Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-03-16
COOPERATION Is NOW
THE ORDER OF THE DAY
All Vacations Except That of the
Farmers Realize Benefit
of Orga nization.

vantage except that of the farmers,
jealousy and the lack of appreciation
of the advantages that come from
cooperation has greatly retarded the
growth of farmers organizations.
The farmers though are waking up
and farmers clubs, oranges, fruit
growers, wool and mohair raisers
unions are being formed and rural
telephone companies are being organ
ized and all are proving a success and
of great advantage in many ways to
the residents of the country.
The Oregonian has been Of late
strongly advocating cooperation on
the farm and has given many forceful
articles on this subject. The follow
ing is a recent editorial on this sub
ject:
"a common saying today IS that
cooperation is in the air. Almost
equally common is the broad state
ment hat 1T stops short Of
the farm, for farmers cannot and will
not combine. The latter is to some
extent true, as otherwise oranges
would be numbered by thousands. in
stead of tens, in each state, and the
co operative provisions and powers
would be more generally tested aud
developed.
"But in both France, and pre-emi-
nently in Denmark, the farmers, as
well as dairymen, chicken -raisers and
others obtaining their living from the
soil, have devised means for securing
common and friendly action, and
mutual advantage. In Denmark this
is especially true and cooperation on
the farm is deeply rooted.
Charming in Denmark is carried to
the conditions of science. Not only
is every foot OF land doing its work,
but the arrangements for production
and for sale are systematized. A CO.
operative society at Esburg of 23O
farmers il typical. These people
milk 1900 cows. The milk is taken TO
their creamery, and there each man is
credited for quantity and quality.
Nearly all is converted in butter
for the English market. special ar
rangements being made for rapid
transportation and delivery. The egg
and poultry department is equally
exact in its dealings, the eggs being
taken by weight and graded into three
sizes, Large watts are provided in
which the eggs are kept in lime and
water and sold out as market prices
demand. In one town eggsociety.
$50 members contribute from their
farms, the collecting, grading and
testing costing about cents per
dozen. II Is stated that the invest
ment OF the farmers in this socitey is
about $50, 900 in buildings, and the
returns from the dairy and poultry
division about two and a half million
chosen by and from the farmers, and
serves without special pay. but the
managers are well paid. Ten years
experience is behind them and the
credit of these societies stands high
"ln France trades unions, and So
cieties for cooperation of this order,
have been legalized since 1884. In
the case Of the farm associations, they
are under the supery ision of the De-
partment of Agriculture. Their main
object is to obtain special advantages
in buying improved implements and
farm machinery, aud securing higher
grades of stock for breeding purposes.
They are advancing also along the
line of associated selling, and the in-
crease in strength and number OF as
sociations is rapid,
In Oregon our farmers have, in
general, progressed as far as pool
ing wheat, wool and mohair.
Efforts have been made repeatedly in
the hop industry TO secure such asso.
Citations as should relieve individual
growers from the either real or ap-
parent necessity of sale of their pro.
duct at prices far below those prevail
ing in world markets. In Hoot River
the organization of fruit raising
growers has effected great things in
raising the standard OF their orchard
and strawberry products, and in SO.
curing high average of sale values.
1t is satisfactory to sec the same spirit
spreading, both in Southern Oregon
and in several counties of the Will
annette Valley,
with many successful examples in
sight 1t is safe to predict combined
work in other directions ON the farm.
The societies formed by irrigation
settlers and farmers in Eastern Ore
gon for mutual protection in water