The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-01-30

eggs. which is generally about half
OF their entire money income Before
we took hold however, egg raising
was not al all profitable. There was
no steady market. the farmers did not
understand poultry, and no one had
any ambition to learn anything about
il. They didn't take care OF their
eggs we'll and few were sold.
Previously the local price was two
OF three pence less than the price
quoted In the nearest market in Straw
bane and Derry. Now the prices paid
are from one 70 two pence above the
prices quoted in these markets. In
other words. we have increased the
value of a dozen eggs from three to
four pence (six TO eight cents). For
the entire district, this amounts to
quite a sum. You must remember
also that while we purchased only
one-tenth OF the eggs sold in this par
ish. the fact that we at Dunglow are
paying the prices which we pay has
made It necessary for every other
buyer in the entire parish to pay the
same price,
Irish Lace and Knitted Goods.
Our cooperative company looks af.
ter a good many things besides sell
ing eggs and butter. We are helping
the girls market their lace and knitted
work. Two years ago we asked the
government department to send us an
Instructor to teach the girls TO make
hand-knit sport coats (sweaters)'
They sent a man to look II up. He
talked with some OF the men here
who were not friendly to this coop
erative movement, Nothing was done.
Our girls were getting one shilling
six pence (36 cents) for knitting
dozen pairs OF socks, using up from
three and a half to four pounds OF
wool. These socks were purchased OF
the women by an agent OF a whole
sale trader.
The cooperative society decided
they could do better by the girls than
these buyers, Since they started buy
ing, the girls get seven shillings six
pence (s1S7) from the society for
knitting a sweater coat, using only two
pounds of wool and taking only one
half as long as a dozen pair of socks.
Putting 1t another way, for the same
amount of wool and the same time
spent in knitting, the girls get 10
shillings ($3.75) instead Of one shil-
ling six pence (36 cents). That is, our
society is paying them ten times what
they used to get from the other buy
ers for their knitting. Formerly the
girls who knit lace were bound by a
bargain under which II they sold to
any one privately they were boycott
ted. The buyer told them unless they
sold him all he would buy nothing.
Now we are getting fairly good prices
for the lace, better than they got be-
fore and we of course, permit them to
sell wherever they can. They fire.
quently have oportunity to sell to
tourists and others who come through
here While we get fairly good prices
for the lace, there is no steady market
for it, as there is for the knitted
goods.
Connected With Central Society.
Our little local society could not
stand alone and do what we are try
ing to do. We are helped all the time
by Sir Horace Plunkett's organization !
society and by the Cooperative While !
sale society at Dublin. Each week |
the wholesale society sends us a fore
cast giving the figures that should be |
obtained for eggs, butter and chick |
ems, and stating whether or not there |
is to be a demand for these products.
Each day we write to the wholesale |
society, telling them what we have
on hand and what we will likely have. |
Sometimes we telegraph. Then they |
may either write or telegraph back
what they want us to send and when
and where to send it. We send 1t, not
to Dublin, but directly to the places
selected by the wholesale society.
In this way we save freight, we save
commission, we save time. and we
save the eggs themselves.
You must not get the idea" Mr..
Gallagher continued, that this con-
cern is large mercantile establish
ment. We know enough to know that
we can only do business in a modest
way. We think we are doing it well,
and we hope 1t will continue to grow
as It has in the past am more and
more convinced" he adds, "by what
I see every day, that If we want to
have a happy and contented people
here cooperation is the best means
for bringing it about" And so they
are making a fight that would put the
ordinary American community to
shame-a fight that is gradually max
ing this desolate region habitable and
this hard-working people happy
Copyright. 1914, Western Newspaper Union)