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Substantial Farmer to Whoa. Buceeee Co-operation Contribute. Largely. Go-Operative Farm Products Marketing How It Is Done in Europe and May Be Done in America to the Profit of Both Farmer and Consumer By MATTHEW 8. DUDGEON. ? " tttTWV (Copyright. 191<, WeiUm Newspaper Union.) WHEN FARMERS ARE BANKERS. I oynes, County Limerick, Ireland.? We have Jupt been in the presence of the best board of bankera that we ever ?uw. They are all what the Wall street clerk would call "rubes;" they are hay-Heeds." They are farmers? who. as you know, must not be con fused with agriculturists. When we' think of American banks and bankers we think of the buildings which have the finest fronts in town and of the men who also put up the finest fronts. We think of shrewd tellers who never tell anything; of cashiers who are constantly upon the point of refusing ?cash to thpse who need it most- of boards of directors who sit in softly carpeted rooms on upholstered chairs around polished ' Circassian walnut ?tables. ? The Irish bankers we have just seen wore mud-bespattered elothtes. They sat in a pine floored room on rough chairs, around a rough able upon which a smoking, smelling kerosene lamp cast a dim light that was almost a shadow. Business Before History In our search for all that is good in rural organization, we landed last .night in Limerick. Limerick is a mighty interesting city, founded by i I1'"'!" a thousand years ago; a <?> which Cro m well 's forces coufd not >nter until the plague and^avvatjon com2?Te6 the defGnde^ *ho could not be conquered fcy the sword; ?' c-ity which, in 1690 withstood a ?lege by King William, who was baf because the women of the city S,ti:,th^e men' ^ity whence aim the wild geeBe who flew from an r? m SpalD and other 80?them lands Ko they might indulge their war ta8tp? which could no longer be exercised in Ireland. hisIorJT. "?^ ,m?re ^BO'tant than h'storic Limerick is the modern vil locltl Tu Wkh ,ts eg& marketing tion \n t I /aLm Credlt aasocia Hftcmnn hoyil^a we came this :i(, ml.p n a dr,v,ng rain over which rt > v? flne Irl8h roadways ?of c i f&> 8 avy rainfall can only ,? sUght slipperiness. Wo die ' r the guidance of A. M. RJd operntiv^H^f and ,nfiPector of co Irish* A&rin8' emPloyed by the rietv ? n k i T1 Organization so tactftii iri ^riRht' ea*er- energetic, Bturiv irishman who, after long fnerL yearS of hard work ^ co knotf* r 80C,etie8 throughout Europe, Hno^n co-operation from A to Z. Farmers Who Are Bankers. At seven o'clock on this rainy night the loan 8,X ?f, tl?e 8even ambers of village tGe a88embled In the "age clubhouse. Here are si* *-ho*kn kln<"y Ir,'h gentlemen Son ? ow their business thoroughly. Ihrnn h t,hem haVe ^Iven miles ing withn? n Bnd Wlnd" AH are 8erv* of i ]i?ti 1 pay* ^ne ,H the manager teacher prevl<>uslyt a school men another l? an intelligent ex 'ary- ^n! Royal Irish constabu laroo r " f ?perates successfully a W c^e?rm: ?ne 19 * ">"W O' but M , ?no ,B a sharp, tongued _.h . heart, good natured farmer * believer In discreet htr cono?*'ea under apparent ene 1. a clerk in a mer '? ? T*> eecretair working '5??' teacher with a good methofa6 "Mounting and. Th?, How They Work. over nl|n"thlCtKr ^.ad pr'!vlou"1>' looked had n. i booka and accounts and "hlcJr nl,^'1'01'8,1"1* tran8actlons "?q?enJSWc "?d ?f "fl Some nf ih- cai,,n? for comment. "lustrations dT.i, " loan* ma* he character, of the we," a" of the method l>.?'r?tWe ^Lem,P .?w They ""> "? frr. of the attitude of the lohi n?n ?W*rd tbfl borrower. in uhirh f d u*en 'our years Th" bwks Z87J To,n 01 12 wunds. >M ,^ ?howed that Immediately ?iK,,Vr ,?.rfcr?l<m' of ,h" ftr? loan To !""" h?d been made to him. Wenied " ' ,he ,r<:ond loan n borrower ioa.