AGRICULTURAL CREDIT AND CO-OPE8ATION IN EUROPE 8l 



The President appointed a Commission of seven members with Senator 

 Duncan U. Fletcher as Chairman and Dr. John Lee Coulter as Secretary. 



The Joint Commission which finally visited Europe included delegates 

 from 36 States of the Union and 4 Provinces of Canada, together with five of 

 the Commissioners appointed by the President. This is probably the 

 largest commission which has ever attempted to make a serious study of im- 

 portant economic problems. It was decided, after careful consideration, 

 that a large commission, while it had obvious disadvantages, was best 

 adapted to the end which the organizers had in view, namely, to dissem- 

 inate throughout the whole of America, accurate first-hand information 

 on the many intricate questions connected with rural credit and co-oper- 

 ation. It was felt that only a large number of delegates, each one of whom 

 on his return would, to s me extent at least, carry on a campaign of 

 pubhcity and instruction in his own State, would be able to influence 

 public opinion to any appreciable extent. 



The Commission delayed its departure until April, 1913, in order that 

 its visit to Europe might coincide with the General Assembly of the Inter- 

 national Institute of Agriculture, which was meeting in Rome in May, 

 thus giving the delegates an opportunity of coming at once into touch 

 with men who represented the agricultural interests of many different 

 countries. 



The investigations of the Commission were begun in Italy and 

 extended to Austria-Hungary, Russia, Denmark, Switzerland, France, 

 Spain, Holland, England, Ireland and Egypt. Each country was visited 

 either by the whole Commission or by a specially detailed Sub-commission. 

 The various Sub-commissions reunited in England, and the delegates, 

 concluding their investigations in Ireland, reached the United States 

 on July 26th. 



§ 2. Methods of work of the commissions. 



The United States Commission Hmited it^i enquiry to the question 

 of agricultural credit, its definite object being to lay before Congress, 

 within as short a time as possible, specific recommendations with respect to 

 the introduction of a credit system adapted to the pressing needs of the farm 

 population of the United States. 



An appropriation of $25,000 was placed at the disposal of the Com- 

 mission for clerk-hire and other necessary expenses, but the members 

 serving on the Commission were unpaid. 



The Southern Commercial Congress established a permanent office 

 in Washington which served as the headquarters of both Commissions, 

 The preliminary work in arranging the European tour and determining 

 the methods to be adopted in conducting, the enquiry was carried out at 

 Washington. 



