospitable one.
Man has been no kinder than nature
TO this little country. In the eight
Centh century the nobility and the
crown owned all the valuable lands,
while the peasantry were either serfs
OF tenants under impossible condi-
tons. Export duties made foreign
commerce Improbable. Early in the
nineteenth century economic condi-
lions had only begun to improve when
re Napoleonic wars again spread dis
aster and poverty over the country.
S:,ll a little later Denmark's Ger
manic neighbors to the south took
from the already small nation the
province Of Schleswig. Holstein. Then
Germany. in the early eighties, built
rp a high tariff wall which excluded
Danish products. The commerce upon
which the people depended for their
revenues was gone. and the country
vas still again grievously stricken.
It's Present Prosperity.
Yet today, in spite Of all these handi.
caps, Denmark is in proportion to Its
population the wealthiest country in
Europe. Eighty-nine per cent Of the
agrlculturists own their own land. Her
farmers have been called the best
farmers and the most skilled rural
business men in the world. Rural
Denmark produces the best bacon, but
ter and eggs ever produced; their pigs
turn feed into pork more scientifical'
ly than the porkers Of any other ma
ton; their hens lay more eggs, and
their cows are more effective as milk
and butter producing machines. These
farmers have worked out a system Of
cooperative marketing SO effective
that II is estimated that over ninety
per cent OF what the consumer pays
for Danish farm products actually
reaches the pocket.book Of the man
WIZ produces it-a rather significant
.3glre compared with the generally
ACCEPTED estimate that the American
farmer gets only from thirty-five to
fo- ;y-six per cent OF what the city con-
Gumer pays for his product.
How has Denmark reached this posi-
ton agriculturally? Why is it that she
cGn produce the best bacon, butter and
cyGs? The answer seems to be: First,
bacsuse she has an efficient educa-
t.onfl system; second, because the
government is giving aid which, while
elective. is not unduly paternalistic;
thirG. because OF cooperation.
Danish Farmer an Educated Man.
It takes brains to raise the most
s.is.ocratic sort Of products that are
produced in Denmark No ignorant
peovle could take the bleak. sandy
plstag OF Denmark and make great
gardens Of them, gardens supporting q
rp,srdid aggressive. progressive, pros
porous race. 1t requires native
gh7ewdness to do these things, but II
requires something more. It requires
In addition scientific agricultural
knowledge a big conception Of the agri-
cultural possibilities Of the country and
a generous loyalty to state and COM
aggregate Of qualities that
none but an educated man possesses.
And the Dane is indeed in very truth
In every sense Of the word an educated
man. He has been trained to make
the best use Of himself and Of his en-
As a boy be was compelled BY law
20 attend schnal until be was fourteen.