The Green Forest tribune., 1910-03-04
USE OF COOPERATIVE SPIRIT
Always Lacking in Farmer and Ever Present with City Man-Many
 Benefits to Be Derived.

Business men of the city work to- l gether; those of the country act lnde- pendently. These statements are true
 only in a general way. The reason for
 the cooperative spirit shown among l city business men and the lack of it
 in rural communities is not far to | seek. The former is constantly deal i ing with other people; his daily work brings him in contact with them ln
 a business way. This constant rela- tion develops a confidence in his fel-
 low men that will readily grow into an organization or association when 1t is shown that economical results can
 be obtained. On the other hand, the
 farmer does not deal with men so much as he deals with nature and with things His daily work takes him to the fields or among his stock or in the orchards, says Michigan Farmer. The major part of his attention is de- handed upon the farm. Incidentally, he sells his products to the city man; occasionally he deals with his neigh bors, but when he deals with the city man the conditions are made con- ventional for the farmer and there IS no initiative demanded on his part If he buys grain, stock or land or oth- CT property from his neighbor, the hksiness relations are the same as when the city man deals with his pa irons, but such transactions are so few that it does not develop in him that spirit of business confidence noted in the city man. It is therefore easily understood why the farmer has been the last man to make use of CO., operative enterprises. The very con ditions of his life have kept him from it. He has not been educated to 1t and it is folly to assume that he will with one stroke organize his business with that of his neighbor in such way as to eliminate much of the ex- pense and disadvantage he is put to in carrying on his trade relations. Never theless, it is essential that the spirit of cooperation be developed. Organ ization of almost every kind and class of commercial business compels the farmer to organize with his neighbor farmer. It must come as a matter of protection, but in order to do this sue cessfully, the farmer must have con- tidence in cooperative organizations lest they fail. This confidence can only be developed by beginning in small way. When he realizes that there is real benefit to be derived and that it Is possible for him to work together with his neighbors after some specified plan. then he can undertake larger things, but not until then.
 It would seem, therefore, that the greatest good can be done our rural communities by encouraging farmers to organize to carry on their business in small way only, to start with, and that as their education along this line is developed, larger undertakings can be started. It would also seem that any attempt to begin a very compre- hensive organization, one that incurs great deal of responsibility from peo- pie who are not accustomed to coop erative enterprises, would not only be unwise, but would ultimately be a detriment in that their failure is all most assured, and such failure would make those participating in the under taking, as well as others, very reti- cent about attempting cooperation even in a small way. It is not our purpose to despise the farmer and exalt the city man; We only wish to encourage the former to acquire, even before DpppSCitV demands what tha latter has already developed to a con- siderable degree To fruit growers the idea should appeal strongly.