Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-06-26

Copenhagen, Denmark. - Co-opera-
tive enterprises have revolutionized
agricultural Europe and now dominate
the rural life OF the entire continent
Without cooperation the Belgian
would not be the efficient agricultur-
list which he is; Germany would not
have developed its agricultural posi-
bilitles to the point where its home
grown food supply is so nearly self
SUFFICIENT Denmark would not be ex-
porting sixty million dollars worth Of
the best dairy products in the world;
Ireland would not be facing the future
with a hopefulness to which she has
been a stranger ever since her lands
were confiscated as q result Of the
early wars.
Belgium has 1900 rural organiza-
lions representing membership OF
100000. At Luvalne we saw a single
federation of cooperative farmers
league which represented a member
ship of over $4,000 and did a business
mounting into the millions. In Ger
many 1t is estimated that there are
cieties OF various kinds and every so
ciety, with true German thoroughness
Of organization federated, affiliated.
and associated until together they
form an industrial unit with a men,
bership of over Ave million. In Dem
mark one out of every four inhabi-
tants belongs to q society engaged in
some cooperative activity. One man
will belong to eight or ten different
cooperative societies. each society
performing some necessary function
in the economic life OF the individual
Permeates Danish Life.
To illustrate how cooperation per
meates Danish rural life: At Freder.
lckssund while visiting the co-opera
tive bacon factory we came in con
tact with little group OF farmers and
their wives who were inspecting the
factory-the factory of which they
we're part owners. Upon getting them
In conversation we discovered that II
that little group Of 70 persons, ~ diff
ferent cooperative organizations were
represented. These were a co-opera
tive bacon factory, cooperative egl
export organization, a cooperative
store, an organization for the cooper
alive purchase of fertilizers; a coop
erative fire insurance society, a CO
operative life insurance society, a 80
ciety for the insurance of animals
another society for the insurance o
| toIz
tive credit society, farmers water
works company and an electrical sup
| ply company. All of these men ant
women we're from the farm and wer,
of the ordinary type of farmers, Meth
err rich nor poor but a thoroughly rep
judging from our inquiries, that Il
any group OF a similar number woult
have been found representatives of
similar number of cooperative enter
prises.
In Ireland we found, that co-opera
ton, under the leadership of Sir HoI
ace Plunkett ably seconded by Rev
Thomas A. Finlay, George w. Rus
sell, and R. A. Anderson, has revolU
tionized rural Ireland. In fact cooper
alton and the opportunities whic
have come from the new land tenur
laws have well nigh remoulded tn
Irish race itself It il evident that 4
many sections his economic welfar
has been so well served that the Irisl
man Ii even losing his pugnacfty. H
Is no longer necessarily agin tn
government" but is becoming a we
contented citizen more intent upon hi
economic situation than upon his D,
litical surroundings He is losing hi
interest in politics and we talked I
many who seemed loath even TO di
cuss SO important a question as tn
home rule bin which was then pendin
and over which the politicians weT
becoming excited. The land tenuT
law has made 1t possible for him I
secure a home; co cooperation has mad
1t possible for him to secure a home
cooperation has made 1t possible Il
him to feed and clothe his family
No one can make such a trip Of Il
vestigation as we have made withol
becoming convinced that into Amer
can rural life must come some form !
cooperative enterprise. II Il costs :
much to take the farm produce fro
the farm to the city consumer as
does to produce il land this IS an q
mitted faet) II necessarily follows hi
cur distributive system IL wonderful
wasteful How long will the intel
gent American farmer tolerate a 81
tenn which nets him Is 70 so per Gel
Of the retail price Of his farm produ
after he knows that the Danish farm
A - . fsteTa 1var ngnztw mar cent