-",d ?on rulcR tk" 6 and contrary to the ever t J. ,hC.?raTUe ,howed- bow >*ylnr th. alownasa la re Then the interesting fact appeared that the second loan was given to en able the borrower to send a bright, fourteen-year-old Bon to school, for the purpose of better qualifying him as a wage earner. The plan had sue- j ceeded. The boy had been at school i eight, months, had done well, had se- | cured a position, and was now so sit- 1 uated that l>e could assist, and was assisting, In the repayment of the loan. The inspector, on understand ing the purpose of the second loan, Indorsed It as a perfectly legitimate one, and sanctioned the actlop of the committee. Marrying Money. . As to another case, one of the mem bers said: "He's all right; he is go Ing-to be married, and it's a fine girl he gets and a bit of money, about 76 pounds she'll bring him, too, and that will help to pull him through and make the payments." Of another delinquent a member said: "A sister was a long time ail ing, id after a lohg sickness she died, poor child. He's a fine boy, hon est as the day Is long. He's a decent fellow. We can't crowd him. He's had a hard time. He's doing all he can, and will pay as sure as the sun Tires:" Buying Pigs. Of another case the inspector said: "Here's a guard on the train who bor rowed money from us for the pur chase of pigs. He hasn't time to tend hogs, has he?" Hack came the reply: . "Sure, any of us that has a wife and a home can keep pigs if he wants to. | It's as easy to keep pigs as It is to keep a home at all." It appeared, however, that no pigs had been bought by the train guard; that a rel ative had^.bought pigs, presumably with the money borrowed. There was no danger at all as to the repayment of the loan, the sureties being good. Fraud had been practiced, however, and the committee were not at all complacent about their part In the matter, feeling they had been too easy in making the loan. This particular brakeman would have a poor chance If he ever asked for another loan. And so the committee proceeded, sympa thetically considering each individu al case, deciding each upon its own merits, irrespective of what are con sidered in America to be general] banking rules. It must be borne in mind that the cases referred to were a few delinquents among a very large number which were promptly settled. What Money Is Used For. Many of the loans had been for the purchase of seeds and manures in the previous spring. Some of the members had purchased pigs; 8?"*?" times a oow was secured. One had bought a horse, one had built a cow shed On the whole the rule that loans could be made only 'or pro ductive and economic use was well ot> flGrv6d? * / - I "It's hard to crowd the boys," said one of the members. "Ah, that'B the trouble with us Irish," replied the in spector. "But good business means good business, although It is hard t be harsh at all." South ?f Ireland temperaments were not altogether, convinced that harshness was wla dom, and the answer came back: IMd you ever know of harshness tp be any good at all?" Some Harshness Necessary. \ The inspector, wno. in our previous conversation with htm. had seemed the most easy tempered young man, developed a. considerable 8?v?rit* when appearing before the committee. He kept insisting that the d^inquent debtors must be dealt wlthmcr* harshly and in a more business- 1 Ike way.' In several cases he advised im mediate legal proceedings U[^B* something was done. He told them that unless good business prevailed a nqw committee must be appointed or that the society would get into trouble and would be closed out. The attitude .vfas more or less for effect upon the committee. The man raised in this Bectlon of^rrtand Is so son-heart ea that he cannot be harsh In hla own matters, and It is indeed difficult for him to, be JffljiWM like when bmrtness41ke methods in rolve harshness. The committee took the situation seriously to heart, how iJv JtHBESSB ever, and the words of the luspeetor bad their effect for ?hey promised that more business like methods would pre vtt.il in the future. Good Business Methods. 