American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-04-02
SAVING RURAL IRELAND


has become so great that there was
need OF a central society to carry on
the work which had heretofore been
done by volunteer propagandists.
The I. A. o. S.
There was needed an organization
which should help rural communities
organize their marketing and business
processes, be a central federation OF
all existing societies, and become a
supervisor Inc auditor of their busi-
ness methods. Such a society is the
Irish Agricultural society. At It's
head has been and is Sir Horace
Plunkett. who has been the John the
Baptist of the gospel of cooperation in
ireland. He is ably assisted by the
secretary, Mr.. R. A. Anderson, a man
of rare executive ability and OF emil
nent common sense. Associated in the
movement also is Mr.. George w. Rus
sell. brilliant journalist and editor of
the Irish Homestead, a nan who is
practical as we'll as a poet and painter.
The vice-president of the organization
is Rev. Father Thomas A. Finlay, pro-
lessor of economics in the National
University at Dublin, a Catholic priest
who has a most are and kindly
knowledge of human nature, combined
with a splendid head for the details of
the business of the cooperative organi-
cation.
Seldom has so we'll balanced a quar-
tet of men been associated together in
n economic movement. They are
in very fact a power for the business
regeneration of rural Ireland. Practic-
ally all Of the cooperative societies in
Ireland have been organized by the L.
A. o. 8. It's organizers meet with the
promoters of a news society and give
them the benefit of the experiences of
the older societies. They furnish a
set Of rules, advise as to equipment,
install a system Of bookkeeping and
good business methods. The society
has a staff of skilled, experienced men
who are organizers, editors and inspec-
Tors. To it cooperative societies make
certain definite reports. To 1t they
constantly go for advice and council
and over them it maintains a most
complete power of audit. The func-
ton of the society is to unity and CO.
ordinate, to inspect, to audit, to advise.
II has been it's achievement to pilot
all cooperative organizations through
the struggles and difficulties inherent
in the initiation of the movement to Ill
innate success. Always and every
where the society insists on good bust
ness methods, upon the most effective
----t1-, - o1OannffnU nnnn fair and
broad-minded dealings with all con-
cerned. and upon the maintenance OF
The highest quality in all products.
American cooperation must have a
similar central society if it is to be
effective.
During the parliamentary ecess of
1885, through the efforts of this same
statesman, Sir Horace Plunkett, there
vas brought together a committee OF
representative men of various parties
md creeds. who later presented a pc
tition to the government praying for
the institution of a state department
which would fulfil the functions of a
ministry of agriculture for Ireland
these proposals were embodies in a
law enacted in 1899 and Immediately
thereafter the department Of agricul
ture, with Sir Horace Plunkett at its
head. began it's career Of education
The present head of the department
u agriculture and technical instruc
ton" as it is now termed, is the Hon
Thomas W. Russell.
Agricultural Wholesale Society.
AS was but natural, the cooperative
organizations, after they had estab
lished themselves and began furnish
ing a product of high quality, founC
hat the individual managers Of th'
separate societies had not facilities
for obtaining a knowledge of the mar
lIet. To understand fully the condition
in all markets to which Irish product
might reasonably be expected to hav'
access was too large a task for eacl
scattered organization to undertake
for itself. Consequently the Irish Ag
ricultural Wholesale society, limited
5egan business. At first it confines
Itself to the marketing of Irish prod
ucts. Later, when local cooperative
societies found trouble in gettinI
goods of high quality at r~easonabl
prices, the organization took up tn
iobbing business as a side issue. Nov
it maintains two branches, one-seventl
of its business is performed as a jot
Der, s~ix-sevenths of its business is maj
) keting Irish goods. About one-third o
!. the Irish products handled go acros
the channel to England and Scotland