The Camden chronicle. (Camden, S.C.) 1888-1981, February 20, 1914, Image 2
Co-Operative Farm
Products Marketing
How It Is Done in Europe and May lie Hone
in America to the Profit of Both
Farmer and Consumer
lly MATIIKW f>. DUIK.PON
(Cypy tiuUl, 11*1 1, Wcwluril NuwtfjMper M l*iOM. >
1 AN IRISH SCHOOL MASTER.
Innlskeen, Comity Ix>uth, Ireland.*?
In America wo are trylug in a more or
loss conscious effort to make the
"CiiWJhousq ijio educational and social
Teenier and the school master a com
munity leader. In Ireland without any
^ot purpose thin result 1h already se
cured. At Innlskeen, in county Louth,
for example, John Quinn, the school
"master, is the big man. Tly virtue of
his natural qualities and hy reason of
his aecretarial position in the co-opera
tive association he is the farmers'
banker, their business manager and
adviser, their agricultural expert, and
temperance reformer. In fact ho is
the community leader. His school
house 1h a soeial center for to it the
people go for co-opesative association
meetings, for temperance lectures, and
for public gatherings of all sorts.
We have been to County Donegal
and have seen what the- co-operative
'enterprises centered at Dunglow have
done for a region which in naturally
unproductive. Under the leadership
of I'addy Gallagher, a native business
genius, co-operation has brought com
fort, relative prosperity and hopeful
ness to a community which was previ
ously a desolate combination of j>eot
bog and rocky hillside.
We. have stopped here 4o see the re
sults of co-operation when planted in
a more fertile productive soil, for this
portion of County Louth would com
pare favorably with the- richest
stretches of our own middle western
states.
The Average Irish Farmer.
Anxious to find the average small
farmer who is a member of (he co-op
erative society and' willing to talk
iiluml its affairs. wo were directed to
KTTward Meeghan, who operated a
farm out two Irish miles from the vil
lage. As we walked out to Meeghun's
place 1 1 1 ? ? consciousness was forced
upon us that in this section Ireland is
far from being "starving Ireland." The
iiehls are carefnl'y cult Ivated? culti
vated as they seldom are in the states.
The hedges and walls are we'll kept.
The heavy Croj>s indicate a high de
gree of. fertility. KacJ? cottage give*;
evidence of prosperity and self-respect
ing pride. I pon the faces of those
whom we meet we see nothing to indi
cate that the local Irish are poverty
stricken or despairing. \Ve find Meeg
hati on a lu-acre farm of which he is
evidently and justly proud. The fer
tile fields, the sta< ks of rich main, the
high grade 1,\. Mock, all thinonst nil e
that it possible to make moiiev
hereabouts and that tin re is a pronu.
ing luture ? ! j the local agricultural ?-:t
uatinn.
Buyiny Farms .'or Less Yhnn Pent.
Me. h i ? t s - ? ? ! : . a \ i.;
full of . if-M.-i-, . mi hop. ? idie-ss. e\
pla ins that I: father ) ? .. r to his
ilea Mi had l>< ; h ' Tit.- hi nd nt d " r 1 1. ?
imperial iai.d J ? i i k i ; ? ? in i p!o\ :d'::r, tor
an arl?;:-a:.d v. < I t *>\ ?' < n laid
lord and t ? iilt : t 'It." \ 1 1 ... o.,< n\? d
the gt? . : t ;,.)>< (>-?; ? |t. ami
then p. l ..t v ! . J,.', ones
a purchn--r tr r- | ;h \ pr.ee
in si\t\ i >i 1 d > t it . .it-: : \ :;g
lip the i 1 1 ' r ' ; ! a t 'wo and ; In ev
fourths per cut. and ; '>< . !di
t ii.ti a ' 'small ' r t ;t ? 1 ? . . . ? . r ; , , a ; t,.>
principal. He t.1 lis how his father pa.d.