1 The Inspector had not ouly full knowledge of co-operative coucerns. hut wait evidently In addition a skilled accountant, and pointed out why tin* j books must be kept uccordlng to tb? I uniform system of accounts recoin | mended by the Irish Agricultural Or i gaulzatlon society. ? A must searching annual audit of accounts Is also re* I quired performed by either an ofll? clai public auditor appointed under the Friendly Hocleties uct or by per / sons selected by the members at the aunual meeting. Everywhere, as here, I we have found that'' good business | and accounting methods are em j ployed und that careful audits are in ; eisted upon and considered necessary I to the success of these societies. If j there is any lack of these qualifica tions in the farmers who are the bank j era, the lack is supplied by the I. A. i O. 8. through their inspectors and au 1 ditors. Farmers Can Be Good Bankers. We came somewhat doubting whetb* er a farmer could be a banker. We go away convinced that the farmer, if assisted by good supervision and I inspection, can be at once a good [ business man and a kindly neighbor. ! Here in this Poynes society Is a com mittee of business men who are will* : ing to come together to consider loans, of the most trivial amounts and to meet periodically and discuss meth I ods of bringing more money into the little community to be loaned out to , those needing it. They are ready to go over all the petty troubles find , trials and misfortunes of tlie unfor tunate borrower, to discuss wayB and .means of helping the weaker brother | pay his debt. These men are In fact i bearing the burdens of an entire | community so far as the stnall busi ness difficulties are concerned. All | are most anxious to see every farmer able to buy good seed, good manures, good stock and to improve the posi tion of himself and family, yet equally anxious to protect the funds of the bank. It Is a question whethter the board of directors of any big financial house who sit in richly upholstered chairs around Circassian walnut tables ever more efficiently discharged the du ties of bank directors than hava group of mud-be&pattered farmers sit ting In, cheap wooden chairs around this pine table. One Man One Vote. This co-operative banking associa tion at Poynes is under the absolute control of the. farmers hereabouts. This control 1b not centered in a few rich members who have furnished the capital. Each member has one vote, irrespective of his investment. There is no massing of votes In the hands of those who have the most money in the concern. Here men . carry the voting power, not money. The co-op erative idea Is essentially democratic. Experience shows that no other sys tem succeeds. For one man to pos BeBB twice as much power as his neighbor renders an association no longer truly co-operative. Before this principle was recognized, when one or two members might outvote 100 members, more than one co-operative effort went to pieces. The average farmer member is poor. He has never handled money. He may never have made a loan. He knows nothing of banking forms, of bank bookkeeping, of the legal rights of borrowers or of lenders. He is an easy-going, good-hearted Irishman. Men of this type control and make up the loan committee, which must pass on loans, enforce collections and de cide on all minor questions relating to the policy of the organization. How can such members be good bankers? In America it takes shrewd, well trained business men to make a bank succeed. They know more of bank accounting than do accountants. They know as much of banking law as do lawyers. They have by long study of their subject become familiar jvith every phase of it. How then can these happy-go-lucky Irish farmers become successful financiers? The answer, or the biggest part of the answer, is that the Irish Agricul tural Organization society hatf ? If beneficent supervision over them and furnishes them with the aualiflcatloM which they lack. Interview With Doctor McCarthy. Notwithstanding all that co-opera* tive credit has done for Ireland, It still has a lack, says Doctor McCarthy. The Bmall tenant farmer has had am ple provisions made for him by the government for the purchase of hi? home. Small farmeis, through credit assocations, have ample opportunities of obtaining small loans, for produc tive purposes. What Ireland moBt needs now, however, is a system of loans by which the