The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-02-07
RESULTS OF COOPER ALTON IN
TENNESSEE AND MISSISSIPPI

i11N NEoSEE AND MISSISSIPPI
FAsi MASTER VIM. MAXWELL, OF
TENNESSEE.
Edft0r Patron A member of the
orange at Gadsden, Tennessee. states
'na' the Go operative Association at that
pace began operations Jam I, 1870, with
%45o IN shares of$5. By IAN. I, 1850. the
dividends added to the stock has little
more than doubled the active stock. The
gross sales during the year were a little
over $1,000; the articles kept were fami
y groceries. It is now intended to add
dry goods, but the Association resolved
they would not receive and invest over
$1,000. Several have offered to take
shares to the amount of $500 but the di
rectors decline to take that much from anv
one person, preferring to inculcate and
practice the true principlessm success in
cooperation, that is, smalFs1inounts from
large number, and quick sales repeated
often. They allow the business manager
per cent on gross sales, and little more
on few lines
a Grange in Henderson county, Tenn.
has been using the Grange funds, about
95O, Tor more than two years in buying
supplies. 1t IS satisfactory, saving from
IS to more than 100 per cent. They make
small allowance from time to time, as a
remuneration to the brother who distrib-
utes for them. g.
These are few of the good results of
the business feature, observed by the
writer during summer campaign in West
tennessee in the interest Of cooperation.
Besides that, the Oranges were found to
be alive and working well.
l have lately visited the County and
Subordinate Oranges of Holmes and
Montgomery counties, Miss, and found
them all moving ahead. Among other
good deeds, they have considered and
practiCed business on the true co-opera-
tive plan. They have Grange halls, and
some of them are fine ones
In Montgomery county, they are tax
ing lively interest in the establishment
| Of a County Grange school,
Central Grange began business with
| $50 and $40 of that was paid for scales.
| etc; they pay their salesman 10 per cent
on gross sales to distribute and do their
| hauling from the depot Net dividends in
two months, 20 per cent; gross dividends,
| 50 per cent. All their purchases of sup
| pli"s are from T. ]. Carver, Manager of
the Southwestern Cooperative Associa-
| ton.
Boiling Green Grange is doing a similar
| business, and all with Carver They meet
| semi monthly as Grange, make their or
| ders one meeting and distribute at the
next, S. A. Montgomery, Master, distrib
uting, and F. A Howell, Secretary, keep
| ing account of the distribution
| Ancona G-ange began a year ago with
| 81 ,oo5. They have a salaried clerk, rented
a house, have about paid expenses, and
have learned enough to keep up the bust
ness. One member says the house has not
| been able to keep all the different lines of
| goods he needed, and he had of necessity
to buy part of his supplies at other stores,
and that he has saved 500 on what he
| bought at the stores: that is, the other
| houses sold at so much below the usual
retail prices that he saved 800. These
rates were given to decoy him from his
own house, and other members were of
Ga ILL., -: l. @L,~ --o~.slt i @
| been a large saving to the entire neigh
| borhood.
Cooperation does not propose to antag-
Onize other business. 1t does business like
any other house or firm, no matter whether
it be retail, wholesale, commission or
manufacturing. 1t has the same profits OF
dividends as other business, the only DIFF
are divided among the customers. If the
merchants attempt to decoy stockholders
by offering goods at lower rates than the
cooperative house sells them, send your
manager to buy all your house needs Of
such goods; if they decline to sell to your
manager in bulk, the individuals can af
ford to buy as each needs, and let their
small capital in their cooperative store
remain idle for the time being. The mer
chant will not continue to sell below cos
long, when the stakeholder can return to
his Store. It is no difference whether the
customer pays 10 or a larger per cent on
his purchases: the profit is returned tc
him, whether it be much or little.
Holmes County Grange has stock sub
scribed and being subscribed to centra
cooperative house at Lexington. The
members say, 1--WE must, we will have it.
Poplar Creek Cooperative Association
in Choctaw county, began business il
November, 1877, with $500. First quar-
ter's sales were $751;; gross sales during
the quarter ending Dec. 81, 1879, 100000
Last quarters dividends were s per CEN
after all expenses were paid, s per cen
interest on stock being part of, the ex
pense. They pay their manager, ] = B
Simpson, per cent on gross sales.
Bro. Baxter Wilson, of Holmes, is. do
ING splendid work for the cause in tina
county.
TIN. PATRON is a household word VI
here. All are proud of the paper.
Durant, an. "a w. Maxwell.
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