The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-13

wealth BrsaEht to Minnesota FARMERS By
Crcnsrrirs and other Eutsrprisca.

wealth BrsaEht to Minnesota FARMERS BY
Crcamrrirs and other Eucsrprisea.
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 1.-THE growth Of the CO.
operative creamery. as a farmers enterprise,
and along with it the development Of co-opera-
ton in all lines of trade. have been marked in
the Northwest In the past year. Reports for the
year are Just in. and no State shows such a
growth in tho butter industry as does Minnesota.
Not far from $50, ooO, 900 was paid in Iowa, Wis
consin and Minnesota last year for butter and
cheese exported. and though Minnesota has been
at the business only since ls92. against twenty
years for the other two. its total was about a
quarter of the whole.
The idea NJ cooperation has not only pervaded
the manufacture of butter in Minnesota, but it
has also extended to all phases OF rural life and
business. The fertile farming districts OF Min
nesota, especially in counties where the butter
factories are most plenty, are full OF grain-buy-
ing houses, warehouses;. general stores. lumber
and coal supply concerns. and produce and
stock buying concerns conducted on the CO.
operative plan. There are in Minnesota 40 CO.
operative farmers fire insurance companies
with $50. 600. 900 in live risks. which they
are carrying at rates varying from 9 to
20 cents per 500 a year. Cooperative
grain buyers raise wheat prices to their sur
rounding country from = 20 , cents a bushel and
distribute dividends sometimes as high as 10 per
cent. Cooperative stores furnish supplies of all
sorts OF wholesale prices, plus about 10 per cent,
and are able to rive back that 10 ner cent. in div
idends 20 their farmer Stockholders. The same
is true of lumber and fuel. Cooperative stock
dealers sell larger blocks of cattle. sheep. hogs.
poultry, anu eggs than could private dealers.
and are able to ship to whichever great market
offers the best Inducements. The cooperative
creaIneries have.L reduced the cost OF butter
making TO about half a cent a pound. and sell
almost exclusively IN the New York market.
Their patrons get on an average 10 cents a
pound better net returns than do those still
dependent on the local retail merchants. and
receive their pay in cash instead OF in barter for
store goods.
As a result OF all this money is plenty in the
farming centres. The banks at the county town
OF one county IN which there are Twelve town
ships. 10000 mich cows and twenty-seven
crennerles have interest-beartng deposits by
farmers alone averaging nearly a million dol
lars. The smallest agricultural county in the
State lass year sent to outside markets enough
farm produce 20 bring back 81, $50 TO each OF lis
LOCO families. One county has had only two
business failures in the past three years and
only fifteen mortgage foreclosures in the same
period. Three townships in the same county
had. when taxes last became delinquent, not one
cent Of delinquencies.
All this has been the growth of a few years.
ana IN \ country where wheat raising was the
sole business In 1891 the irst cooperative
farmers Of Clarks Grove. Freeborn county,
who raised $4,000 for the experiment. To-day
there are $50 cooperative creaneries in Min
nesota; 100 n south Dakota, una about fifty in
North DakOtH. Minnesota received <l3. OOO.O 900
from butter sold IN 1897, and the $50. 600 COWS
drawn upon supplied one and u hnlf billion
pounds " milk. The farmers have 81. 5OO.0 900
invested n crenmeries and skim stations. From
the cash monthly creamery settIeuents
and from the money derived from the
safe Of swine raised on the skim milk
returned 10 them the farmers pay all their ex-
DenFes. and when wheat .ast fall touched 81 4
busnel rle accImulations NJ two years wers
sold from their Srannr:es. South DRkota's hrsr
creamery vas erected in 1898: now 1890. 600 A
month is distributed 20 farmers. south of a line
drawn vest though minneapolis. wheat. which
was The sole staple. is now u minor product.
Many counties that were great exporters 10 not
now ragse enough for local food. Miunesota's
wheat. 4 tenth " all raised in the United states.
now comes from the newer countries N the Red
River. and there the reamery is making its way.
Cooperative enterprises IN the Northwest
have been singuinriy fortunate in leadership.
seldom have dishonest or incapable men been
put n charge. To this IS probab bly, largely due
the extension Of the idea. Farmers alone have
not pushed these enterprises. but the railway
companies have done much. No fewer than
seventy cre1ul"ries ere now projected or in
course Of construction along the line " the 500
road n North Dakota alone. pushed by that
company. The personal work OF Al 3. StIcKney.
President Of he Chicago Great Western. is very
largely responsible for the growth of farmers
enterprises along that line, and President J. J.
ltIIl or the EreaC Northern. has for Years bent
his best sndcavors 20 the Improvement OF stock
ana tAe introduction ot new methods by farmers
along his system.