The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-09
RECOMMENDS SYSTEM
OF CREDIT UNIONS
Secretary Of Agricnltars Would Aid
Farmers in Straitcned CIR
Cuinstances

Washington. Dec. S.-A system OF
personal-credt unions. especially for
the benefit OF farmers whose financial
circumstances and scale OF operations
make IL difficult for them to secure
Accommodations through ordinary
channels. is recommended in the an
nual report of the secretary of agri-
culture.
The men have especially in
mind, says the secretary, ARE those
whose operations are on small scale
and who are not. in most cases, in
timatcly In touch with banking ma
chineJy. who know too little about
financial, operations and whose cases
usually do not receive the affirmative
:,ttcnti-n and sympathy of the ban ko:.
Such farmers would he much ben"'It.
ted by "A in"mb sr-hip in cooperative
credit associations or unions.
"Of course, there are still other far
mers whose standards of living and
productive ability are low. who usual
iy cultivate the less satisfactory lands
who might not be received for the
present into such associations. This
class peculiarly excites interest and
sympathy. but it is difficult to see how
Immediately any concrete arrange
ment will reach 1t. The great things
that can he done for this element OF
our farming population are the
things that agricultural agencies are
doing for all classes but must do for
it with particular zeal The approach
to the solution of it's difficulty Is An
educational one. involving better
farming, marketing. schools, health
arrangements. and more sympathetic
a id from the yY1errh1nt and the hank
err. II the business men of the towns
and cities primarily dependent on the
rural districts realize that the saliva
ton of their communities depends on
the development of the back country
and will give their organizing ability
to the solution OF the problem in SUI
port of the plans of the organized
agricultural agencies responsible for
leadership much headway will be
made.
The foundation for effective work
in this direction is the successful pro-
motion of cooperative associations
among farmers, not only for better
finance, but also for better produc-
ton. distribution, and higher living
conditions. These activities are or
primary Importance. AT the same
time. it Is recognized that such CO.
operation can not be forced upon
comm unity, out must pc a GROWN re
sult!ng from the volunteer, intelligent
effort of the farmers themselves"
The conclusion up to the present.
says the secretary, seems to be that
the field is one primarily for the
states to occupy through legislation.
Under laws adopted in five states 1875
personal credit associations have been
organized. but the larger percentage
of them have been formed by wage
earners in urban centers
Me attempt to develop strictly
rural credit bodies has met with
somewhat more success in North
Carolina than elsewhere, the report
states. I'm this state the work OF
promoting and supervising such or
CARNATIONS was placed in charge of
an official in the division of markets
and rural organization of the State
college of agriculture. The law of this
state was enacted in lsi5,x and at
present eighteen credit unions. all OF
them rural. are in operation. II Is
noteworthy that the North Carolina
/ law makes special provision for edu-
cational and demonstrational activi-
/.