The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-05-22


In three years apprenticeship how TO
farm, has an opportunity TO learn how
to be citizen and patriot. But he
has not yet completed his school work
Upon the farm he has learned how TO
do things. He has yet to learn why.
So he goes to an agricultural college
and learns the theoretical and scien-
tiho why which is back of the prac-
tical how. This is the story of Den
marks farmer in the making, through
common school, apprenticeship, folk
high school and agricultural college.
one has put TO travel through the ru-
raj sections of Denmark TO satisfy
himself that the outcome of this
process Of education is a finished
product OF extremely high efficiency.
The State and the Farmer.
The Danish government is not chary
In the aid which 1t extends TO the farm
er. The aid, however, is always ex-
tended upon the fundamental theory
that the best way to help the farmer
Is to help him TO help himself. Pos
sibly In no other way has the govern
ment so greatly furthered the inter
ests OF agriculture as In assisting in
the acquisition by each farmer Of the
\ soil which he tills. Thanks to the
Joint activities Of the government and
the cooperative credit societies, II is
easy to buy a farm in Denmark.
II the would-be buyer has forty per
cent OF the price TO be paid for the
farm and all its equipment he may
apply TO a credit society for a loan of
sixty per cent of the value, the loan
to run for from forty-five to seventy
nine years, Each year the farmer pays
from four to six per cent of the prin-
cipal amount borrowed. This, how
ever, is not wholly interest, but in
cludes a small installment Of principal,
so that at the end OF the period for
which the money was borrowed not
only has the interest been kept up, but
the principal has been automatically
discharged.
There are, however, other forms of
loans even more advantageous to the
borrower, particularly If he be one OF
the poorer farm laborers. If such a
labot'er is anxious to become a land
owner on a small scale he may under
certain conditions, procure a loan for |
nine-tenths Of the purchase price OF |
the farm and equipment. The condi- |
tions which he must meet are: He |
must have been a farm laborer for |
five years (the law applies to women
on the farm as we'll as men): the
land must not exceed ten acres in ex-
tent, nor S2,14O in value; he must
work the farm in a scientific manner.
and must agree to follow a proper ro-
tation Of crops and, by the use OF
and otherwise insure the
continued productiveness of the land.
For the first five years the laborer
pays three per cent interest and moth
ng upon the principal. After that he
begins to add small percentage upon
he principal in order to discharge his
iebt. At no time, however, does the
otal annual payment for principal and
interest exceed four per cent Of the
AMOUNT borrowed
The government is back Of these CO.
operative credit societies. By benevo-
ent legislation II makes their organiza-
ion and operation possible; 1t assists
n supervision and inspection, and In
ONE cases it advances to the coop
rative society the funds out of which
he loans are made. There are in
Denmark about half a million families,
those in cities and villages
credit societies have a
of over two hundred thou
and-that is to say, two out Of every |
We families in the entire country |
eem to be represented in these CO. G
perative credit organizations. In !
act, 1t is because 1t is so easy to buy |
and in Denmark that the tenant is c
isappearing and the small land owner [
) taking his place. I
other Government Assistance. =
The government has also enacted +
luch other legislation calculated to q
erve the interests of the farmer. 1t :
as regulated carefully the manu- :,
lcture and sale Of margarine, so that =
is impossible to import or export
r sell it under any false representa- >
on that 1t is butter 1t has regulated :
le quality Of butter and has forbidden :
le export of butter containing more r.
ian sixteen per cent water, OF butter -
II the preservation o. which anything !,
.her than common salt is used, Of
utter colored with any substance de-
we'd from coal tar. All butter must
ave been made from milk or cream
hich has been pasteurized; it must
ave been made in an inspected dairy;
must have upon it the Danish label
its quality.
The sanitary condition in the cream
les, the method Of packing, and the
'ocess of the sale of butter, are thor
lghly controlled by government an-
ority. II any dairy which has bean
lthorized by the government to use
Danish label for It's product violates
ly regulation or law the minister of Il
yriculture has the right to take away, W
ther temporarily or permanently, al
q authorization to use the national al
ade mark. Butter from foreign h,
nds must not be marked in any way W
imply that it has been made In W
and those wishing to import tC
liter must make a declaration and la
properly registered. III
Cooperation Chief Factor. p
Those familiar with the. conditions -
Denmark concede that the educa- y
IN of the farmer has contributed