The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-01-18
ADDRESSED
GRAM GROWERS
Talked on Cooperation at
Fargo T~oday-Anderson
Discusses Elevators

Fargo, N. d.. Jan. 1S.-Cooperation
among farmers was the subject taken
up by President i. l. .McVey Of the
University of North Dakota in adj
dressing the Tri-State Grain Growers
convention this afternoon. Another
feature of today's session was the adj
dress by John Anderson on the ter
minal elevator question.
The convention continues with n
very satisfactory attendance and the
gathering is proving very profitable.
Many good speakers are appearing on
the program each day. Tomorrow
the final sessions will take place.
Farmer III Cooperation.
The Farmer and Cooperation" was
the subject of President +. l.. Nc
Vey's address. 1t was an important
discussion of a matter vital to the
this afternoon DIR. McVey said many
things worth the while. The follow
ing is Il part of his address:
The almost universal practice of
modern business is combination, a
tendency developed because of the
elimination of wastes, economy of
staff and plant. the strengthening OF
the trade against outside interests.
and the gaining of political control
| uAV ~ NV Vo"Ci vi ppIld
Yet this universally accepted law
has been persistently overlooked by
American and British farmers. The
history of the farmer as we'll as that
of the industry has been individual
istic. Without question this attitude
on questions of government and
changes in the industry has been con
sentative. The farmer does not wish
to interfere with other peoples bust
| nncS nr1 lnoc mr. 1,No <ha< kl-,
shall interfere with his. The result
is that the farmer. because of his in
dependence of mind and sturdy in
tegrity. has been the backbone of ma
f; tional development. Yet because of
his individualistic tendencies he has
materially suffered in the protection
of his own interests and in the en-
largement of his business.
One hundred years ago a few farm
ers in England combined in a cooper
alive enterprise that proved wonder
fully successful, but it did not carry
much weight with it, nor has it in any
other place outside of an occasional
communtstfc community; consequent
ly the development of cooperation
among farmers has not been carried
on to any great extent. They have,
however. begun to recognize that
more can be accomplished Jointly than
singly, and this was seen first in the
efforts to take care of milk and dairy
products. No one farmer could devel-
OPP a creamery with any advantage,
so there has come into being all over
the country a great number of CO.
operative creameries which have
proved highly successful. 1t was but
a short step from this to the organ
ization OF selling agencies. with cen
trail Offices, that should act as the
joint selling group for Il number of
creameries.
New Elements Found.
In other directions the cooperative
element has become operative, as seen
in the cooperative elevators. Some
1000 of these have been built in the
United States and have had consid-
cradle influence in producing better
results in the marketing of grain. So,
too, attempts have been made here
and there to pool the sale of cattle,
in order to secur a better price and
to save the charges that would be
placed against them if sold individual
~. There have, however, been some
objections to this method, INC recent
ly one Of the Iowa courts has decided
that the sale of cattle by pooling in
terests is restraint of trade and con.
sequently against the law. But in the
field of fruit-growing much advance
has been made in bringing the grow
ers together, seen particularly in what
has been accomplished in California,
where Il number Of independent grow
ers have come together and organized,
first taking up the problem of freight
rates, later on thai of packing, and
now moro recently the manufacture
operative store. which abroad has
been carried to great success, now
makes its appearance in rural commu-
mites. Sometimes they are estab-
lished by organizers from outside, who
suggest the purchase of old stocks or
the organization of new stores, with
the idea in mind Of creating a better
basis of purchase for the local buyers,
There have been a considerable num-
Der of failures, but these have been
largely due to too great an amountn of
credit, poor management. or over
%burdening of h business at the start
with the old stock.
Producing Cooperation Delayed.
These forms of cooperation that
have just been referred to are almost
wholly distributive in character; that
Is, they are an effort to place goods
in the hands of consumers and not
to lower the cost of actual production.
Producers cooperation, as 1t has been
called, made little progress, because
it was hampered by lack Of capital,
edge OF the finer points in business;
nevertheless the time Is coming when
the farmer engaged in grain produce
ton will be compelled to adopt CO.
operation or be forced out of the field.
The traction engine and. the large
pillow will undoubtedly. supersede- tho
horse. and as a consequence costs Of
production will, be cut down, profits
will be smaller, and to those who con-
will increase. II the farmer can CO.:
operate with his neighbor by pooling
his land, purchasing machinery, and
carrying on the work together, he Is
able to secure he benefits of larger
capital, of better machinery, and Of
a constant supply of labor. 1t is true
thai there might be quarrelling, as
there could be In any kind Of cooper
alive enterprise. but there is no rea-
cultivation Of the soil quite az much
as in the sale Of dry goods. farming
implements or other merchandise.
n of the factors which retards
the development Of agriculture where
ever 1t is found has been the lack Of
sufticient capital. In this country cap
ital has been supplied either by bank
Ing n trust companies or through
loans by individuals, or by the saving
Of the farmer. himself. We have nor
yet learned that 1t is possible by COM
bining our to secure facili-
ties for carrying on our business
financially. This has been done in
Europe with marked success, particu-
larry in France and Germany, where
the financial cooperative societies
nave made 1t easier to Withstand the
oppression of usurers and secure the
necessary funds for holding the farm.