Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-03-12
SAVING RURAL IRELAND

In 1894 the cooperative movement
has become so great that there was
need of a central society to carry on
the work which had heretofore been
done by volunteer propagandists.
The |. A. o. S.
There was needed an organization
which should help rural communities
organize their marketing and business
processes, be a central federation of
all existing societies, and become a
supervisor and auditor of their bust
ness methods. Such a society is the
Irish Agricultural society. At its
head has been and is Sir Horace
Plunkett, who has been the John the
Baptist of the gospel of cooperation in
Ireland. He is ably assisted by the
secretary, Mr.. R. A. Anderson, a man
of rare executive ability and Of emf
nent common sense. Associated in the
movement also is Mr.. George w. Rus
SELL brilliant journalist and editor OF
the Irish Homestead, a man who is
practical as we'll as poet and painter.
The vice-president of the organization
is Rev. Father Thomas A. Finlay, pro-
lessor of economics in the National
University at Dublin, Catholic priest
who has a most rare and kindly
knowledge of human nature, combined
with splendid head for the details of
the business of the cooperative organi-
zation.
Seldom has so we'll balanced quar-
tet of men been associated together in
any economic movement. They are
in very fact a power for the business
regeneration of rural Ireland. Practic-
ally all Of the cooperative societies in
-Is.-lapd have been prganizSd ~ the
A. o. So It's organizers meet with the
promoters of a news society and give
them the benefit of the experiences OF
the older societies. They furnish a
set of rules, advise as to equipment,
install a system of bookkeeping ana
good business methods. The society
has a staff of skilled, experienced men
who are organizers, editors and inspec-
tors. To it cooperative societies make
certain definite reports. To it they
constantly go for advice and council
and over them it maintains most
complete power of audit. The func-
ton of the society is to unity and CO.
ordinate, to inspect, to audit, to advise.
It has been its achievement to pilot
all cooperative organizations through
the struggles and difficulties inherent
in the initiation of the movement to ul-
innate success Always and every
where the society insists on good bust
ness methods, upon the most effective
system of accounting, upon fair and
broad-minded dealings with all con-
cerned, and upon the maintenance OF
the highest quality in all products
American cooperation must have
similar central society if it is to be
effective.
During the parliamentary recess OF
1895, through the efforts of this same
statesman, Sir Horace Plunkett, there
was brought together committee OF
representative men of various parties
and creeds, who later presented pc
tition to the government praying Tor
the institution Of state department
which would fulfil the functions OF a
ministry of agriculture for Ireland
These proposals were embodies in a
law enacted in 1899 and Immediately
thereafter the department OF agrlcui-
ture, with Sir Horace Plunkett at lts
head. began it's career Of education.
The present head Of "the department
Of agriculture and technical instruc'
ton" as 1t Is now termed, is the Hon.
Thomas W. Russell.
Agricultural Wholesale Society.
AS was but natural, the cooperative
organizations, after they had estab-
lished themselves and began furnish
ing a product Of high quality, found
that the individual managers Of the
separate societies had not facilities
for obtaining a knowledge of the mar
ket. To understand fully the conditions
in all markets to which Irish products
might reasonably be expected to have
access was too large task for each
scattered organization to undertake
for itself Consequently the Irish Ag-
ricultural Wholesale society, limited,
began business. At first it confined
itself to the marketing of Irish prod
ucts. Later, when local cooperative
societies found trouble In getting
goods of high quality at reasonable
prices, the organization took up the
jobbing business as a side issue. Now
it maintains two branches, one-seventh
of its business is performed as job
Der, six-sevenths of its business Is mar
keting Irish goods. About one-third of
the Irish products handled go across
the channel to England and Scotland.