ITS LESSONS AND ITS WARNINGS 63 



THE TRADESMAN AND THE MANUFACTURER 



The creation of colonies of peasant proprietors 

 would give abundant employment to our work- 

 shops and factories by the demand for agricul- 

 tural implements and the other articles necessary 

 to till the land ; while the subsidiary trades, 

 such as those of the blacksmith, wheelwright, 

 harness-maker, shoeing smith, would be revived, 

 and our decayed country places restored to life 

 and prosperity. All classes of tradesmen and 

 shop-keepers would benefit in a corresponding 

 degree. 



Co-operation in buying and selling would im- 

 mediately be adopted by these peasant pro- 

 prietors, when thus grouped together. Co- 

 operation is difficult and is rarely found among 

 yearly tenants, but it invariably follows the 

 establishment of ownerships. In the matter of 

 co-operation in all its phases Denmark stands in 

 the front rank amongst the nations of Europe ; 

 but co-operation was practically unknown in 

 that country until by the legislation of last 

 century its land system was changed from 

 tenancies to ownerships. 



