The Carlisle independent., 1910-02-17
KEY TO FARMERS SUCCESS
Union Power Must Henceforth Be His Fortress, Secured Only Through
 Community of Interest.

Among the occupations of man, az riculture takes first rank. History in all ages proclaims it. In point of time it antedates all others. Insti- | tuted by command of the Creator. it's history parallels the history of the race. It takes first rank, not alone because it contributes to the physical comfort of man, but because it 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 master hand. Can any one foresee the possibilities of an organized, az gressive agriculture? Anyday might witness an organization headed by Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, J. Pier pont Morgan and others of their clan, stepping forth with their millions and controlling the worlds bread basket. This day is marvel of wisdom and discretion, but individualism has faded into the past. Business is a swirl of activity and aggregation. With billion dollar companies, con- 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. Will 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- tion 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 a 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 a barrel of apples; he knows little of the cost of production l 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 a cent just what it costs to produce given article. When agriculturists learn to compute the cost of producing bushel, barrel or hundred weight Of any article and produce only such articles as show reasonable profit, the news will soon go 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 wonder worker for the betterment of the member ship. But remember it takes nerve and staying qualities to attain suc- cess. For example, the apple growers of the northwest through their asso- citation have sold their fancy apples at $3.75 for a fifty pound box, but wrapped up 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 $2 for the same, where does the $1.50 go. It does not go into one middleman's hands but into half a dozen. We must cut out some of that. AS growers we must naf info aln ho 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 50 cents to $1 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. tion. 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 a 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 win lead to success in any line of business