212 RURAL DENMARK 



Lastly, by means of its elimination of expense and 

 by its large dealings, co-operation makes enterprises 

 which are often enough unprofitable individually, very 

 profitable collectively. Once more it exemplifies the 

 truth of the Greek fable of the single stick and the 

 faggot, or of the motto of the old South African 

 Republic, " Union is Strength." The farmer who 

 standing alone can be broken across the knee of tyranny, 

 extortion, or competition, if bound up with a hundred 

 others by the bond of common interest is able to 

 mock them all. This advantage, too, remains to him : 

 as co-operative societies guarantee the quality of their 

 produce, his market is always sure. 



In short, co-operation is the real solution of the 

 difficulty so often experienced of making properly 

 farmed but unprotected land pay a living profit and 

 something over for rent or interest on loans invested 

 in the purchase of the freehold, with a margin for 

 sinking-fund or savings. 



I repeat, however, my belief that this most 

 beneficial system will only take real root in an 

 agricultural community which owns and does not 

 hire the land it works, and even then will only attain 

 to complete success and prosperity if the people of 

 that community are very hardworking, educated in the 

 true sense, kindly, tolerant-natured, and intelligent. 



All these qualities the inhabitants of Denmark 

 possess to a remarkable degree. 



