opeless obstacles had been overcome, apathy, ignorance, and
often contemptuous opposition from men of both political parties. For,
with that ruinous pessimism always endemic in countries not politically
free, and exactly paralleled in the Canada described by the Durham
Report of 1839, extremists were inclined to suspect any movement which
drew recruits from both political camps. Nevertheless, the island is now
covered with a network of 886 co-operative societies, creameries,
agricultural societies (for selling implements, foodstuffs, etc.),
credit banks, poultry societies, and other miscellaneous organizations.
The total membership is nearly 100,000, the total turnover nearly two
and a half millions.[55] Nearly half the butter exported from Ireland is
made in the 392 co-operative creameries, and at the other end of the
scale extraordinarily valuable work is done by the 237 agricultural
credit banks, which supply small loans, averaging only L4 apiece, for
strictly productive purposes on a system of mutual credit.

Moral and material regeneration go together. The aim is to build up a
new rural civilization, to put life, heart, and hope into the monotony
of country life and unite all classes in the strong bonds of sympathy
and interest: a splendid ideal, applicable not to Ireland alone, but to
all countries, and Ireland may truly be said to be pointing the way to
many another country, Great Britain included.

The Co-operative movement attracts the most intelligent and progressive
elements of the rural population. Strictly non-political itself, it
unites creeds and parties. It is as strong in predominantly Roman
Catholic districts as in predominantly Protestant districts, strongest
of all in Catholic Wexford. Probably two-thirds or more of the
co-operators are Home Rulers, but that only accidentally reflects the
distribution of Irish parties. On the local committees political animus
is unknown. The governing body contains members, lay and clerical, of
all shades of opinion. Step into Plunkett House, that hospitable
headquarters of the Organization Society, and if you have been nurtured
in legends about inextinguishable class and creed antipathies, which are
supposed to render Home Rule impossible and the eternal "umpirage" of
Great Britain inevitable, you will soon learn to marvel that anyone can
be found to propagate them. Here, just because men are working together
in a practical, self-contained, home-ruled organization f