122 RURAL RECONSTRUCTION 



cultural Organisation Society — has no superior, probably no equal. 

 It is on the ground of such equipment — special stress being laid upon 

 the second item — that is, a most efficient system of transport and 

 distribution, that, after the representatives of the Co-operative 

 Union had been unceremoniously turned out of the " Board " of the 

 Agricultural Organisation Society, the Co-operative Wholesale 

 Society started its own large purchasing and distributing centre for 

 Lancashire at Clitheroe. Our agricultural co-operators cannot be 

 held to have acted wisely in rejecting the proffered hand of a society 

 that would have proved an extremely valuable ally. Their early 

 toddlings on the Toad Lane path were simply laughable. They were 

 pressed upon us by an all-powerful " inner circle." No wonder they 

 proved practically still-born. The agricultural co-operators of 

 Ireland found themselves in a very different position. There is the 

 Saint George's Channel flowing between Manchester and Ireland, 

 and the Irish operating ground very plainly forms a realm by itself, 

 with different habits, different likings, different needs. Hence, 

 Manchester being out of the question, the formation of an independent 

 Co-operative Wholesale Society was clearly indicated by geographical 

 circumstances. And with fair support, and an admirable, self- 

 denying lead, our Irish friends knew how to organise such, and so to 

 develop it, that it is already giving an excellent account of itself, and 

 promises to give an even better. In England neither have we the 

 need of separate action, nor have we the lead for engaging in it, nor 

 yet the support and the hearty working together, such as can result 

 only from genuinely democratic organisation, under which every 

 part feels that it is an integral portion of the whole, that it has a full 

 voice in the government and that its own interest is at stake — 

 which conditions are fulfilled in the Irish society, but for the time 

 scarcely yet in that of England. 



Up to the completion of purchase, industrial co-operation will 

 serve us intending rural co-operators exceedingly well as a guide, 

 light and example. But for agriculturists, collective purchase, how- 

 ever valuable in itself, so far as rural folk are concerned, constitutes 

 really only a preparatory step to the more important further co- 

 operation, of which the main branch of our industrial co-operation will 

 know nothing. There is one point still, indeed, on which we shall 

 do well to follow the example of our industrial co-operators, and 

 that is the point of collective insurance. But that completes the 

 measure of acceptable teaching to be derived from this source. 

 With its millions of adherents and its provident habits well deve- 

 loped after long experience, industrial co-operation has, as already 



