Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-03-05
WHEN FARMERS ARE BANKERS.

FOyneS, County Limerick, Ireland
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, as you know, must not be con-
fused with agriculturists. 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 rooms on upholstered chairs,
around polished Circassian walnut
tables. The Irish bankers we have
Just seen wore mud-bespattered
CLOTHES. They sat in pine foored
room, on rough chairs around rough
table upon which smoking, smelling
kerosene lamp cast dim light that
was almost a shadow.
Business Before History.
In our search for all that is good in
rural organization, we landed last
hight in Limerick. Limerick is a
mighty interesting city, founded by
the Danes a thousand years ago; a
city which Cromwell's forces could not
enter until the plague and starvation
had conquered the defenders who
could not be conquered by the sword;
Ia hfoH tn 1e0n with dfnnn
siege by King William, who was baf-
fled because the women of the city
fought with the men; city whence
came the wild geese who flew from
ireland to Spain and other southern
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 viii
lage of Foynes with its egg marketing
society and its farm credit assoc1a-
ton. So to Foynes we came this
afternoon through driving rain over
30 miles of the fine Irish roadWays
which days heavy rainfall can only
soften into slight slipperiness we
are under the guidance of A. M. Rid
die. an organizer and inspector of CO.
operative societies, employed by the
Irish Agricultural Organization so
,ciety; a bright, eager, energetlc'
atactful Irishman who, after long
study and years of hard work in CO.
operative societies throughout Europe,
knows cooperation from A to H.
h Farmers Who Are Bankers.
At seven o'clock on this rainy night
we found six of the seven 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 little sawmill, previously, school
teacher; another Is an intelligent ex'
member Of the Royal Irish constabu- |
larry; one operates successfully a
large rented farm; one is raiser OF |
FLOODED horses; one is sharp-tongued |
but. at heart, good natured farmer, |
who Is evidently believer in discreet |
kindliness concealed under apparent
hnrshness; one is a clerk in a mer-
camille establishment. The secretary
is a retired school teacher with good
working knowledge Of accounting and
business methods. -
How They Work.
The inspector had previously looked
over all the books and accounts and
had made memoranda of transactions
which needed explanation and of de-
linquencies calling for comment
Some Of the cases called will serve as
illustrations OF the character Of the
loans made as well as of the method
of inspection employed. They are IL
Illustrative also or the attitude of the
committee toward the borrower.
John O'Brien had taken four years
in which to repay q loan of IL pounds
The books showed that Immediately
upon the repayment of this first loan
another loan had been made to him.
To the inspector the second loan
seemed a loan to enable the borrower
TO repay the previous loan, and con-
seouently unwise and contrary TO the
rules. The committee showed, how
ever. that the mans slowness in re-
paying the first loan was due 70 sick,
mess and hard luck. !