as r?M alone, Is | omuls | .. r r
while himself in buying the fart:;
now pavitm. including both intent-:
and animal installments on principal
only I t pounds per year. Quit.- nat
urally he has a keen appreciation of
the land (??!!'!!?* iaws which rnybled
him gratlual!> to ??b'ain the farm by
the pa > mi nt < r' !??? > numey each year
than originally \\ t ? i , i : cr rent alone
I his i.? not to f i . r : : the important
thing, hnwf v.T. His lath. r had pre
viously h. en a t- u nit A i.."* ; hatch
on t h e I ., i r n , . t t; .* v\ s I a ; . * . ? n d i . . oo i
or a new shed fee :he t..u t. ;?0r.
he obtained in any way trmn r > . . ? land
lord. It mm ! he t on: > i!e..> > v ? a..
Prevented I rr prove :ncnt s.
tn-"- t-'"'.'
days t ft. r be
place V r.at.:r.i! . -. ,ii ... ...
\ * 1 ! . t t *. . . - c* ' ? #????? r ?????* p ?
Dp! (.y
f
/
wo have soon a now farm building or
any permanent repairs on old build- j
1?kh or any other farm improvement
Inquiry Invariably has revealed that it
had been added since the farm went
into thg hands of a pureasing tenant. |
In other words, Meeghan and other
tenant purchasers fool now that in
making repairs or Improvements they
are working for themselves, adding
value to their own property, where for
merly any improvements mado were
for the benefit of the landlord for
whom they had no particular llklug.
Farmer'# Views on Co-Operation.
Wo asked him what ho thought of
the co-operative society and what use
he had made of It. "Dofore the co-op
erative society was organized," he
said, "it wan difficult to procure fer
tilizers. While tho department of ag
riculture analyzed tho Boils and
taught tho farmers, by bulletin and
otherwise, the elements which must
enter into fertilizers it, was absolutely
impossible for the tenant to procure
of tho dealers fertilizer containing
these elements in proper proportion.
Fertilizers were high too."
Now, as lie explained, the co-opera
tive societies buy tho elements going
into the fertilizers and themselves
mix them in the proper proportions.
The co-operative association not only
guarantees the quality of the fertilizers
furnished to their members, but soils
them at a greatly reduced price. That
they are better than the manures pur
chased of the regular traders is evi
denced by the actual effects upon the
eroj*;.
Co-Operative Credit.
It was evident that in Me.cghan's os
tiination the greatest benefit. to t ht>
members of the local organization is
from tho credit society branch of it.
Tho farmers in this vicinity had been
well taught and were anxious to im
prove their stock to get. better imple
ments, to use commercial fertilizers
properly compounded, to plant better
seeds. Before the co-operative credit
association was organized they were
unable to do anything of this sort.
Since the co-operative organization
has been in operation, however, it is
easy to get from the society a small
loan for any of these purposes 11 ?1 the
farmers were in consequence steadily
improving their property. In other
words he seemed to think that the im
provements in rural agricultural meth
ods which wo see everywhere would
have been absolutely impossible with
ofit this little local credit society.
M'eyhnn himself through loans se
( u red of the co-operative credit, society
I>? ? ? n enabled to nnrchaso blooded
: ii.i k and had bought improved imple
in< i". t s lid t < 'St ed seeds.
We tound uj>on our return to the vil
lage t h : . t s< hool was just closing and
n with us to his home, which
?t'.'.hou,:li : ; a ; . 1 i s ! , was as trim and com
fort. ,>>!? as a;:> village home which we
e \ > i" b. en privileged to \ i'sit in
America. I i ? ta!k? it freely of the af
<>'. t ne sin ?? ty, showed us the
l-eele- n: i records and explained the
n ethoi!-; and practices emplo\ed in tho
UH>| "i-;i'i\e condlld Of tho business.
A Simple Organization.
The cooperative society has Ho
headquarters and consequently has no
p ut to pay. Tin* home of the secre
tary It- the office of the society. Tln-rt? ?
the banking business as well as tho
ether affairs of the society are. con
ducted by him out of school hours. The
i.ltie society has f?uo members, each
member having one share upon which
he has advanced about sixty cents.
