The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-10-30
COOPERATION.
Letter from Past Master VIM.
MAXWELL, of the Tennessee State
Grange.

Grange.
Editor Patron: Hindrances to
cooperation can never succeed if
the people "wilf' to the contrary.
A hindrancc was offered in one in.
stance in 1877, and for a time did
have apparent success, The o.op-
erationists gave support to the hin
drance till they were better inform
ed. 1t was in this wise: their CO.
operative store held -four at So per
barrel. The cost and expenses per
barrel in the house was SIS; other
stores in the same town were offer
ing theirs at So, but they learning
that the cooperative store sold at So
offered theirs at $3.50. The CO ope-
rationists, like other people, DESTROYS
to save money, thought to do so by
buying at the other stores at IS. 90.
thus letting the merchants from
whom they bought make 5oc., leay-
ing the money invested in the CO.
operative store idle, having neither
income as a profit nor to pay clerk
hire, house rent and interest on mo
ney invested. 1t seemed for a time
to be an easy matter for the opposi-
ton to gain a complete victory and
to drive co operation from their
midst. But unfortunately for them,
who seemed to be securing an easy
victory over the peoples real friend,
''co-operation, one was summoned
with whom the co~operationists
could take COunseI-one who had
seen cooperation successfully sus-
tanned in spite of hindrances of all
kinds. He explained to their salts
faction and showed them clearly that
they could not afford to buy else
where on such an offer. His expla-
nation to the stockholders was this:
If they bought from their own store
at 50, it was only 81 loaned to their
own business to the end of the quar-
term which they made the purchase,
atwhich time the ST. profit would be
paid back to them as dividend, be-
sides the whole So might be turned
over once or twice by that time, and
really make them more than 81 prof
it, so that in fact the -four would cost
them but So, whereas every barrel
bought from other houses did in re-
ality cost them $3.50.
He also showed TO -stockhol-
ders that it was to their interest to
buy at the cooperative store, mas
much as half the profit on their Gus
tom would be entered to their credit
toward paying for a share of stock
for them till it paid for share, after
which they would be entitled to all
the profit on their custom, and in
the meantime they get their -four at
the same price they would if they
mad bought at the other houses.
Again; hindrances come up in this
form: Cotton buyers who have
goods to sell bid liberal prices for
cotton compared with quotations,
even such prices that the buyer
sometime loses money on the cotton,
yet the buyer makes money in the
end. AT certain depot last year,
man lost on the cotton lie bought
about 81. 700, yet he said he made
money largely. A friend asked him,
now: He replied that he made it
on the goods he sold. There is de-
ceptlon in that kind of business.
a case in point: A man in Mis-
SlssipPi is buying cotton and paying
cash at CO operative store. He of,
tered 1923; that cotton was quoted
at rs. Another man, who had
goods to sell, offered 1895 and got
the cotton-two bales. The seller
bought barrel Of -four where he
so!d the cotton and paid 81 for it;
ne also bought cotton at zoe. Before
he lett town, he was again in the
co operative store where the man of
Lered him 1925 for his cotton, and
found the same grade of flour at So
ana the same coffee at I7c. His gain
IN the difference of offers on the two
oaIeS was 81; he lost that on the
hour, and then lost &C a pound on
every pound of coffee he bought.
besides that, he lost the opportunity
Vi dividend on his flour and coffee,
winch, tor the first quarter of this
year IN the cooperative store, was
per cent on the gross sales of the
quarter, amounting to $5,1z7. 80, and
tne sales of the present quarter will
De greater.
10 use familiar term, the people
must learn that this trick of cotton
~. ye,S with goods to sell is "too
n r'n oel your cotton for the cash,
NJ SEND 1t to [. J Carver, General
l@nager of the Southwestern Co
operative Association at New Or
aus and get the market price, and
n ,nvest your money in goods at a CO.
Pe'dtive store, when there is one
~ Iit'in reach; and if there is not one,
~. III start one as soon as you can.
linking farmers are doug this in
nany localities; and it not only pays,
hit II makes them independent of
oSss erS' Some buyers have become
bb n at farmers from whom they
Isht cotton because the farmers
OH 70 the CO operative or some
ana store with their cotton money
;. bought goods, like free men as
ey thought they were; and the