The independent., 1903-04-16
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what the Farmers of Nebraska are Deing
in the Way Of Co-Opsrxtien

what the Farmers Of Nebraska are Doing
in the Way Of Co-Opsrstien
Prof. c. Vincent, organizer for the
Nebraska Farmers Cooperative Grain
and Live Stock association, says:
There are about sixty or sew
i enty cooperative associations in
Nebraska, and Of this number not
more than five or six were In ex-
istence prior to one year ago. All,
or nearly all. of the rest are the
product, directly or indirectly, OF
| the agitation begun in December,
1901. In the course OF discus
sions mention was made OF partic-
ular instances OF saving from to
or more cents bisiiei BY Prae-
ticing cooperation, and it was
very frequently these specific
statements of reputable farmers
that caused others to investigate
and then to act, and finally to or
ganiZe."
i This is certainly a great showing
and speaks volumes for the industry
of Prof. Vincent, than whom no man
in the state has done more to aid
{ aL LIE GO-OpCldIlNG ~ SouAoSt
Prof. Vincent did not cause the move
ment- that was beyond the power OF
any one man-but he did great deal
to awaken the farmers to a realiza-
tion of what was going on about them.
Years ago there was a cause for the
grange movement, and later still the
alliance movement; and the same
causes which produced those are at
work producing the present co-opera-
tive movement. But conditions are
not the same as they were then, and
the present movement, to be success
full, must conform to the progress
made in other lines.
When the grange and alliance -four
ished, the grain-bnying and shipping
business, for example, was in the
hands of hundreds and thousands OF
shippers and buyers who were cnly
slightly, if at all, banded together for
mutual protection. Then independent
grange or alliance elevators were the
natural outgrowth of the movement.
That they failed is not to be wondered
at, because as rule the methods
adopted were Of the "cut-throat" COM
the other fellow by over-bidding him.
AT the same time these associations
thought to make up what they lost in
over-bidding by securing the services
of some member for nothing, or almost
nothing, in tending the elevator.
Today the grain-buying and ship
ping business is unified. 1t is a mod
ern trust, conducted along the lire OF
modern trusts. And the farmers CO.
operative concerns will be compelled
to conform to modern conditions-or
eventually fail in the race True,
there are some elements which would
seem to favor reactionary move
ment, but little thought will con-
vince the thinking man that progress
is not made by going back. In fact,
there will be no going back. For ex-
ample, the small bankers bank
ers in the country towns-are hard
hit by the grain trust. In the old days
of separate and independent elevators,
the grain-buyer was usually a prop
erty-owner in the town where he
bought grain. He kept a comfortable
balance in the local bank. When nee
essary he borrowed money of the To-
cal banker. 1t was local affair all
the way around.
Today, with the Zine" elevator sys-
TENS covering whole railroad systems,
the funds are kept in Omaha, Kansas
City, or Chicago. The local agent
pays by check drawn upon the city
bank. Arrangements have been made
with the local bank to cash the grain
checks and draw upon the city bank
for face and exchange with grain
checks attached. 1t is distinctly mod
ern-but the Insignificant amount of
exchange that the local banker gets
out of the deal is i'll recompense for
the depositor he has lost. The grain
buyer is simply hired man for the
line elevator system.
Now, the local bankers would well
come farmers movement which
would result in establishing a great
many separate and distinct indepen-
dent elevators, unconnected in any
way as far as concerns business di-
rectly. This would mean local de-
posits-a rsturn to the old way Of
doing business.
But the cooperative movement cam
not and will not stop at Independent
alayaf forc A few NAV GROW ant pf II