The Washington herald., 1908-08-11
COOPERATION
AMONG FARMERS
By FREDERIC j. HASKIN
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

By FREDERIl
Next week the progressive farmers Of
ire progressive state of Oklahoma viii
meet ar Shawnee 10 devise ways and
means Of securing still greater cO-opera-
-t11 among themselves. Like oTganiza-
tons met in Texas and Virginia last
week. and Kentucky. alive 20 the needs
of the people. perfected a cooperative
union Of its farmers. These farmers see
three OF four men between themselves
and the consumer making good livings
and are going TO Try TO eliminate the
profits Of these middlemen in order TO
enjoy the ful fruit Of their own labors-
Il IS but a weather vane that tells
where sets the wind Of farm progress.
Cooperation among farmers began years
ago. but It has only recently begun 10
spread with q telling effect Now II ap-
plies 10 Creaueries, turnpike. telephone
systems. sIauEhter-houses. fruit and
vegetables shipping. grain elevators, and
a dozen other activities. which have
hitherto belonged 10 the middlemen- A
bill Is now pending before the Sixtieth
Congress for the organization OF a farm
ers' cooperative commission. whose
province II SHAH be 10 encourage cooper
alton among farmers A large sum IS
proposed 10 be appropriated by the bin
20 defray the expenses OF the commits
sion That 1t Is not the political dream
CT soue Congressman from Ruralville.
sT-T- 4
farmer vote IN his district. IS shown BY
the fscr that one Of the wzrmesr advo-
Gates of such commission IS none other
tEat Assistant Secretary Of Agriculture
W II. Hays
Perhaps the most striking example Of
what cooperation among farmers VIII
GO for them IS that shown by the CO.
operative society formed by The truck
men OF the Eastern Shore Of Virginia.
This society handles the seasons crops
On the same basis as independent com
mission men When last years selling
season was over and the profits for the
year recEoned Up. II was found that Il
had netted S5.001.o00. These profits were
then distributed pro rata among the
farm as who were members OF the
sociec-.
Already IN other communities farmers
are duplicating The success Of the East
ern Shore farmers in the buying Of ma
chlnery- fertilizers. and the Ike It is be-
coming a frequent experience OF fertilizer
aEents 10 be asked by group Of farm
ers 10 give them their lowest bids on so
many carloads OF fertilizers and the
agents usually DO some pretty lively
hustlinE 10 get the business As result
the farmer enjoys The benefits which
mako tne trou-the-weaver-t -tne-wear-
er principle attractive 20 the man who
buys suit Of clothes They generally
get their goods as cheapIv as the reEl-
lar fertilizer dealer gets his and tie
money they would have had 10 pay him
as MS prorit they can keep IN their own
pockets Big commercial agencies are
taking note Of them. and there are prob
ably i've farmers rated in Dun's and
Bradstreet's row where there was one
twenty years ago.
OF course. the elimination OF all middle
men viii never come. but It IS interesting
% speculate how much the farmer would
save did he sell everything direct 10 The
consumer ard buy everything direct from
the manufacture Secretary Wilson gives
the glowing Information that the farms
OF the United States furnished $4,000
ooo worth Ct produce during the year Is57.
Accounting one-haIf OF this as having
been sold OF Of the farm. and that there
was 10 per cent OF profit between the
farmer and the consumer. the middIeuen
must have made nearly S41o11l.g5G posi-
bly, sL00o.0oo.oo0 out OF the transaction
Good roads have been built by CO.
no sort Of co-operartln has paid them
better returns than this These roads
are generally built by joint stock com
paries made up Of the farmers along the
rosrl 10 be improved A toll only heavE
enough 70 maintain the road and 70 nav
the farmers interest on their money is
collected They then have the benefit Of
q fine macadan road at a negligible cost
and the enhancement Of farm values IS
more than sufficient 10 pay the first cost
Of the road.
A striking instance Of co-operatfon
among farmers in road building Is that Of
the Harrsonburg and Rawley Springs
turnpike. n Virginia II Is twelve miles
long extending through a rich farming
commUlity- Its first cost was not over
5000 mile The annual toll collections
amount 10 about S2-501. OF which the bulk
goes 10 the upkeep and improvement Of
~
haul sixty bushels OF wheat 10 market
with four-horse team. they now hauT 1a0
bushels Where they made one trip q dav.
they can now make two. They do their
hauling when the ground is too wet for
farm operations. where they were for
merly under the necessity Of doing their
hauling during good weather This has
brought an Increase Of about $4,000 in
farra Talues- Land contiguous 10 this
road sells for al least So an acre more
than land abUtJing On ordinary country
roads
The telephone represents about the most
general use Of the cooperative principle
among farmers. There Is probably NOT
a single state in the Union where farmers
have not united among themselves for
building telephone lines some Of these /
have developed into EXTENSIVE systems.
The farmer buys his telephone outrfg5..
AZ cost Of about SIS. and contributes
about 50 in labor. materials. or money
to the construction Of the lines. He then
has telephone system Of his own. the I
1nly expense 10 incur afterward being q I
small annual exchange fee and the reDai- 4
bills Fire insurance Is another form Of
cooperation which has proved wonder
.ully successful among farmers There /
Ire. perhaps. q thousand farmers mutual 1
ire insurance companies doing business
2 the United States They usually nav
-wo-thirds or three-fourths Of the scfual
osses sustained, and all losses are made
good by assessment Usually these are
-ery light, sometimes not more than
. per cent OF that charged by many
regular insurance companies.
Cooperation has received its blackesr