The Harrison times., 1914-05-16


raj sections of Denmark to satisfy
himself that the outcome Of this
process Of education is a finished
product Of extremely higA 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, 1t is
easy to buy 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
laborer Is anxious to become a land
owner on a small scale he may under
certain conditions, procure loan for
nlne-tenths Of the purchase price Of
the farm and equipment, The condl.
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 well as mem; the
land must not exceed ten acres in ex-
tent, nor $2,140 in value; he must
work the farm in a scientific manner,
and must agree to follow a proper ro-
tatlon of crops and, by the uee Of
manures and otherwise, insure the
continued productlveness Of tho land.
For the first FIVE years the laborer
pays three per cent interest and moth.
ing upon the principal. After that he
begins to add small percentage upon
the principal In order to discharge his
debt, At no time however, does the
total 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.
lent legislation II makes their organlza.
tIon and operation possible; It assists
In supervision and inspection, and in
some cases II advances to the coop.
eratlye society the funds out OF which
tho loans are made, There are In
Denmark about half million families,
including those In cities and villages,
Cooperative credit societies have q
membership Of over two hundred thou.
sdnd-that Is to say, two out Of every
ilve families In the entire country
soom to bo represented In these CO.
operative credit organizations In
fact, II Ia because II Ia 80 easy TO buy
land In Denmark that the tenant Is
disappearing and the small land owner
Is taking his place,
Other Government Assistance.
The government has also enacted
much other legislation calculated to
serve the interests Of the farmer, II
has regulated carefully the manu-
facture and sale Of margarine, 30 that
II Is impossible to import or export
or sell II under any false repreaonta'
ton that II Ia butter II has regulated
tho quality Of butter and has forbidden
the export Of butter containing more
than sixteen per cent water, of butter
for tho preservation Of which anything
other than common salt In used, OF
butter oolorcd with any substance do
rived from coal tar All butter must
have been made from milk or cream
which has been paBteursed; It must
have been made In an inspected dairy;
II must have upon II tho Danish label
guaranteeing itB quality
Tho sanitary condition In the cream
cries, the method OF packing, and the
process Of the sale Of butter, are thor
oughly controlled by government Ou'
thorlty, II any dairy which has boon
authorized by the government TO uao
u Danish label for lta product ylolatoa
any regulation or law the minister OF
agriculture has the right to take away
either temporarily or permanently
the authorization to use the national
trade mark, Butter from foreign
lands must not bo marked In any way
to Imply that II has been made In
Denmark, and those wishing to Import
butter must make a declaration and
be properly registered
Cooperation chief Factor,
Those familiar with the conditions
IN Denmark ooncodo that tho oduco'
tIon OF tho farmer has contributed
.