The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-12-25
The National Grange.
REPOR T OF COMMITTEE ON C
OPERATION.


OPERATION.
Worthy Master and Members of the
National Grange:
Gentlemen: Your committee on
on Cooperation have given the
subject assigned them most careful
consideration, and are more deeply
than ever impressed with its mag
nitude and vast importance to us as
individuals, as we'll as in an organ
lied capacity. It IS a fundamental
principle of our Order and an essen
tial element TO success. If we de-
serve to accomplish any of the Oh
jects for which our Order was in
stiJuted, It must be through the in
strumentalty of true cooperation.
Any and every effort for advance
ment made by the National Grange,
by State, District, or Subordinate
Oranges, without employing the
methods OF true co operation, will
invariably prove futile and lead TO
disappointment.
The importance of true co opera
ton is so essential that it should be
brought more promptly before every
Grange, and to the attention of
every member in our Order, and TO
every farmer in the land.
Much has been said and done at
previous sessions of the National
Grange, as by State Oranges. to
urge the importance Of this subject
and commemorate afforts have been
pat forth to teach co operation in
our Order, but these efforts have
generally been directed to the saw
ing of percentages in trade and to
sales of produce with reduced COM
missions; and we can to-day point
with pride TO many successful CO.
operative associations of this kind as
the result of such efforts; and wher-
ever these We're organized and
strictly conducted upon the Roch-
dale system, as advised bv the Ma
tiOnal Grange several years ago, sue
cess has been assured. This body
should do all that lies within its
power to encourage this method of
cooperation for the benefit of its
large membership. And where
these associations can not be organ
ized with an assurance of success.
State Oranges may often supply the
wants of the members for the time
through a Grange agency establish
ed upon the cooperative system,
| aud such agencies should ALWAYS be
under good and sufficient bonds 10
protect members from loss. and
ghey should also be under the control
of the Executive Committee of the
State Oranges creating them.
The millions that are saved annu-
ally to members by cooperation
! should encourage US to renewed eff
forts to enhance and increase these
benefits. Funds accumulated in
the treasury OF Subordinate
Grange should be usec for cooper
alive purposes and advantages tc
the members of such Oranges. eth
e. in building Grange halls, secur.
ing supplies, purchasing Grange
libraries, or in distributing Grange
! papers TO its members.
Cooperation in its true sense j.
| ncI confined TO business principle,
alone, 1t is so comprehensive anC
| applicable that its importance car
not be ignored nor its use dispensed
with in any part Of our work as al
| organization.
When corporations apply thi
principle in their efforts and enter
prises, satisfactory results are as
| sured.
Care and intelligent cooperation
even in matters of politics; is essen
t,al TO success.
| By such wise application of fore
many victories have been won OF
the battlefield by armies less i
numbers.
Indeed, Incorporation leads directl
to successful results; it is the grea
motive power employed in grea
achievements by people acting CO..
leCtively for common purpose. il
neglect leads inevitably to failur,
We, as an organization, must EN-
ploy cooperative efforts in on
work, not only in buying and sci
ing, but in educating ourselves, ant
indeed; in everything pertaining /
our interests and our organization
As thoroughly and as correctly :
al others, before we can hope f
satisfactory results. Failures
business CO operation are usual
, due to the lack of knowledge r,