The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-06-20
SOME SOCIAL PROBLEMS


er the best results will be accom-
plished by afflliation with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor.
Cooperative Farming.
Cooperative marketing is on the
way. In Wisconsin alone over 1900
successful farmers cooperative COM
panies are in existence. and the num-
Der is rapidly growing. More than
900 of these are operating chees fac
tories or creameries. 80 are engaged
in the marketing of grain. fruit. or
livestock. 200 handle insurance and
some of the others own and operate
telephone lines. The methods Of
these cooperative enterprises have
increased the patrons incomes. as
we'll as providing conveniences for
the farmers which were not obtain
able by individual effort. :,
Cooperation is not only advantag-
GUS for business undertakings, as
that of the creameries and telephones
but will be Of great value in market
ing all products. The standardiza-
ton Of farm products. and an edu-
cative effect on any community. It
necessitates honest, able and unself-
ish leadership, intelligent co-opera-
ton Of the members, q fair repre-
sentation Of the interests of all con-
cerned, efficient business organiza-
ton. and an adequate system Of &C.
counting and auditing. These requi-
sites are soon to be applied by the
individual farmer to his own BUSH
ness, and thus leaders so necessary
among the present-day farmers, are
given a fair chance to come to the
front. The farmers son, too, is ben
flied thereby. in that he finds prop
er place to apply his agricultural
and business school education. The
farming of tomorrow is enriched by
these prospects. and the life on the
farm. SO dreaded by the average en-
ergetic and educated farmers son, is
bound to be happy and satisfactory.
Another Evil of Tenancy.
The Department Of Agriculture re-
ports that the United States is 49,
100000 meat animals short. That
is. allowing for increase in popula-
ton. We are short Of sheep, cattle
and swine to that enormous number
as compared to 1910. For each hum
dred people in the nation it would
take nine beef cattle, three hogs. and
seven sheep to give us as many as we
had four years ago. This decrease
is dramatic and almost astounding.
Herbert Quick, editor Of Farm and
Fireside. says that 1.-THE chief rea-
son lies in the fact that the farms
of the nation are going into the
hands Of tenants under lease sys-
tenn which forbids the growing of
sheep and cattle, and renders it more
profitable to the farmers to skin of
as much as possible in the year or so
Of tenancy. sell it and get the money.
Note the fact that the great shortage
Is in cattle. The cattle business re-
quires long tenancy and years for
the return Of the money invested.
The department speaks of the loss
in hogs by cholera; but in spite Of
this, in hogs, which the tenant farm
or can grow more successfully, the
shortage is only a third as much as
in cattle. and probably not a twenti-
eth as much as in meat. Give the
American farmer land system which
will make cattle-growing profitable
and he will grow cattle. To appeal
to him to grow cattle is useless while
the tenant system makes cattle-grow-
ing for millions positively out of the
question"
WorkiDgmen's Banks-Plan to Aid
Toilers to Secure Loans Based
ON Character.
A number Of Americas richest men
are contemplating the establishment
of number of banking institutions
to aid men without the necessary
credit for borrowing at ordinar
banks. There are number Of insti-
buttons Of this kind in Europe where
credit is based on character. The
capital back of the movement is said
to be almost unlimited. The plan.
contemplated a central institution
with hundreds of similar institutions
all over the country. The scheme
has been tried in other countries and
works well. Germany has nearly
$4,000 such institutions.
The object is to aid workers and
small business men who find it al
most impossible to get loans at regu-
lar banks. It is combination of
business and philanthropy. The rates
will be as low as possible, yet the in
stitution will be run so as to pay the
stakeholder per cent interest-but
no more, and as soon as the profits
! exceed 6 per cent, the interest charge
of the borrowers is to be reduced. This.
form of philanthropy is unique in