Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-02-27

.tions.
When the great majority of farmers
have become thoroughly convinced or
the wisdom, the efficacy, the necessity
and the feasibility OF operation, then
they will cooperate. Governments can
do nothing 10 hasten this time, any
more than they can resist the demand
when it finally comes. It Is a matter
OF education and development. We
who believe in cooperation in farm
life as much as in political life or
business life must keep on preaching, in
season and out Of season; perhaps
making ourselves bores to readers and
hearers; stumbling blocks to some and
offenses to others: doing each his little
part to speed the coming Of the better
day. And We can practice what we
preach in limited and tentative ways
In almost every place there are some
who are ripe for cooperating. 1t is
possible for these few to form little
groups, even II they have absolutely
no organization in form, to work with
and for each other, as opportunity
serves; best Of all, to serve as nuelei
about which may slowly gather and
crystalline the sentiment Of communi-
ties.
The great danger such groups must
face win come less from the original
denseness OF public opinion than from
the Eruption into them, as soon rs
their advantages have become mani
fest. Of people incapable Of cOmpre
herding the reai meaning of co-opera-
tion, but seldshly eager to share its
benefits.
For It must never be forgotten that
cooperation, to be effective and DOM
inant. muse mean cooperation in sac
rifCe as well as in success. The seed
must rot before the corn can ripen.
The boy can't slide down hill till he
has dragged his sled up hill TOmor-
rows achievement comes only after to-
days self-denial and hard labor. And
the man who is unwilling to bear his
full and cheerful part in the heat and
dust Of summer drudgery is unfit to
share in the autumn harvest which
others sweat and toll have earned.
But for those who, wholly and heart
lily, believe in the idea Of rural CO.
operation there are scores Of ways in
which. while advocating the theory,
they can actualiZe the practice. The
grange affords one opportunity. There
are today numerous oranges in the
country whose members are buying
their supplies at much lower cost than
the retail average, because they com
bine their purchases, and thus obtain
wholesale prices. Some are, also, find
ing a certain degree of corporation
possible in the sale of their produce
Neighbors engaged in similar farm
or dairy work might, much more often
than they do, combine parts of their
plants. There is too much pig-headed
stubbOrnness in the makeup Of some
farmers. which they mistakenly con-
slider worthy Independence I know
two neighbors, each Of whom keeps
two teams the year round. Neither
one uses the second team six weeks Of
the year. He keeps il twelve months
in order to use it A month and a half.
It would be neither impossible nor inn
practicable for each to sell one team,
save its years keep, and trade work"
with the other during those infrequent
emergencies when a second team was
needed. But, no. each one wants that
extra team Just when he wants it. and
he's going to have it at exactly those
times. even though he knows it costs
him more than 1t earns him.
Here in my vicinity no farmer keeps
his own threshing machine. All rely
upon travelling threshers who go from
farm to farm with engine and full out
fit. They find this more economical
than keeping a costly plant idle nearly
all the year, In order to have It the
very day their grain is ready Yet
nearly every farmer has his expensive
reaper and binder which IS used per-
haps a week in the year and -shen stor-
ed away for rust and dry-rot to eat
up. A little genial accommodation and
Difference TO each other would enable
many Of these farmers to pair off"
their harvesting work. eliminating the
cost of half their machinery and, Incl
dentally helping TO solve the burning
question Of an inadequate labor sup
ply.
There isn't manufacturing estab-
lishment in the country but would find
itself bankrupt in less than no time If
Il were compelled to keen in idleness
one half the year anything like the
proportional value OF the machinery
which lies idle nine-tenths of the year
on the average farm.
believe that every tub should stand
on its own bottom, and every man on
his own legs But when one leg is
lame and useless. I'm going TO coop
crate with cane or a crutch to help
me ont to the barn and my chores.
THE FARMER.