Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-07-03
Courtesy OF w. b. HatchJ

copenhagen, Denmark.-HOW has
Denmark, a little country with less
than fifteen thousand square miles of
area, established itself as one Of the
best agricultural centers in the world?
why Is 1t that Denmark produces the
best butter, the best bacon, the best
Ieggs, that have ever been placed upon
the markets Of Europe? How can this
little country export each year fifty
lodd million dollars worth of butter,
over four million dollars worth of
cream and milk, thirty odd million dol
lars worth of the finest bacon and
Ieight million dollars worth of eggs?
Denmark has no rich mines. no great
forests, no water power. The soil,
the one resource, is not naturally fer
tile. In fact, Denmark is a low.lying
lexpanse Of wind.swept sand dunes,
with here and there small stretches
OF richer soil. Much Of its more pro.
lductive soil is the result OF scientific
drainage, fertilization and rotation Of
lcrops. Chilling winds sweep over the
country the year around, and these,
with the prevailing fogs, render the
climate an inhospitable one.
Man has been no kinder than nature
TO this little country. In the eight
eenth century the nobility and the
crown owned all the valuable lands,
while the peasantry were either serfs
Tor tenants under impossible condi-
tions. Export duties made foreign
commerce Improbable. Early In the
fnineteenth century economic condi.
tions had only begun TO improve when
lthe Napoleonic wars again spread dis
aster and poverty over the country.
iStin a little later Denmark's Ger
manic neighbors to the south took
from the already small nation the
province OF Schleswig. .Holstein. Then
lGermany, in the early eighties, built
lup high tariff wall which excluded
Danish products. The commerce upon
(which the people depended for their
revenues was gone. and the country
was still again grievously stricken.
Its Present Prosperity.
Yet today. In spite OF all these handl-
lcaps, Denmark is in proportion to Its
population the wealthiest country in
Europe. Eighty-nine per cent OF the
hgriculturists own their own land. Her
FARMERS have been called the best
Farmers and the most skilled rural
business men In the world. Rural
Denmark produces the best bacon, but
ter and eggs ever produced; their pigs
turn feed into pork more scientlfical
by than the porkers OF any other ma
tion; their hens lay more eggs, and
their cows are more effective as mill
and butter producing machines. Thes.
Warmers have worked out n system o.
cooperative marketing so effectiv,
that II is estimated that over nlnet,
per cent OF what the consumer payi
for Danish farm products actual,
reaches tho pocket.book Of the maj
who produces it-a rather signlhcan
ngure compared with the general!
accepted estimate that the American
farmer gets only from thlrty.hye Il
forty.six per cent OF what the city con
sumer pays for his product.
How has Denmark reached this posi-
zion agriculturally? Why Ia II that sh,
can produce the best bacon, butter an,
eggs1 The answer seems TO be: First
because she has an efficient educa
tional system; second. because tn
government is giving aid which. Will
affective. is not unduly paternalistic
third. because OF cooperation.
Danish Farmer an Educated Man.
II takes brains TO raise the mos
aristocratic sort OF products that ar
produced In Denmark. No ignoran
people could take the bleak. sand
plains OF Denmark and make gres
gardens OF them, gardens supporting
splendid aggressive. progressive. pro-
porous race. II requires natiy
shrewdness to do these things. but
requires something more. II require
In addition scientific agriculture
knowledge. a big conception OF the agr
cultural possibilities OF the country an
n generous loyalty TO state and cor
munity-an aggregate OF qualities thu
none but an educated man possesse
And tho Dane is indeed In very trui
In every sense Of tho word an educat,
man. He has been trained to NAL
the best use Of himself and Of his Q
vironment
As n boy he was compelled by Ia
90 attend school until he was fourtee