ORGANISATION. 199 



force of contact, example, and the recognition of high moral 

 ideas, influences which are found to make thieves honest, 

 drunkards sober and ne'er-do-weels creditable members 

 of society. (I have quoted instances and evidences in 

 " People's Banks.") M. Luzzatti impresses upon his Italian 

 societies that " the best security of a society is the quality 

 of its members." In Italy, where among the peasantry 

 illiteracy abounds, many whilom illiterates, who are good 

 enough in character, are beholden to the Raiffeisen (or in 

 that country " Wollemborg ") societies for their modest mas- 

 tership of the pen and famiharity with printed characters. 

 However, the mere bringing together of members of such a 

 society, in which contact becomes close, interests are com- 

 mon, and in which character is valued, quite naturally has 

 its elevating effect. But add to that the consideration in 

 common of matters that interest every one concerned, 

 matters of technical interest, such as the relative value 

 and the composition of fertilisers and feeding stuffs, the 

 proper handhng of crops, the meaning and object of farming 

 operations, where the arguments of Reason are powerfully 

 supported, not merely by the argument of Example, 

 but also by that most convincing plea, the argument of 

 the Pocket, and it cannot fail to be understood what power- 

 ful educational agency is here at work. In any case the 

 results are in evidence. In Germany, according to the 

 evidence of high authorities of undoubted knowledge, 

 thanks to Co-operation the bauer has become a totally 

 different creature from what he used to be — more intelligent, 

 more businesslike, a better farmer, a better conducted 

 citizen. 



In Russia we see the moujik developing fast, since, under 

 newly acquired freedom, he has been able freely to organise 

 Co-operation, which in his country has expanded marvel- 

 lously under the new regime. And with regard to the 

 United States, Mr. W. M. Stickney, referring to a pertinent 

 declaration by President Roosevelt : " It is only through 

 such combinations that American farmers can develop 

 to the full their social and economic power" ; stated before 

 a recent Congress : "No one would think of belitthng the 



