218 AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATION IN IRELAND. 



AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATION IN IRELAND. 



The Work of the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society. 



The Irish Agricultural Organisation Society was founded in April, 1894, 

 to carry on a movement which had been promoted during the five previous 

 years by a few individuals, but which had assumed too large proportions to 

 be carried further without additional support. 



The objects of the movement were stated in the Rules of the Society to 

 be " to improve the condition of the agricultural population of Ireland, by 

 teaching the principles and methods of co-operation as applicable to farming 

 and the allied industries ; to promote industrial organisation for any pur- 

 poses which may appear to be beneficial ; and generally to counsel and 

 advise those engaged in agricultural pursuits." 



The originators of this programme held that combination was as neces- 

 sary to the welfare of agriculture as its general adoption proved it to be to 

 that of all other industries. They saw plainly the economic advantage that 

 could be derived from co-operation in every branch of the farmer's business, 

 and a study of the co-operative movement in England convinced them that 

 the discipline of combination for material advantage would be followed by 

 an all-round improvement in the business habits and methods of the indi- 

 vidual. There were, however, immense difficulties to be overcome in 

 inducing Irish farmers even to consider co-operative action. In the first 

 place, voluntary association for industrial purposes was unknown in Ireland, 

 and almost every man who prided himself on special knowledge of the Irish 

 people, confidently declared that it was altogether alien to the national 

 temperament and habits. Moreover, it was pointed out that the leaders of 

 the English movement had utterly failed to apply their principles to the 

 farming industry. 



The task before the originators of the movement in Ireland seemed, 

 indeed, almost impossible of accomplishment. However, seeing no other 

 resource in the prevailing depression, and being satisfied that their scheme 

 was economically sound, and that it would appeal as such to the intelligence 

 of the farmers, they determined to enter upon a vigorous propaganda, and 

 persist in it until their programme had been adopted or finally rejected. 



The modus operandi previously employed and now followed by the 

 Society need not be detailed, but the following extract from the speech of 

 the President, at the inaugural meeting on April iSth, 1894, will at least 

 indicate the reasons why, and the spirit in which, the work of organisation 

 was undertaken : — 



"The keynote of our proposals is the proposition that the Irish farmers 

 must work out their own salvation, and further, that this can only be done by 

 combination among themselves. I am quite aware of the difficulty which at 

 once suggests itself. It will be pointed out that effective combination for 

 productive or commercial purposes is not to be accomplished simply by a 



