CO-OPERATION AND CREDIT 199 



since the failure of Lord Winchilsea's devoted 

 efforts, several organizations like the " Wilts 

 Farmers Limited," and the " East Anglian 

 Farmers Association," have met with very 

 considerable success, and it is to be hoped that 

 the efforts of the State may sooner or later 

 succeed in inducing our farmers generally to 

 adopt the practice of co-operation on a scale 

 worthy of our country. The main reasons 

 for the slow growth of the movement hitherto 

 have been the general lack of interest in 

 agricultural matters displayed by successive 

 Governments, the deep-seated conservatism 

 and individualism of the farming class, and, 

 finally, the jealous opposition of traders and 

 middlemen. 



There is a special reason at the present time 

 for desiring to see the farmer enjoying the 

 benefits of co-operative organization. A higher 

 scale of labourers' wages must inevitably 

 be demanded before long, and this added 

 burden would be more easily borne by the 

 farmer if he was able to effect individual 

 economies in the purchase of his materials 

 and the sale of his produce. 



The inherent dislike of co-operation is to 

 some extent responsible for the unfair treat- 

 ment which, hi the opinion of many farmers, 

 is accorded to their goods by the railway 



