This volume explores the potential adoption of the Raiffeisen system, a cooperative credit model developed by German banker Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen in the 19th century, in rural areas of the United States. The work includes a proposal by a committee of inquiry, correspondence with the Southern Commercial Congress and the Farmers National Congress, and detailed analysis of the practicality of implementing this system nationally. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.