St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-02-21
The Way Out.

It is remarkable that none of our writer's
should point out in detail that permanently
organized financial CO operation is natu-
raj sequence of the farmers movement
Educational and political work seems to
have largely monopolized the attention of
the movement thus far. Crude attempts
at financial cooperation are being made
by the Farmers Alliance Exchanges, but
they show little advance over tt 9 confden
tial-contract system of the Grange fifteen
years ago. The aim of cooperative dis
tribution in America seems to be wholly
in securing the largest immediate discount
from list prices, without regard to per
pstuating such arrangements. The enor-
nous saving effected through Grange pur-
chases was only temporary. Yet the Alli-
ance is again operating in the same way.
The ideao making cooperative distri-
bation permanent business has as yet
made but little Roadway. Farmers are
averse to investing even a part of their
savings in the agency which effected the
economy, while to put fresh capital into
such an enterprise seems to many to be the
height of folly. Yet. if farmers had cap
italized only ten per cent of their savings
through Grange buying, it would have
created fund sufficient to have estab-
lished corporations in every State, through
which farmers could forever buy together
and sell together Such permanent agen-
cies or exchanges backed by ample CAPT
tai, would naturally grow in extent and
usefulness. paying fair returns on the in
vested capital besides handsome dividends
to patrons on their purchases. The re-
markable success of the cooperative cream
cry system in the Eastern States (co-opera-
tive production) is an inkling of the per-
NANCY that would be given to cooperative
distribution under similar organization.
Epgland's superb example illustrates
our point most forcibly. 1t was in 1914
that some thirty poor men of Rochdale
contributed five dollars apiece toward
capital with which to buy their family
supplies in common. One of them as
agent bought goods of standard quality.
for which each member paid the usual retail
price, receiving with each purchase
ticket stating the amount of the discount
to which he was entitled. At the end of
the first quarter, instead of drawing out
the amount of their discounts, each man
had this sum placed to his credit against
another share of the capital stock. Thus
the members savings were turned
into capital, and Sc the more
they ate the more they saved"
Wulle Luey were CONSTANTLY ILL pIOFlhS
their financial condition without increasing
their expenses. To-day this society, the
Rochdale Equitable Ploneersh, has over
II, OGO members and $1,S35, 900 capital,
while it's net profits per year exceed $685.
900. From this beginning have developed
the 1900 similar societies in Great Britain,
with over one million members and sew
enty million dollars of capital, holding
real property worth about thirty millions,
and selling over two hundred million dol
lars of goods annually, at profit in 1889
of nineteen millions of dollars. The CO.
operators trade is increasing at the rate OF
$4,000, 900 annually. In the last twenty
six years for which official statistics of
these cooperative societies have been COL
lected, the total sales have been 81, 557,-
600, 900; the total net profits have bsen
5000 234. 800.
The system is applicable to city and
country in the United States. How vastly
superior to the haphszard and temporary
expedient of trade discounts With the
grander scale on which matters IRE usually
conducted in America, and with cur higher
prices and larger profits. wins limitless
possibilities are open to cooper alive effort
among our farmers Before s. CHI organ
lied self -help no monopoly cou Id practice !
extortion, and thrift would be practically |
insured
How favorably this system compares
with the proposed plan for improvement
based on government mortgages of not |
only our farmers freehold property, but |
even the very produce of their land. Let
unjust laws be repealed, special privileges
be abolished, and equality insured for all.
Here is the work for government Then,
in the detail of our own business, let US
help ourselves. Corporation furnishes a
means for the sturdy American farmer to
secure his best estate through self-help.-
american AgrSculturist.