46 REPORT OF THE SCOTTISH COMMISSIOX 



slowly but surely they began to make headway. Then progress 

 became more rapid, and in five short years after the movement was 

 started they had brought 30 co-operative creameries into existence, 

 with a membership of 1509, a paid up capital of £13,845, and 

 buildings and plant of the value of £24,872. It had been de- 

 monstrated not only that co-operation was possible in Ireland in 

 a technical manufacture, but that it was profitable, for the farmers 

 were making from 30 per cent, to 35 per cent, more profit on their 

 cows than they did before. 



I.A.O.S. 



The movement thus far had been a private movement, financed 

 to a considerable extent by Sir Horace himself, and by tlie Irish 

 Section of the Co-operative Union of Great Britain. It had now 

 assumed such proportions and gave promise of such development 

 that it was necessary to broaden its basis. A meeting was held in 

 Dublin in April 1894, and the I.A.O.S. was formed, a Society 

 whose sinews of war were to be provided by men of means, inter- 

 ested in the co-operative movement. Sir Horace was elected its 

 first President, and Mr Anderson its first Secretary. The new 

 Society was to be a continuation of the old. The object was " 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 purposes for which it might appear 

 to be beneficial ; and generally to counsel and advise those 

 engaged in agricultural pursuits " — a great programme indeed, 

 which included, the formation of dairy, agricultural, and poultry 

 societies and trade federations ; the development of market 

 gardening ; the establishment of experimental farms ; the im- 

 provement of live-stock ; the collecting, grading, and packing of 

 produce ; the promotion of rural industries ; the creation of 

 agricultural banks ; much of which is now done by the Department 

 of Agriculture, but all of which was done in the early stages of 

 the revival of agriculture by the I.AO.S. Observe that in all 

 this the Society was not doing the work of the Irish farmer. That 

 would have been foreign to its purpose. It was only showing the 

 Irish farmer how to do the work himself. The foreword of the 

 new movement in Ireland was still that the Irish farmer had to 

 work out his own economic salvation, seeking help from the State 

 only after he had proved that he was worthy of that help by 

 having first helped himself. 



An important staff and much money were needed to carry out 

 such a programme. The staff grew in size and importance with 

 the years, and though the Department of Agriculture has relieved 

 the Society of some of its work, that has only meant greater 

 activity in other parts of the field left untouched by the Depart- 

 ment. In addition to Mr Anderson there is now an Assistant 

 Secretary, and the usual office staff; organisers for creameries, 

 agricultural, and other societies, home industries, and credit banks. 



