American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1914-03-19

rhymes OOuuly LlueIlCh, Slduu-
We have just been in the presence OF
the best board of bankers that we ever
saw. They are all what the Wall
street clerk would call "rubes;" they
are "~hay-seeds." They are farmers
who, al you know, must not be con-
fused with agr%icultgrists. When we
think of American banks and bankers
we think Of the buildings which have
the finest fronts in town and of the
men who also put up the finest fronts.
We think of shrewd tellers who never
tell anything; Of cashiers who are
constantly upon the point of refusing
cash to those who need it most; Of
boards of directors who sit in softly
carpeted room on upholstered chairs,
around polished Circassian walnut
tables. The Irish bankers we have
just seen wore mud-bespattered
CLOTHES. They sat in a pine hoored
room, on rough chairs, around a rough
table upon which a smoking, smelling
kerosene lamp cast a dim light that
was almost a shadow.
Business Before History.
In our search for all that is good in
rural organization. we landed last
night in Limerick. Limerick is a
mighty interesting city, founded by
the Danes a thousand years ago; a
city which Cromwelrs forces could not
enter until the plague and starvation
had conquered the defenders who
could not be conquered by the sword;
a city which in 1890 withstood a
siege by King William, who was baf-
fed because the women of the city
fought with the men; a city whence
came the wild geese who few from
lands so they might indulge their war
like tastes which could no longer be
exercised in Ireland.
But just now more important than
historic Limerick is the modern vii
lage Of Foynes with its egg marketing
society and its farm credit associa.
ton. So to Foynes we came this
afternoon through a driving rain over
so miles Of the fine Irish roadways
which a days heavy rainfall can only
soften into slight slipperiness. We
are under the guidance OF A. NJ. Rid
die, an organizer and inspector of co
operative societies. employed by the
Irish Agricultural Organization so
ciety; a bright. eager, energetic
tactful Irishman who. after long
study and years OF hard work in CO
operative societies throughout Europe
knows cooperation from A to 2.
Farmers Who Are Bankers.
At seven o'clock on this rainy night
we found six of the sever members OF
the loan committee assembled in the
village clubhouse. Here are SIX
shrewd but kindly Irish gentlemen
who know their business thoroughly
Some of them have driven miles
through rain and wind. All are serv'
ing without pay. One is the manager
Of a little sawmill. previously, a school
teacher; another is an intelligent ex
member Of the Royal Irish constabu
larry; one operates successfully a
large rented farm; one is a raiser o.
/, Hooded horses; n is a sharp-tonguec
but. at heart, good natured farmer
!, ~ no is evidently a believer in discreet
-indliness concealed under apparent
harshness; one is a clerk in a mer
eantile establishment. The secretary
s a retired school teacher with a gooC
~orking knowledge of accounting anC
business methods.
How They Work.
The inspector had previously looked
over all the books and accounts ant
lad made memoranda of transaction
which needed explanation and Of de
. ~linQuencies calling for comment
: Some Of the cases called will serve a
illustrations of the character OF tn
loans made as well as of the metho'
of inspection employed. They are il
{ Illustrative also Of the attitude OF tn
}. committee toward the borrower.
John O'Brien had taken four year
5 IN which to repay a loan Of IL pounds
i The books showed that immediatel,
n upon the repayment Of this first loal
e another loan had been made to him
+ To the inspector the second loal
e seemed a loan to enable the borrowe
to repay the previous loan. and cor
n sequently unwise and contrary to tn
rules. The committee showed, how
ever. that the mans slowness In n
paying the first loan was due to sicl
ness and hard luck.