The credit society, a branch of the co
operative association, has Itll mem
bers.
" I he so. i e t v meets." he said, "four
times eat h i ar. Ai those times the
member-; \ e as rr<b rs for these
goods winch handh* i o-operatively,
including s* manures, implements
and oceasmmwiy o'her ariahtt. We
go over :}"!>? . ? '. < i account;- and arrange
."or their p.??m r.t cr . x*e?.sl<m. We
'a!k over tl ? , '.a:;- of t r. rooiet>. We
ci.i > 1 1 1 albeit local tavni i r i M'-ms.
n-.an'.src.s .u d ro'.ition of
i rops. exchanging ,t.^ ? -methods
< :-i et itir vnrio-> inns thai
'i is re ro opor.i t ; \ i store
here we r.evi r ke< p artuks in
s t "c k We order -eods, manures or
implements and ro; fv farmer
Quinn and His Pupils at Hie Social Center Schoolhouse.
when they arrive. He take* care ot
them generally within twenty-four
hour*. Wo can do thin because uio?t
of our members aro near by. We get
everything a little cheaper and of bet
ter quality than do the .regular traders.
In nothing, however, haw th* improve
ment In quality been bo marked as in
tteede and manure*.
How a Farmer*' Bank Loans Money.
"Our organization loan# money to
It m memboru at 6 % per cent. To do
ponltors^wn give three per cent, on all
deposits. Wo thus do business upon
a margin 'of 'lxfa per cent. On the oth
er band the joint stock bunk nearest
liere charges ??,/i por cent. Interest,
l>ut pays only 2% per cent. Interest on
deposits. They require a margin of
four pbr cent. *ui which tb do buHlncuH.
Not only have thy Joint stock banks a
wider margin on the loans, hut tho
worst of It Ih you cannot got a loan
from a Joint stock hank for more than
three months. They never loan for
longer than that time although some
tlrnes, of eouiee, they will grant re
newals. The trouble is that these re
newals aro hard on the farmer. These
banks are only in the larger places.
Very often the farmer has to go some
distance, take his sureties with him,
pay their expenses, glvo them their
dinner, and I am afraid sometime*
treat them to liquid refreshments, if
wo have a iriun NVbo wants money and
he lives near by we simply ask him to
bring In iwd good men as sureties, and
if they are all right and the man is
honest and a good worker and his
neighbors spoak well of him there is
no difficulty and very little formality
In getting the loan. In addition to our
deposlte wo have arranged for an over
draft from tho Hank of Ireland at Dun
dalk. They cooperate with us in a
friendly manner and help us much.
"There has been a wonderful im
provement in this community since
tho land tenure laws went into effect
and tho ten&uts are getting to be own
ers. It. is a wonderful thing. People
who were slovenly and whose premi
ses were absolutely unfit to live in
have now purchased their premises
and aro improving them and are living
under much better condition?. They
used to bo afraid their rent would be
raised if they fixed things up. The old
ago pension has helped many of tho
old poople, for there aro many pen
sioners in this vicinity."
Hew Little It Costs.
The books of tho company show that
tho only expenses Incurred are tho
compensation of tho school teacher as
secretary and manager, $G0 per year;
registration fees of $S per year; and
in addition postage and stationery to
the amount of two or three dollars.
Tho total of these items is only about
$70, this being the only expense in
curred for an entire year.
Tho demand for small rural credit
associations in Ireland Is very great.
The joint stock banks are not ?o well
scattered throughout the rural section i
in Ireland as they aro in some parts of j
the United States. Often the expense ,
of traveling to the bank and tho pay
ing of the expenses of tho sureties, as
Qui nil explained, is considerable. It Is
said that these expenses in addition
to interest, make a small farm loan
cost. 20 to 10 per cent. If ft young
farmer is buying young stock, pigs,
for example, it is far beyond the period
of three months before they will bo
ready for sale. If ho buys fertilizers
he can expect no results for six to ten
months. Returns upon good seeds aro
equally slow in coming in and on tho
money placed in the new implements
and equipment ho gets returns still
more slowly. For these men a three i
months' loan is of little use. The In- |
elastic cjty system of loans. does not !
really help the borrower, but in a
sense cripples him. It Is only fair to
state,- however, that tho large banks,
although their methods are unsuited to
the farmer, are on the whole honest
and just in their charges and prac
tices. The difficulty is that their meth
ods of business make it absolutely
impossible for the farmer to deal with
them profitably.