owners of the larg er estates may secure funds - with which to make their estate productive and profitable. The owners of the big estates are all in need of monejr. They i are as poor, in a sense, as the poorest t tenant farmers. The worst farming f In all Ireland is sometimes found' upon the largest estates. These farmers find it difficult to obtain a large loan. | at a low rate of Interest, <>n long time, v with privileges of amortisation pay ments, such as will enable them to' use money for the gradual upbuilding of ; the productiveness of tfc* " bum . H It i were possible henfc to borrow money upon mortgages of this description as it la in Germsny, in France, in' Italy ,.{snd even in Russia, the rural portions -of Ireland mm.li pMftg rapidly. America can safely adopt the Irish system of, short time por^n al loans, but we tfrwld U>Ve lu* tlon something V.?n ; ? ? C iTchaften bftnfci ( .. .?r loans. Farm Lands For Sale 352 acres of land known as the Creed property, eight miles North of Camden; 200 acres open land, some timber and plenty of wood on place; one half mile from good school; one five room dwelling, barns, one store building and ten tenant houses. Price on application. Terms: one third cash, balance to suit purchaser. Small farm, property of H. M. Fincher, one mile East of Camden; one new $1200.00 dwelling and barns; land in high state of cultivation; 10 acres of this land produced seven 500 weight bales of cotton and 144 bushels of corn. Price $3000.00. Terms '<> cash, balance at 7 per cent, on easy terms. ? C. P. DuBose & Company Real Estate City Property and Farm , Lands I Energies of Household Pest. Amoru. ,!.e enemieB oi tlie house fly, including fungus diseases, protozoa, nematodes, mites, spiders, the house centipede, parasitic insects, birds, and fly-catching iats, Mr H. E. Ewing of Corvallis, Ore., describes in Entomo logical News a strange parasite which attaches itself to the ventral body wall of the fly. It belongs ?to the gamasid family, and as it feeds it hangs on in a manner nicely calculated not to throw the fly out of balance in flying. Bank Stock For Sale I am offering for sale, within: 30 days. Five Thousand ($5,000) Dollars worth of stock of the Loan & Savings Bank, of Camden, S. C. L. L. CLYBURN DeKALB. S. C. BANK STOCK WANTED I hereby offer Five Thous and Five Hundred Dollars ($5,500.00) for the Five Thousand Dollars of Loan &"Savings Bank Stock, (50 shares) advertised by L. L.< Clyburn. that 'tjr to say, t^n per cent- above par. Henry savage CAMDEN, S. C. Funerals Directed V'V- ^ ' ? ' ' ' ? - - ? ? ? - We supply the best of burial goods, con duct funerals and relieve families and friends of many unpleasant duties ince dent to death. We are always prepared to serve those who need our' service. B. R. McCREIGHT, CAMDEN, S. C. Profit By The Experience of Others c .? . : .t . v Increase your yield by using the Fertilizers that gives best results. We are agents for Congaree Fertilizer Company. The many satisfied customers will attest to the merits of the fer tilizers that we handle. We have told you in our former ad-" vertlsements wherein the superiority of these goods lie. . Full stock on hand of Ammoniated goods, Acid Phosphate, Kainit, Potash and Nitrate of Soda. See us before placing your order. Now is the time to plant your Garden. We have Just re ceived a large shipment of Seed Potatoes: IRISH COBBLERS, EARLY ROSE and BLISS SEED POTA TOES. . FULL STOCK OF GARDEN TOOLS. We want your business and can make you close prices. Why? hocaune we buy in large quantities, Wholesale aUd Retail Gro ceries and Heavy Goods. ?. Inspect our stock of farm Implements, Disc Harrows, Subsoil Plows, Guano Distributors, Steel Beam Plows, Cotton and Corn Planters. We are agents for the Win. J. Oliver Plow Co; X ~~ full stock of Buggies, Wagons, Mules, Horses, and -in fact any thing that a farmer needs. ;? ? - ? Agent* for Arab Horee Feed, Larrow Cow Feed, also have Just received a car load of Cotton Seed Hulls, car Oats, Car Corn and Car of Piedmont Flour. Get prices and save money. SPRINGS 8c SHANNON Camden, S. C. *