The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-10-23
COOPERATION.
Letter from Past Master VIM.
Maxwell, of the Tennessee State

Letter from Past Master VIM.
Maxwell, of the Tennessee state
Grange.
Editor Patron. How to begin
cooperative business is constantly
recurring question. Two Oranges
in Tennessee, one of which re-
Gently visited, determined upon this
plan: Every member of the two
Oranges is to be entered as a member
of a joint business association and
regarded as subscriber of one share
SIS; all who can and are willing are to
pay in one or more shares at their
option. This is to be placed in the
hands of one, selected by an execu-
tive committee and who is to be
president of the committee. The
committee or the Oranges, as may
be hereafter determined, elect the
one who is to attend to the business
and fix his pay, which will be either
a commission or salary. The mem
bers or families will notify him what
they need, and he will order the ar
ticles called for from the wholesale
sources, as from the Southwestern
Cooperative Association at New
Orleans, if that be the best market.
He will distribute the goods at retail
prices from a place agreed upon.
Those who have paid for share or
more will have the dividends on
their custom declared on settlement
day subject to their order; those
who have not paid for their shares
will have their dividends declared,
but instead of being subject to their
order will be entered opposite their
names on the subscription book as a
credit on their shares presumptively
subscribed; if their dividend at the
first settlement amounts to S., GER
tifcate of stock for one share will be
issued to all such, and thus such a
one is made a member Of the bust
| ness association; those whose divi-
dend does not amount to S., the
amount, whatever it is, will be en-
tered as a credit on their share sub
scribed, and so on at every returning
settlement day until it amounts to S.,
when a certificate will be issued to
them and they become members.
A practical result of this plan may
be this: They may, with the stock
paid in, order a car load Of salt. At
the time this agreement was entered
into, salt was being sold at retail at
S. per barrel at the trading centre of
the citizens of that vicinity. At the
same time the committee were in
possession of the information, and
the offer was made to them, that salt
could be delivered to them at ST.
per barrel Their business manager
may get it there at that cost, and they
buy it at the regular retail price, So
which will be 65c. over cost and car
rage; they may allow the manager
per cent commission on gross sales
which would leave $50. profit on the
barrel, and that may be added to thu
ness may steadily enlarge and soon
embrace stock of general merchan
disc. = In the meantime, all their cot
ton may be handled and shipped by
the manager to T. J. Carver, Genera
Manager of the Southwestern Co
operative Association, and bust
ness established by the people anc
for the people, from which they will
derive all the profits, and the bust
ness manager be a servant of the
people, as he ought to be, instead O.
the people being continually ser
wants of the business men.
We expect that Mr.. Carver, whC
has so long and successfully devoted
his business energy and talents t.
the best interests of the people, will
soon establish wholesale grocer,
business for the people in connec
ton with the general commission
business Of the Southwestern Co
operative Association at New Or
leans already established in the in
terest of all its customers.
The profits on custom will estab
fish a cooperative business of an,
kind at any retail or wholesale cent,t
if the people will send their business
to it. Then conflict between capital
and labor is settled, because rpor
this plan labor gets the profit Oh the
business and capital gets theinter.
est. Then invest whatever capital
may be necessary TO establish the de
sired cooperative business and fol
low that with your patronage, and
the whole conflict is settled. A
small amount of capital from each
one of large number is sufficient to
establish any kind of business; ano
essary to give it custom to max.
it successful. Without custom. nc
business can sustain itself; with if
| there is no failure in theory or IL
practice.
The Grange at looms Station
Hardeman county, Tenn, has re.
vived and will soon have co-opera.
ton in business. Tonight, l am to
address the people six miles west oil
Bolivar on cooperation, but it is
now raining and l may disappoint
the meeting. Fraternally,
w. MAXWELL.
Bolivar, Tenn, Sept. II.
Editor Patron. The rain did not
prevent good meeting near Boil