How Character Counts.
lint lion* in Inniskeen and wherever
in Ireland a co-oj>orativo credit society
lias born formed, any farmer, bo he
tenant or landlord, with a pood repu
tation for honesty and industry, can
by furnishing two sureties from among
his neighbors pet any reasonable
amount as a loan for one year. To do
this involves almost no delay or trou- j
hie or expense. The bank is ru ar by.
Co-operative farmers are neighborly
citizens, ready to help one another
out, so that sureties are easily secured,
j The interest is at a low rate. The
borrower can rest assured that ho
will not be unduly crowded a? to re
payment jf misfortune should overtake
him, for those with whom he deals un
derstand fully his circumstances. In |
fact the committee which decides his j
fate is composed of farmers like him- !
self who know what hard luck is, who
have likely themselves been borrow- j
erfi, who arc friendly to him and will
give him a chance. This is the form
of credit loans most common in Ire
i land.
Such a co-operativo credit bank j
could be organized to advantage in :
many American communities particu- I
larly in thoso states where there are '
no banks in the smaller cities and vil- |
lages. They will inevitably be organ- !
ized in such communities unless bank
ers cease trying to force down the |
throats of the farmers the inelnstic, |
unsuitable city methods of doing busi
ness. The question is, are the bankers
| going to crowd the farmers ir.to ?he?e
{co-operative credit enterprises ? The
I bank* must grant longer time and
n.oris liberal and elastic terms on per
,?-on:.l loans They must nrrance for
rm't traces which run over ioneer
i -error;* rtrv :: >1 which are to be
?e;-/> ? r.Mtl'Tn'. e :nstal!men*s ns the
. :o-.v profits come in. Co-ope.ra
!!? may not be necessary. It
up 'o 'he banker. i
loixjk in mm mm v
Rising Star Chapter No. 4, It, A
M., meets third Tuesday itt each
month. K. T. Ooodale,, K. II. I'.;
< . J), (irlffin, K.i h* T. Mills,
Scribe, (J. I*. Dulloso. Secretary.
Ker?huw Lodge No. 29, a. F. At
meets first Tuesday In each
month. N. It. Uoodale, W. M.;
W. Oolsenheiiuer, Treas. ; N. C.
Arneit, Secretary.
Jr. O. IJ. a. M., meets fourth Frl
day night In each month. (3. YV
Hlrchinoro, J, F. Hattmau
H. S.
Live Oak Camp No. 4 9, SV. (>. VV. |
moots first Thursday night Itt j
each month. C. VV. ltlr.chmore.
C, W. IC. Johnson, Clerk.
I >"Kalb Lodge No. 41, K. of I'.i
luti.ih secnod and fourth M.oii
day nights in each mouth. W
(J. Wilson, C. C.; M. 11. ttoyman
K, , pf It. & S.
I'op'ar Camp No. 309, VV. O. VV.
moots' Monday night on or bofoj''
the full moon In each mouth. 'J'.
J. Muunerlyn, C. c. ; H. W. ^put
row, Clerk,
V ut looh Lodge, NO. 29tf, A. F. M.
moots Thursday night on or be
fore full moon in each month. i>
W, Joy, VV. M.; VV. II. Uavls, S
W?; L. li. While, J. VV.
Richard Klrkland Council, No. 130, i
Jr. O. IJ. A. M., (Antlo(;h) ui?< i:
First Thursday night after full j
moon in each mouth. It. C. Cook i
i'., c. vv. Shiver, it. s.
