The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-05-04

spread demand for conservation an
Incorporation along broad lines. Farm
ers are awakening to the fact that tn
fertility Of the soil must be conserved
also that the values and profits mus
be conserved. The GAY of exploitation
or wastefulness, or needless manipula
tors Of farm products is drawing rapid
ly to a close.
Cooperation.
Farmers henceforth must study- tn
economical side of agriculture and de
wise means for the most effective co
operation among themselves.
AN growth is the result of organ
ization. The organization feeds upor
and assimilates the unorganized ele
ments, no less in the business and com.
mercdal, than in the natural world
Millions OF isolated farmers, operating
Independently and without co-opera-
tion, have no effective voice in regulat.
ing the price of their farm roducts
when put upon the market, or of the
commodities they must purchase fol
home consumption. AS the I'M
organized elements in the soil-nitro-
gen. phosphoric acid, potash and other
mineral constituent are seized upon
and chemically or bdologically combin
ed TO build UP the growing plant, SO
the farmers, out of the income of their
labors, are forced to contribute more
and more to plundered fortunes. built
up out of profits legitimately belong
ing to themselves.
AS long as the natural resources 4
the country were greatly in excess of
the immediate needs Of the country,
this system OF quasi robbery could j,
tolerated without impovertshing the
rural districts. In other words, the
farmers profits could be lrrgely ap-
propriated by spectators and still
leave him fair compensation for hds
labor and invested capital-useless and
unfair as the exaction Of this toll, taken
by unnecessary middlemen, may have
been.
But with increasing population and
contraction Of the public domain, in
tenstve agriculture of necessity, will
supplant extensive agriculture. Econ
omical farming is bound to t"ke the
place of wasteful farming, in the very
near future. Farms will necessarily
become smaller and the lessened area
cultivated as a homestead will be com
PEELED, not only to produce more per
acre. but greater economy will have
to be practiced in farm management.
Less can be wrenched away or wasted
and a reasonable degree Of prosperity
be enjoyed. Sheer necessity thus will
compel farmers to organize for their
own protection and through co-opera-
ton enjoy in larger measure the fruits
OF their labors. The opportunity for
establishing these reforms is real and
should appeal forcibly to ever, farmer
for the country demands Il
Cooperation In Holland.
In Holland and in rther European
countries, small farmers-and farmers
-hATa
earned the value of cooperation. Ow-
ng to the tremendous pressure of
population upon the land, every acre
available must be utilized to furnish
GOD for the people. Moreover. every
acre must produce maximum crops Of
grain and vegetables and the most rigid
economy must be practiced by tha
armers to enable them to live and pay
ne rent demanded by the land wners.
Nhen 1t was found impossible to paw
'ent, support the family and divide
Profits with spectators or corporations
ne FARMERS sensibly devised means
whereby they could eliminate fine
peculator and enjoy all the Legitimate
'rotits or the farm. They took +ha
business Of manufacture and distribu-
Ion into their own hands. and. instead
u selling the raw material at prices
lXed Tor them, they now convert the
- 20 vi LIFSlE ldTTnS into cOnSun1-
BILE form and receive, as profit what
ne worlds market offers for he An
shed goods, less the cost of production
manufacture and a small Commission
pay the expense Of management
In the dairy districts, creamery cor
'orations formerly purchased the farm
RS milk at their own price. manu-
actured the milk into cheese. or tha
ream into butter, and made q GOOD !
rot1t out of the business. The farmers
oncluded II they could enjoy the man
tacturers' profit in addition to the very
mail profit the companies permitte1 |
nem 10 enjoy in order to secure their
atronage, that they could we'll afford |
create an innovation by undertake |
lg the business of manufactures for
themselves. While in this frame of
hnd, they subscribed sufficient stock
erect and equip farmers creamery
ach subscriber obligating himself RI
lrn1sh definite quantity of milk for
acn snare or stock he subscribed and
ald Tor. The finished product was
old In general market by their own
gent. After the foreman of the cream
~ and his helpers were paid off and
We per cent of the proceeds SIT aside
'r depreciation, likewise small com
iission paid for colling the product the
was divided among the
.ockholders On proportion to the ouan-
ty and quality Of milk each stock
older had furnished. The farmers
Jus received all the profits thew other
Use would have received and, in adj