The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-11-04

to those who do take large risks and
control the industries and the COM
/ medce Of the country.
u.-Deserting.
After an elevator, for example, is
built by the farmers on some CO
, operative plan, and they begin to
patronize 1t. some chain Of elevators
already under one management will
put up the price Of wheat at the COM
peting elevators with this farmers
elevator to buy off patrons. The farm
ers are led to believe that there is
something dead upon the branch"
| Is the reason that the farmers ele-
vator is not giving as much as the
competing line. In two years time
this old game Of bribing the farmers
to desert their own business gets in
it's work till it is starved to death
This old trick is worked on every
thing the faremrs start up, and us al
ly it works. Every farmer, who
bites at the bait, is renegade, de-
serts his own cause, and sells out to
his business enemy.
.IH.--SpeculatiOn.
"A very serious drawback to any
system of genuine cooperation in
this country is the spirit Of specula-
ton that pervades the people gen.
orally. Every one wants a profit
greater than the average increase OF
wealth will justify. The law of re-
compense Is an irridescent dream,
and has no place in our commercial
code. For several years there has
been an era Of speculation in unearn-
ed increment that charms the invest
or away from cooperative enter
prises. Monopolizing social values
appeals to US more than cooperation.
IV.-Running After Too Many Thipes.
We have been running after too
many things. Dividing our time,
energies money and attention among
irrelevant projects, experimenting
with every impractical scheme pre-
sented, passing resolutions that re-
quire more money than the organiza-
ton ever had to carry out. looking
for things to happen that il would
take miracle = perform. We ex~
rect too much and do not give credit
FOR the results obtained,
v.-Hoiding aud Losing. :. ~
Another reason why It Is hard to
secure cooperation among farmers
Is that the expediency of holding
non-perishable n products off the mar.
ket as means Of securing better
prices has 30 often been resorted to
only to result in benefting those who
would not hold, that 1t discourages
the loyal members Of. the holding
movement. He becomes exasper-
ated. and he gets tired Of holding
the bag while the profits go to the
recaicitrant farmer. who cares for
nothing but self. This has occurred
in the wheat. tobacco and cotton belts
time and again. Night-riding in the
tobacco country grew out Of this very
condition. Just now, in the burley
district those who have been pool
ing and holding, are refusing to 10
so, and telling those who have been
reaping the rewards, but refusing to
help carry the load that they will
be used no longer-and the trust is
feasting again.
VI.-Place Hunters.
The place hunter We have always
with us. 1t is so often the case that
men who want positions in the offices
established by the Union for corn
merciai purposes, are all right as
men. but totally unfit for the partic
ular place which they seek, and it is
not always that they seek the place.
but have it thrust upon them. They
60 in with the best Of intentions. but
make mess Of things. They have
friends who won't stand for him to
! be Inundated by a dismissal and SO
a fued Is started. which results in a
rough-house and the business de-
stroyed. 1t has proved more than
| SATISFACTORY for the local managers
to be selected for their proficiency
after the manner that corporations
select their employees.
| VH.-Lack OF Common Interest,
| The lack OF feeling of common
interest between the well-to-do farm
or and the dependent farmer is a
serious hindrance to the corporation
| OF the farmers as whole The nros.