The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1910-07-23
OPERATIVE idea
HAS FIRM GRASP on
!. little KANSAS CITY

=. : 80 49, oSubuuV1U~ WV =!
- EMPORIA. Kas., July ga very
Interesting experiment in cooperation
is under way,in Uplafd, a town ia
Dickinson county, Can. >>'4i5S .zssS,.siA1
The town itself is not large. but is
the headquarters of three successful
mutual companies-a telephone COM
pany' an insurance organization and
a mercantile corporation. ~ :.
The town is on top of the divide
between the Republican and Smoky
Hill rivers and four miles from the
town of Aida, through which runs a
branch of the Union Pacific railroad.
"A big store building, a telephone-ex-
change which also houses the insur-
ance company, blacksmith shop, a
town hall and four or five residences
constitute the greater part of the
town. " =.
The community idea took root some
time ago. A meeting of farmers was
called to take up the question Of
mutual insurance. A company was
formed, and each farmer was consti-
tuted an agent without pay to solicit
new members. It was decreed that
any time fire occurred an assess
ment should be levied to make good
the loss. Six years later it had 241
members, with $16S,000 insurance In
force. Today it has $500 members
with insurance representing $4,000
900.
When the company started In busi-
ness 1t was decided that 81 a day was
enough to pay any officer, and that
amount has never been raised. This
is paid only when the officer works.
The average yearly salary lit
is about $500, due to the simple
methods by which records are kept
and the fact that everybody pays his
assessment promptly under pain Of
being dropped at once.
Later farmers decided to build a.
creamery, Then the advent of the
farm separator caused it to be closed
up, as there was more money in SELL
the cream to the central butter max
Ing stations. One day when a number
OF farmers were waiting for their
tickets from the creamery it was sug-
gested that it would be just as easy
to bring farm produce along with
the milk every morning. why not
have a store? Within a few days a
cooperative organization with a. capt.
tai of $4,000 was formed. Only. q
part Of this was used at the Begin
ming, but the stock is quoted at $3.50
and the cash value Of its resources
Is around $4,000: <~>:
Once year the stockholders meet
In the town hall, hear the reports.
declare a good big dividend and elect
officers. No one Is permitted to hold
more than $500 worth of stock, and
this entities him to .one vote. BY the
articles each stakeholder binds him.
self to sell all OF his grain and pro-
duce TO the Golden Rule company,
which n It's incorporated name. +.@'
The business Is largely done by
credit. Farm produce brought in is
credited to the man who furnishes it;
and he Is debited with whatever he
buys Of groceries and dry goods. Cash
settlements are made at the end Of
each month.
The company owns a grain elevator,
but this is at Aida, on the line Of the
nearest railroad. A few years ago.
after full discussion, it was agreed
that as there was no hope Of rail-
road coming to Upland, the company
ought to buy Aida. It did, taking in
the elevator stock yards-everyth1nR
except the towns name.
The telephone company serves over
1000 persons, most of them farmers.
1t is one Of the largest concerns in
the state. 1t is purely mutual, with no
capital stock, and this serves to make
certain the retention of the control in
the hands of the farmers. Fifteen or
twenty trunk lines radiate from the
store building in Upland.
The officers contend that the sue
cess of the enterprise lies In the fact
that no fixed rental is charged, each
owner, Of telephone paying a pro-
portfonate expense of operation and
maintenance. Each farmer must buy
outright his phone. These, it is in:
sisted, must be long distance instru-
ments. They cost $40 apiece. The
cost Of becoming a stockholder-that
is, of making a connection-is So.
he is a stakeholder, and
all receipts from tolls are credited to
him proportionately. The officers OF
the company are paid only for the
actual time they devote to business