Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1910-08-12
KEY TO FARMERS SUCCESS
Union Power Must Henceforth Be His
Fortress, Secured Only Through
Community Of Interest.


IN all ages proclaims it. In point Of
time it antedates all others. Insti
tuted by command Of the Creator, its
history parallels the history Of the
race. It takes first rank, not alone
because it contributes to the physical
comfort Of man, but because 1t is the
chief producer Of wealth, writes H. C.
Nesbet in Field and Farm. AS reads
The history Of agriculture so reads the
history Of the republic. Unorganized
the farmer plods along his weary way,
unmindful Of his power guided by a
master hand. Can any one foresee
the possibilities Of an organized, az
Sressi7e agriculture? Anyday might
witness an organization headed by
Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, ]. Pier.
pont Morgan and others of their clan,
stepping forth with their millions and
controlling the worlds bread basket.
This day is a marvel of wisdom and
discretion, but individualism has
faded into the past. Business is a
swirl of activity and aggregation.
With billion dollar companies, com.
mon carriers with milage to go
around the earth, manufacturing and
merchants associations, wholesale
and retail, labor unions covering ev-
cry department Of labor, have been
organized. VIII the farmer of the
present day like Rip Van Wrinkle
sleep on and on until his condition is
no better than the serf? The time is
gone when the individual farmer,
fruit grower or gardener alone can
stem the tide against the consolida-
ton of aggregation and association.
Union power must henceforth be his
fortress, which can be secured only
through community of interest and
associated effort.
The farmer as rule lacks nerve.
He is isolated far from the center
OF trade, knows little of the laws of
supply and demand; crop information
that comes to him is usually trans
mitted through adverse interests,
government reports are Greek to him
because he fails to draw from it the
cost value of barrel of apples; he
knows little Of the cost of production.
! venture to say there are few men in
the orchard business who know the
cost Of producing a box of apples or
any other article of farm production.
The manufacturer can tell to the
fraction Of cent just what it costs
to produce a given article. When
agriculturists learn to compute the
cost OF producing a bushel, barrel or
hundred weight Of any article and
produce only such articles as show a
reasonable profit, the news will soon
30 around the world and market val.
ues will adjust themselves to the
new order of things.
Cooperation on firm, strong basis,
and with sufficient capital will if
properly managed be a wonder worker
for the betterment of the member
ship. But remember it takes nerve
and staying qualities to attain sue
cess. For example, the apple growers
of the northwest through their asso-
citation have sold their fancy apples
at 1915 for a fifty pound box, but
wrapped I'D in that price is quality.
attractive packing and package and a
good guaranty. When the grower
gets 50 cents for his fruit and the
consumer has to pay 80 for the same,
where does the $50 90. It does not
go into one middleman's hands but
into half dozen. We must cut out
some of that. AS growers we must
get into closer touch with the COM
mon demand and with the consumer
so as to command attention. What
We most need is volume. quality and
information, packing endorsed with
the proper guaranty. Buyers have
been known to pay from 30 cents to
81 more for such fruit than the cur.
rent price. The selling of 10000
boxes of such fruit is a one man, one
railroad fare, one day affair and home
again.
Other products of the farm than
fruit may be brought under co-opera.
ton. The southern strawberry
growers sell their product by the
train load at the loading station. The
association at Greeley handles from
5000 to 10000 cars of Irish potatoes
each year. They are passed over
screen with a mesh Of one and one.
half inches and the same is done
with the cantaloup and melon growers
at Rocky, Ford. They are graded and
.. nicely packed and their shipment
reaches into thousands of cars each
year. By cooperation the individual
farmer or fruit grower is transformed
from a bushel or central dealer into
one having carload dimensions. Or
ganization and cooperation is the key
that can open the door that will leat
to success in any line of business.
Croeh Air for uorcno