THE MOVEMENT IN IRELAND 75 



the initial expenses of the propaganda, and from 1889 to 

 1894 the " New Movement " in Ireland was little more than 

 a reproduction of what was then an old movement in 

 England. 



Experience soon convinced Sir Horace that the regenera- 

 tion of Ireland's economic condition was not to be brought 

 about by the establishment of co-operative stores alone, 

 and that advancement of the agricultural interests on which 

 that country depended in so material a degree should be 

 sought chiefly by an adoption of the principle of co-opera- 

 tion in production, more especially in regard to those butter 

 supplies to the provision of which the agricultural and 

 climatic conditions of Ireland were especially adapted. In 

 this way there was evolved by Sir Horace Plunkett a scheme 

 for the creation of co-operative dairies in Ireland some time 

 before he learned that such dairies were then already an 

 established institution in Denmark. 



In 1893 the English Co-operative Wholesale Society began 

 to start creameries of its own in Ireland. " In the profits 

 and management of these concerns," as Sir Horace said, 

 when addressing the Economic Society of Newcastle-on-Tyne 

 on October 27th, 1898, " farmers had no share. This was 

 so diametrically opposed to the principles of co-operation, 

 as we understood them, that the two movements became 

 independent of each other." 



In April, 1894, the movement for agricultural co-operation 

 had so far expanded — although the number of local dairy 

 societies was still comparatively small — that a new organisa- 

 tion, under the title of the Irish Agricultural Organisation 

 Society, and looked upon as " the analogue of the Co-opera- 

 tive Union in England," was formed to carry on a work of 

 promotion and supervision which had become, as Sir Horace 

 told, " too onerous and costly for a few individuals to bear." 

 Men of all creeds and parties joined it, and undertook to 

 supply funds for what was regarded as a five years' experi- 

 ment, though one which, as the result proved, was to be so 

 successful that the Society became established on a 

 permanent basis. 



