The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-11-19
COOPERATION.
From Past haster Vim. Maxwell,
Manager OF the st. Louis Branch
OF the Southwestern C0-0pera-
tive Association.

OFFICE ST. LOUIS BRANCH OF THE >.
w. CO. COOPERATIVE. ASSOCIATION,
ST. LOUIS, Nov. Q.
Editor Patron; Desperation gains
almost daily, in new friends, new
advocates and new customers, and
IN the formation of new retail CO.
operative stores or ass ociations in
different States and different parts
of States, and daily inquiries for o
formation to enable neighborbor
hoods and Oranges to form Associ-
atoms to begin business or for a
Lecturer or system of Lectures to
satisfy and give light on the subject
to a whole community who are
aroused on the subject and only
want an intelligent presentation to
prompt them to action.
In the absence of a living Mis-
sionary on the subject of co-opera-
ton, we would say to all who seek
Light" THE PATRON OF HUsBAN
DRY is continually agIow with it.
1t is the 'forerunner preparing the
way for a new and Impractical dis
pensation, showing the way possible
by which 1--WE may do unto others
az we would have them do unto
us, and thereby fulfill the command
Love thy neighbor as myself"
Such is the result OF practical CO.
operation. The opposite of co ope-
ration is competition Competition
grows out OF the Lore Of money, Il
love that is fruitful of evil, and little
else but evil, some one or more OF
which is presented in clear tight
in every number Of THE PATRON
and the remedy placed side by side
Besides the actuaI moral corrup.
ton growing out of competition, as
it does seem to do, it Expresses, il
gathers from the many and accumu-
lates with the few, it wholly ignores
the admonition "Consider not thine
own bat thy neighbours good, -
the love of money closing the eyes
to the law of Glove thy neigh Dor. ="
Cooperation, on the other hand.
in bestowing blessings by reflex ac-
ton also blesses the bestower, and
be is thereby enabled 10 realize the
fullness Of the saying, "More blessed
is be that giveth than he that re-
cieveth"
Hearing of the moral, social and
great financial benefits of co-ope-
ration to those who have practiced
it, in its real and proper form, causes
the many inquiries to know how to
begin and how to conduct it. There
is no covered up mystery in it, it is
very simple, it is common sense. il
simply reeds to observe the facts as
they are in business and then ap-
ply the rules common in every dav
business, and when the money is
made in the business, as everybody
knows business does make money
when prudently conducted say for
cash, taking no risks. The differ
encc Is, CO operation returns the
profits of business TO the custom
ers, while the competitive business
leaves all the profits to the individ
ual or firm who furnishes the money
and did the business, the custom
ers having paid all the expenses as
well as The cost and all the gain in
it too. They paid it all, in the
price paid for what they buy, that
gain being an Indirect tax upon the
customers, and that much more
than the actual cost and expenses
on what they bought. That is COM
mon sense; every body can see that
and they can see how it is done
And everybody has been submitting
to it because they knew no other
way and submitted to it till the ex-
actions of that system of getting
gains to the few at the expense OF
the many brought oppression and
actual want in many thousands OF
cases, and in self defense a remedy
was found to be a necessity, and
out of that necessity grew the co.
operative feature in business, which
helps eacn other
Add it is nothing less or more
than a community, or any part Of
them, who will it associating them
selves a. firm for business pur>
poses; every one furnishing what
money he can. or is willing TO fur
nish, TO be used as an associated
capital, as any other firm, in what.