I.pfayotte Council No. 2, It. & S. M.
meets Bocond Tuesday In oach '
month. C. II. Griffin, T. 1. M.;
It T. Coodale, R. I. I). M; J. C
Rowan, I. I'. C. W.; A. W. Hur- I
nott, Recorder.
.\l?IIM8TKATOH'S NOTICK.
All parties indebted to the es- j
tate of Mary Man Hoard, deceased',
arc hereby notified to make pay
ment to tho undersigned, and all
parties, If any, having claims a
gainst the said ostate will proBent
them duly at tented to tho under
signed within tho time prescribed
by law. S. U. Hoard,
Qualified Administrator Estate of
Mary Man Board.
Camden, S. 0., Foeb. 12. 1914. j
GET IN TOUCH WITH US I
We own 040 acres choice land, |
suitable for general farming, stock j
raising or fruit and truck growing, j
near Plant. City, Florida's largest ;
inland shipping point;" $15.00 per;
acre, you can buy direct, no agents, i
Moyso Florida Land Co.,. Plant City, i
Florida. 2t. !
FINAL DISCHAIUiK.
Notice is hereby given that one
month from this date, on Saturday, '
February 21, 1914, I will present to j
the Probate Court of Kershaw i
county my final account^ as Admin- !
istrator of the estate oftJ. N. Nich- i
olson, deceased, and apply to said I
Court for Letters DismissOry of the i
said estate.
C. S. Nicholson,
Administrator. \
Camden, S. ('., Jah. 20, 19 14.
FINAL DISCII \IUiK.
Notice is given that one month
from this date on Monday, Febru
ary 23, 1914, I will make to the
Probate Court of Kershaw County:
my final return as Administrator of
tlu: Fstate of John VV. Seegers, do-*
ceased, and apply to said Court for j
Letters Dismissory.
J. M. Sowell,
Administrator.
Camden, S. ('., Jan. 22, 1914.
Don't Throw It Away
Bring Your Broken
Parts to
W. 0. HAY'S GARAGE
at Singleton s Old Bakery
stand and have them weld
ed ? made stronger than
new by the Oxy-Acety
lei^e Welding Process.
This process saves the cost of
Automobile parts, to say nothing
of the annoyance of delays in or
dering new.
Wood's Superior
Seed Oats
nre choice, recleaned, heavy seed grain.
We o(T r all the best and most produc
tive kinds for spring seeding;
Burt or 90- Day,
Texas Red Rust Proof,
Swedish Select,
Bancroft, Appier, etc.
Write for prices and samples.
Wood's 1914 Descriptive Catalog
gives specially full and valuable infor
mation about
Spring Oats, Barley,
Grasses and Clovers,
Seed Corn, Sorghum,
Cow Peas, Soia Beans:
also about a!l other
Farm and Garden Seeds.
Catalog mailed free. Write for it.
T. W. WOOD O SONS.
Seedsmen, - Richmond, Va.
CAMDEN OPERA HOUSE
' three nights
THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, FEBRUARY Mtt
Prices 25c, 35c and 50c
TO THE PUBLIC
We wish to notify the public that the old estab
lished Sam Wing Laundry will be managed hereafter
by W. S. Lee, and we still wish your patronage.
Laundry collected and delivered to all parts
of the city,
SAM WING LAUNDRY
915>a Bread St. Phone 91 Camden, S. C.
Funerals Directed
We supply the best of burial goods, con
duct funerals and relieve families and
friends of many unpleasant duties ince
denl to death. We are always prepared
to serve those who need our service.
B. R. McCREIGHT, CAMDEN, S. C.
OXYGEN
CARBON CLEANER
W e have installed an Oxygen
Carbon Cleaner and can make
your motor new like it was
when first bought.
ASK US ABOUT IT
New Fancy Hand Laundry
ly work is guaranteed to give perfect satisfaction*-""
am prepared to do your work promptly and at reasonable
I ccs. All domestic finish. I wish kind friends to help
out ?ind give me a tnal order and be convinced.
WORK CAI1ED FOR AND DELIVERED ?
JIMMIE LEE, J