CO-OPERATION AND CREDIT 205 



of Agriculture will be successful in under- 

 mining the general reluctance on the part of 

 our rural population to accept the principle 

 of personal credit and unlimited liability. 



It is probable that two different kinds of 

 banks may be required in rural districts : 

 an agricultural bank, more properly so called, 

 for the farmers, depending on the assistance 

 rendered by existing Joint Stock banks in the 

 neighbourhood, and banks on Raffeissen lines 

 for the benefit of the labourer and small-holder. 

 In every case it is to be hoped that such 

 institutions large and small will not be en- 

 couraged to rely too much on the personal 

 support of neighbours, however well disposed 

 they may be. No taint of private patronage or 

 " charity" should be attached to any genuine 

 system of " people's banks ; " our country- 

 side has suffered too much already from these 

 influences, and though individualism dies hard 

 in rural England it must obviously yield before 

 the advance of the collectivist spirit which 

 more fully day by day inspires the life of our 

 towns and cities. 



