Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-07-11
Go. operative Effort Among Farmers.

Co. operative Effort Among Farmers.
Many men are hindered in enter
prises that promise success and profit,
for the lack of means. Many enter
prises, therefore, that would bring
profit to a community, are not be-
gun, because no individual citizen
feels able to undertake them. Co.
operation, or a union of forces, would
secure many good things, and help to
build up communities.
In every school district the iarm-
ers ought to get together and build a
neat school-house, at aIocation to be
agreed upon as suitable and convent
ent. Then they should unite their
efforts to secure a good teacher, and
all support him. When this is done,
and a good school established and
kept up, development will be begun
in more ways than one. Children
will be properly taught and prepared
for the duties and business of life.
The morals of the community, will
be guarded, the virtue of the people
will be strengthened, and the ma
terial interests built up. Whatever
accommodates the necessities of the
people, and tends to improve the
condition of society, will always in.
crease the material interests of the
locality, and advance the wealth of
the community.
Again, in the absence of action by
the State, the farmers of the different
districts should cooperate in the i'm
provement Of roads. Good roads in
a measure annihilate distance, re-
duce expense of transportation, and
increase the income of the farm by
saving the outlay otherwise necessary
to supply WORKOUT wagons and carts,
and too early broken down teams.
There is new too much disposition
to comply with the law in working
the required time upon the roads,
and not enough effort given to perma-
nent improvement. One of the
greatest drains made upon farmers
come from bad roads. Bad roads
bring the heaviest tax our people
suffer, more / must think than
comes to us through any one govern
mental evil from which we suffer
A wagon that ought to last fifteer
years is worn out in five. A mule OF
horse that ought to do good service
until he is twelve years of age, is SEN
to the bone.yard at eight, to say moth
ing of the time wasted and the ex
pense incurred by the difficulties O.
transportation in drawing such ligh
loads.
The unfortunate fact in this con
nection, is our people pay the tax
and yet have the bad roads. Many
a farmer pays annually in the ways
have indicated, one hundred anC
fifty dollars in losses, and then ha'
the same bad roads, or possibly
worse, to begin the succeeding year
Whereas, if he would pay fifty dol
lars under State enactment, or com
munity cooperation, he would hav,
the pleasure and advantage of gooC
roads, and a greatly increased reve
nue. in his savings.
The roads of a community can b.
greatly improved by cooperation OF
the part of the farmers. The worl
should be undertaken with a view t
permanency, and then there will b
another means to increase minera
wealth as well as intellectual ant
moral culture, as the roads mark tn
civilization and progress of a people
Again, there are many other place
for cooperation on the part Q
the farmers. Under our old method
f a great deal of capital on the farm
was idle good portion of the year
bringing no income and paying n
, interest. This is especially true G
r gins and gin houses and cotton press