The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-08-14

AS this thing of division of prof
its in co-operative stores is not set
tied satisfactory in the minds of
great many Patrons, | propose. to
give our reasons for so dividing the
| profits of our store, as stated in our
circular or June 9Th. You will see
| from that circular that we make no
distinction in the division of profits
after the first year oe patronage be-
| tween stockholders, non stockhold-
ing Patrons and outsiders. Both
non stockholding Patrons and out
siders drawing full dividends as soon
as their accumulated profits amount
to one share of stock each five dol
lars J; the only distinction made be-
tween Patrons and non-Patrons is
that nom P PATRONS are not allowed to
vote on their stock. Remember
that our profits go to increase our
capital stock and are not divided
among the customers. They only
receive certificates of so much CAPT
tai, and draw interest on same from
receipt of certificate.
OUR REASON
for so doing is that our expense is
about SO much, whether we sell a
dollars worth of goods or not. If
our Patron trade will just pay ex-
penses we have nothing to divide
out. If we can induce enough out
side trade to pay running expenses
then we have the profits on our Pa
irons trade to be divided among the
customers of the store, and thus we
are better off with the outsiders
trade than we would be without it.
So you see that it pays better to be
selfish and divide all around than be
selfish and not divide at all; and we
claim that in time our not allowing
outsiders a vote will be a strong
enough inducement to induce them
to join the Order to protect their
own money, and ere that time
the most of this prejudice will be
broken down, and they will find that
we mean business, and that farmers
can do their own business, and they
" IA JUN vi IIICII OW II ACCORD,
OUR AIM OR OBJECT IN VIEW.
Believing that we should have
some object in view and some par
ticular aim, we have placed the
following on our banner and intend
to bring all our energies to carry
them out. We often hear the ques-
toe asked, Is all this trouble and
anxiety going to pay if we cannot
draw our dividends? If our divi-
dends or profits are allowed to &C
cumulate it will be but a few wears
before our capital will be larger
than we want to carry in our store
business; then we expect, with the
cooperation of other cooperative
stores to use our surplus capital in
the establishment of a wholesale
store, thereby decreasing the
first cost of goods, and enabling our
store to sell cheaper than we now
do, and accomplishing all that can
possibly be done by the order svs-
tenn; but in the meantime our profits
are still accumulating, and what is
to be done then is to establish some
manufacturing interest that we are
al! ~0--~--------~fS IN the rrlssrnufu~ss.a@
ed goods and producers of the raw
for instance, tannery and
boot and shoe mandatory. We all
being wearers of boots and shoes.
and having them made in our own
mandatory, we ought to get them
at actual cost, as they would only
pass from these manufactures to
the cooperative stores, and from
these to our own feet mot much
chance for middlemen's profits
there); and as farmers we are all
producers of raw hides and pelts.
and as they would go direct from
our hands to the tannery, there
would be but little chance of mid
mlemen's profits there, and we
might possibly get little better
prices for our hides and our shoes
for little less, making a saving at
both ends of the string The same
advantages might be claimed for a
wooden mill, and many others. Nor
is this all. AS this manufactory
would be established in our midst, #
would bring large non producing
class to consume our other farm pro.
ducts, and many others that we do
not now produce on account of
heavy transportation charges, mid
clemens charges, ETC., etc.
TO RECAPITULATE.
I. We have the power in our CO.
operative stores to prevent tbe exor
oitant charges in trade.
2. To lessen the cost of our SUD.
plies.
3. To increase the prices of pro-
1ucts.
4. To do away with unnecessary
5. The building up of a home
market. ;
8. The saving of a great manv
abroad charges, etc.
7. 1t will bring us face to face
With all the important political ques-
ions of the day, viz: the railroad
question, the tariff question, the |
money question, and MANY others. |
nd then there will be no question
bout farmers being represented in c
congress and the Legislature, for +
hey will then know exactly what '
hey want, and act accordingly. t
CONCLUSION. t
AS we have now been running 6
bout 8 months, probably it would a
e OF interest to give your readers a g