Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-01
MARKET CONGRESS
TALKS OF SELF HELP
Sir Horace Plunkett Describes Re-
suits Attained by Hundred
Thousand Irish Farmers.
STATE AID OF LAND PURCHASE

Honorable Sir Horace Plunkett, X. |
G. V. o.. of Dublin, ireland, tonight
addressed the opening session OF the
Third National Conference OF Mar
keting and Farm Credits. speaking
TO delegates from forty states.
The speaker came across the ocean TO
address Il as the first OF a series OF talks
and conferences that he will hold
throughout the United States. with the
end in view OF organizing American agri-
culture. lie was the first minister OF
agriculture OF ireland and called the
father OF the Irish cooperative move
ment." which has under its wings 10000
Irish farmers organized into 1000 cooper
alive societies.
weak spot ON Rural Economics.
He described the weak spot In Ameri-
car rural economies as being lack OF
business organization among farmers He
dwelt upon the chaotic conditions that
accompany the marketing of farmers
products and the purchasing of farmers
supplies. He showed how the cities Of
America aud other nations have been de-
veioped al the expense OF the country
eide. He declared the time IL ripe for
all public spirited persons TO interest
themselves In the fundamental develop
ment Of agriculture.
They must get together" he said
''They must eliminate waste or America
will fall behind more competent nations"
ALLOW me TO utter the warning which
will have to be faced In the United states
and Canada. as well az in the United
Kingdom. in France. in Germany and In
other countries" he continued This re-
iates to the very vital problem OF Co
operative finance. both what IL called
ions term or real credit and short
term or personal credit Finance Is,
indeed, vital part OF the cooperative
crEanism.
There Is nothing more vital for the
cooperative movement than that II
should clearly sound also a note OF self
help. Looking not only 20 the future Of
america. but at the movement In the
old world today. thus l see stirs the
depths Of my feelings. that while the
rtate must give its aid TO the cooperative
movement, Il must seek TO obtain for Il
Ire greatest possible freedom"
state Aid of Land Purchase.
How the hugest real estate deal In the
history of the world was contaminated
by the British government buying out the
Irish landlords and reselling the property
"a the tenants was told by Secretary
charles w. Holman Of the National Con-
ference on Marketing and Farm Credits
20 that body. In session here
I'm state aid OF land purchase, he
said. lies the immediate hope OF the
American farm tenant for by that means
only can we hope for a quick action TO
stelp the growing tide Of landlordisni."
Secretary Holman credited state-aided
land purchase In Ireland with these BEN
efits.
The industry OF occupiers has Increased;
farm houses and farm outbuildngs have
Improved; the tendency TO selp interests
In land has decreased; tho tendency 70
sublet and divide holdings has become
almost dormant: the solvency Of the oc-
cupiers has improved; there IL a feeling
CT eontentment. a prevalence OF law and
order that did not exist under landlord
land tenant relations.
Tenancy ON the Increase.
What a contrast this affords against
the American movement toward tenancy"
the speaker said. IN Illinois. Iowa, Kan
ear. New York. Ohio and Pennsylvania
tenant farmers have increased by i2l 1857,
while the number Of home owning farm
ers has actually decreased By s2sib. But
in Texas ana Oklahoma We find about
INT saddcst establishment OF American
hopes for home ownership. Forty years
ago Texas had secs tenant families.
That number comprised g7.s per cent OF
al the farms IN the state. In 1910 the
tenant farmers had increased 70 1s,57l.
which made - per cent Of ell the farms
in the state,
In Oklahoma sl.s per cent f,the state
Il In the hands OF tenant farmers, and
IN the forty-seven counties where tenancy
IS highest the percentage runs 10 es.B.
III We take the twenty-five most pros
porous states OF the union-the states
that produce the greater part Of the cot
tan. corn. dairy products. wheat and the
fruit stuffs of the nation-we may easily
estimate 100000 homeless families who
have not survived the competitive pres
cure for land ownership. In these same
states the concentration OF land owner
strip IL progressing at q speed that Il no
less than tragic.
Question Cannot ne Evaded.
In the southwestern states the rate OF
tenant increase over the home owning
increase 10 two 10 one In the middle
western states OF Illinois. Kansas. Ne
braska. Ohio and Iowa tenants are be-
coming more numerous than home own
era
America cannot evade this growing
land question. The American people mus
recognise that ours IL the last OF the
first-ciass countries 10 recognise the need
OF fixing upon a sound land policy. How
q redistribute the population upon IN,
land. how TO care for the inswarmin,
Immigrants. how 10 readiust the relation
OF city to country must De the grea
issues Of the immediate future"
Results In Wisconsin.
Charles A. Lyman. chairman OF the leg
islative committee OF the Wisconsin So
cisty Of Equity in HIS address describes
the agricultural cooperative movemen
An Wisconsin as a movement Of IN.
maAses. He aaid in part:
Average farming conditions must b
improved At the same time that We ar
providing for those who can now avai
themselves OF the teachings OF science
After all the welfare Of the masses 4
what constitutes the welfare OF the state
ffNLInrr - ..