Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-02-04

CuedpGr. AS a result Lu6 consumer
will profit. This is particularly true If
the eggs are, under cooperation, pro-
duced at less cost and with less waste.
1t will be readily understood that II
the farmer finds that egg producing
is a profitable enterprise the quantity
of eggs produced will vastly increase.
Comprehensive figures for Ireland are
difficult to obtain. but this has proved
true in Denmark. In 1895, according
to official figures, there was exported
from Denmark something less than
$2.000,000 worth Of eggs. Fourteen
years later, when cooperative market
ing had demonstrated the profit that
was in the business, there was ex-
ported in one year nearly 100000
worth of eggs. Wolf states that while
in 1898 the number of hens kept in
Denmark was about 100000, in 1911
the figure had reached the 100000
mark. 1t is significant that while the
number of hens had only a little more
than doubled the value of the yield
had become nearly four-fold. This
was largely the result of the fact that
poultry was kept had greatly improved
the laying ability of each hen. The
same sort Of thing is occurring every
where In Continental Europe. In Ger
many, in France, in Belgium in Italy,
cooperative societies have undertaken
the marketing Of eggs with great
profit to the farmer and with consid-
cradle satisfaction to the consumer.
Democratic Management.
All the Offices Of the concern. are
In the hands Of officers elected by the
members. tits a most democratic or
ganization. Every man has one vote.
no man has more. The member who
markets eggs produced by a dozen
hens has as many votes as he who
owns a thousand layers. In Dunglow.
and elsewhere as we'll, they consider
this zone man one vote plan essen:
tial "The man should vote" they
soy, mot his money"
They pay good price in cash for
the eggs. And when the annual set
Element comes there Is always a divi-
dend to investors. But those who
have invested their money, much or
little, get only five per cent. No So
ciety under the supervision Of the
Irish Agricultural Organization society
is permitted to pay dividends upon
shares in excess Of that percentage.
What Is left is distributed to the mem
bers in proportion to the amount Of
eggs they have, marketed through the
cooperative society. 1t goes as an
additional price paid for eggs.
z: These two principles are considered
fundamental and essential; first. one
man one vote: second, all profits, in
excess of small dividend to investors
must go to those who contributed to
the profits by furnishing the product
"a. Why Not In American
Why hasn't this sort of thing been
done in America? It isn't because
the American farmer and his wife do
not need the money. They do. It
isn't because there Is no demand for
good eggs. Eggs were never 80 much
in demand and buyers are more par
ticular than ever about quality. The
strictly fresh eggs find buyers every
where. The fact Is there Is no good
reason why American farmers should
not do business as intelligently as
Irishmen. Some of them do, but not
many. It takes no capital and can be
done on a small scale. s5,.
Interview With Or. Mccarthy. Il
Dr.. Charles Mccarthy, who is look
ink over the Dunglow cooperative sit
uation, has studied cooperation not
only in Ireland, but in Italy, Germany,
Belgium, Denmark and elsewhere.
No one knows better than he condi-
lions abroad and at home. He under,
stands American rural conditions as
few understand them. In his opinion
cooperative organizations that exist
in Dunglow will do just as we'll in
Massachusetts or Minnesota as they
do in Ireland. One thing, however,
the farmer must learn and must learn
thoroughly. That is, that simple Co
operation will not make over q bad
business man into good business
man nor will 1t make egg packing or
any other farm industry profitable.
Along with cooperation must come
good business methods. good book
keeping, good craftsmanship, careful
packing full knowledge of the market
copyright. 1914. Western Newspaper Union.)
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