Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-03-13
Operative Farm
Products Marketing
How 1t Is Done in Europe and May Be Done
tn America to the Profit of Both
Farmer and Consumer
WHEN FARMERS ARE BANKERS.
BY MATTHEW S. DupeEoN.
tcOpyrisht. lgl4. westefn Newspapsr Union.

AXE. BANKERS.
AS to another case, one of the mem
bers said: He's all right; he is 60
ing to be married, and it's fine girl
he gets and bit of money, about rs
pounds she'll bring him, too. and that
will help to pull him through and
make the payments"
OF another delinquent a member
said: "a sister was a long time all
ing, and after long sickness she
died, poor child. He's a fine boy, hon
est as the day is long. He's a decent
fellow. We can't crowd him. He's
had a hard time. He's doing all he
can. and will pay as sure as the sun
rises"
Buying Pigs.
OF another case the inspector said:
Here's a guard on the train who bor-
rowed money from us for the pur-
chase of pigs. He hasn't time to tend
hogs, has hep" Back came the reply:
"Sure, any of US that has a wife and
home can keep pigs if he wants to-.
It's as easy to keep pigs as it is to
keep home at ALL It appeared,
however, that no pigs had been
bought by the train guard; that rel
ative had bought pigs, presumably
with the money borrowed. There was
no danger at all as to the repayment
of the loan, the sureties being good.
Fraud had been practiced, however.
and the committee were not at all
complacent about their part in the
matter. feeling they had been too easy
in making the loan. This particular
brakeman would have a poor chance
If he ever asked for another loan. And
so the committee proceeded sympa-
thetically considering each individu-
al case, deciding each upon it's own
merits, irrespective of what are con-
sidered in America to be general
banking rules. 1t must be borne in
mind that the cases referred to were
q few delinquents among very large
humber which were promptly settled.
What Money Is Used For.
Many Of the loans had been for
the purchase of seeds and manures in
the previous spring. Some of the
members had purchased pigs; some
times COW was secured. One had
bought horse, one had built COW
shed. On the whole the rule that
loans could be made only for pro-
ductive and economic use was well OBJ
served.
tits hard to crowd the boys" said
one of the members. "Ah, that's the
trouble with US Irish," replied the in
spector. "But good business means
good business, although it is hard to
be harsh at ALL" South of Ireland
temperaments we're not altogether
convinced that harshness was wis
dom. and the answer came back: "Did
you ever know of harshness to be any
good at all?"
Some Harshness Necessary.
The inspector, who, in our previous
conversation with him, had seemed
the most easy tempered young man.
developed a considerable severity
when appearing before the committee
He kept insisting that the delinquent
debtors must be dealt with more
harshly and in a more business-like
way In several cases he advised i'm
mediate legal proceedings unless
something was done. He told them
that unless good business methods
prevailed new committee must be
appointed or that the society would
get into trouble and would be closed
out. The attitude was more or less
for effect upon the comhittee. The
man raised in this section of Ireland
is SO soft-hearted that he cannot be
harsh IN his own matters, and it is
indeed difficult for him to be business
like when business-like methods in
volve harshness. The committee took
the situation seriously to heart. how
ever, and the words of the inspector
had their effect for they promised that
more busiAess-like methods would pre-
vail in the future
Good Business Methods.
The inspector had not only full
knowledge of cooperative concerns
but WAS evidently in addition a skilled
accountant, and pointed out why the
books must be kept according to the
uniform system of accounts recon
mended by the Irish Agricultural Or
! ganization society. A must searching
annual audit of accounts is also re
quired performed by either an off
cial public auditor appointed undel
the Friendly Societies act or by per
/ sons selected by the members at the
annual meeting. Everywhere, as here
we have found that good business
and accounting methods are em
] ployed and that careful audits are in
sisted upon and considered necessar,
to the success of these societies. |
there Is any lack of these qualifica
tions in the farmers who are the bank
ers, the lack is supplied by the I. A
0. 8. through their inspectors and au
ditors.
Farmers Can Be Good Bankers.
We came somewhat doubling wheth
or a farmer could be banker. w
go away convinced that the farme,