The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-05-11

sively upon his own exertions will
soon find himself elbowed out of a
decent existence amid the terrible
crowding and pressure all around him.
The only hope of the average man lies
in union of force, or cooperation
with others for the mutual benefit and |
the common good of all.
Cooperation in the modern mean
ing of the term is an economic system
closely associated with the evergrow-
ing Capitalization of industry. In one
sense cooperation has been an aid to
centralization. A corporation is moth
ing but organized cooperation of capi-
tai, as the original trust was nothing but
organized cooperation between cor
porations. But the broad principle of
equal mutual benefits soon becomes lost
both in the ordinary corporation and
in the trust. The average investor
was practically shorn Of all power and
had to be content with such "leavings"
as few powerful and selfish mana
conditions arose the necessity for CO.
operation in broader, more humani-
tartan sense; economic organization
in which people of moderate means
join hands to provide the necessary
capital for an undertaking, retaining
the entire management and all the
profits in their own hands.
This is genuine cooperation, and in
this form the system has reached a
much higher development in Europe
than in America. In Europe the op-
portunities of the average man were
restricted, while he was oppressed by
privilege, inherited wealth, class dis
tinction, etc. Under such conditions
cooperation was to him a necessary
means of self-preservation. In Amer
lea everyone, rich and poor alike,
found splendid opportunities on every
hand. Everyone could prosper by
working single-handed, as it were. 1t
was necessary for the "plain man" to
join hands with others in order TO o.
tain a fair share of the common
wealth. There was no general demand
for cooperation as lever of welfare
for the average citizen. But condi-
tions have changed rapidly in recent
years. America is no longer what it
used to be. The great sources of
wealth have gradually been absorbed
by vast combinations of capital; the
opportunities of the average man are
being restricted more and more every
, year. We have now reached stage
J of development where cooperation,
| as means of economic self-preserva.
, tion of the "plain people," is as nee.
J essary in America as it ever has beer
in Europe.
. Denmark and England furnish per
5 haps the most striking illustrations Of
| the advantages and benefits of the
, system OF cooperation. In Denmark
2 cooperation in production has
J, wrought results that are nothing short
r of marvellous. Denmark is not mucf
s larger than some western counties; thu
8 soil of the country is productive, bu
: not especially rich. Yet this little
? country supplies the English marke
: with more cattle, butter and eggs thar
s does any other country in the world
t and at higher prices than are obtained
s by any other country. 1t is a wei
Q known fact, denied by none, that til
is due mainly > the admirable system
/ of co-operati l between the Danisl
l. producers. T farmers of Denmarl
= form one vas. network of federate,
j. cooperative societies. By this mean
/, the productive energies of each and al
e have been wonderfully increased; uni
Y form high standards of the product
Il have been established and maintained
Q the cost of production has been re
Q duced to the lowest possible point; AM
the entire profits have been retained b.
the producers. It is literally true tina
by means of his excellent system o
cooperation the Danish farmer ha
!. beaten the world in competition for tn
English marked, and thus enriche
Il himself and his country as well. Hi
II remarkable success has attracted tn
l. attention of the thinking men in a
Q lands, and the anish system has bee
It copied with mtre or less success i
L many other cou ntries.
nj It is an interesting fact that th
/ great development of the dairy indus