The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-02-27

/ he had made Of II. Before the coop
efative society was organized" he
said, 1T was difficult to procure fer
tilizers. While the department OF ag
riculture analyzed the soils and
taught the farmers, by bulletin and
otherwise, the elements which must
enter into fertilizers It was absolutely
impossible for the tenant to procure
OF the dealers fertilizer containing
these elements in proper proportion
Fertilizers were high too"
Now, as he explained, the co-opera,
tive societies buy the elements going
into the fertilizers and themselves
mix them IN the proper proportions.
The cooperative association not only
guarantees the quality OF the fertilizers
furnished to their members, but sells
them at greatly reduced price. That
they are better than the manures pur-
chased of the regular traders is evil
denced by the actual effects upon the
crops
Cooperative Credit.
II was evident that in Meeghan's es-
timation the greatest benefit to the
members Of the local organization is
from the credit society branch Of It.
The farmers in this vicinity had been
well taught and were anxious to i'm
prove their stock to get better imple-
ments TO use commercial fertilizers
properly compounded, to plant better
seeds. Before the cooperative credit
association was organized they were
unable to do anything Of this sort
Since the cooperative organization
has been in operation, however, 1t is
easy TO get from the society a small
loan for any Of these purposes and the
farmers were in consequence steadily
improving their property. In other
words he seemed TO think that the i'm
in rural agricultural meth
DDS which we see everywhere would
have been absolutely impossible with
out this little local credit society.
Meeghan himself through loans Sc
cured Of the cooperative credit society
had been enabled to purchase blooded
stock and had bought improved imple-
ments and tested seeds.
We found upon our return to the vii
age that school was just closing and
Quinn went with US to his home, which
although modest, was as trim and com
Portable as any village home which we
have ever been privileged to visit in
America. He talked freely of the af-
fairs Of the society, showed US the
books and records and explained the
methods and practices employed in the
cooperative conduct Of the business.
A Simple Organization.
The cooperative society has no
headquarters and consequently has no
rent 10 pay. The home Of the secre- |
AIRY is the Office Of the society. There
he banking business as well as the
other affairs Of the society are con-
lucted by him out Of school hours. The
little society has 500 members, each
member having one share upon which |
ne has advanced about sixty cents.
The credit society branch of the CO.
operative association, has 161 mem
Jers,
THE society meets" he said, -four
lines each year. At those times the !
members give US orders for these
FOODS which we handle comparatively, |
seeds, manures, implements !
md occasionally other articles We
90 over the old accounts and arrange |
or their payment or extension. We |
ak over the plans of the society. We |
consult about local farm problems, |
bout seeds, manures and rotation OF |
rops, exchanging ideas as to methods |
II meeting various questions that |
rise. There is no cooperative store .
lere and we never keep articles in
tock. We order seeds, manures or
Implements and notify the farmer
When they arrive. He takes care of
hem generally within twenty-four
lours. We can do this because most |
II our members are near by. We get
little cheaper and of bet
er quality than do the regular traders.
n nothing, however, has the improve
nent in quality been so marked as in
eeds and manures.
How Farmers Bank Loans Money.
Our organization loans money to
is members at 51z per cent. To de-
'ositors we give three per cent on all
deposits We thus do business upon
. margin Of 21a per cent. On the 9TH
II hand the joint stock bank nearest
lere charges 6A per cent. interest,
tut pays only ~ per cent. interest on
deposits. They require a margin of
our per cent. on which to do business.
lot only have the joint stock banks a
WIDER margin on the loans, but the
worst of 1t is you cannot get loan
rom Joint stock bank for more than
hree months. They never loan for
onger than that time although some
lines, OF course, they will grant re-
lewals. The trouble is that these re-
lewals are hard on the farmer. These
'anks are only in the larger places.
Jery often the farmer has to go some
distance, take his suretes with him,
'ay their expenses, give them their
Inner. and am afraid sometimes