The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-05-18
COOPERATION KEY TO FIN,
Successful Leader Of Co-Onerati,,.
sicuEture vii! surpass "Cao. "a
sains of industry.
tBy C. r.. BARNs.y

! TO the men who. by vsrtna !,
their exceptional ability to discern ~
conditions Of success in various lasss
undertakings. backed by a genius g. T.
organization and the influence whsas
comes from commanding poWars.
| have become leaders in the Varin,,
lines OF production and transportafion
| the American people are fond of N
plying the name captains Of inans5
| try. And that TO such men, rafho,
| than to knights and warriors a. n
old. we are prone to award the hIsh.
| est social status, Is not the smallass
| Of the many indications of the grow
ing ascendency Of ideals which maha
for peaceful progress. over those "A
receding barbarism.
But it Is significant that, while u.
riculture is the foremost of American
Industries and the basis Of all Others
SO few OF the aforesaid captains Of M
dustry are to be found among III,
farmers. We hear. now and then,=of
peach king" In the east, 81
corn king" in Missouri; OF a 'seottan
| king In some southern state.
usually entitled to place among the
captains, if at all. only from tie fapt
that he has acquired. and shown hin.
self able to manage with unusual sue.
cess. an exceptionally large acreage II
land devoted to the crop from which
| he takes his royal title 1t might
seem from this that. il agriculture ii
ever to show its due proportion Of can
tains Of industry. it must be through
the building up Of great estates. to The
sacrifice of the democracy whose best
exponent is the small farm
But the steady growth of the prin.
| ciple Of cooperation among farmers
and it's application in an increasing
variety Of forms, would appear to omen
before able and aspiring men SUCH oil
portunities for conspicuous Leadership
as make those offered by the owner
ship and skillful management Of d
single big estate seem insignificant By
| comparison. The man who can take
the lead in encouraging, directing and
organizing the forces which make for
cooperation in an agricultural eommu
nifty, will not only be at the head of
| larger affairs than any Of the afDre
, said kings" but he will perform
more benefcent work. For, While--as
one Of the co-operators he may veil
share in the individual gains of CO.
operation, the main inspiration for his
endeavors must ever be lofty public
spirit, which kindles eVeryWhere
among his fellows a desire to help
one another as the surest way Of adj
vancing ones self.
Prior to 1882 Denmark was con
paratively poor country; Its farmers
an ignorant peasantry;; its agrleultR
raj resources undevelop ped. shssz
year agricuI coop tion aad sasS
gTnnIfigs ana tne Tnirff aHt8
which have since tervenef.
wrought a complete social and ec6
nomic revolution. Not only has DHH
! mark now become, next to England
| population considered) the rieksst
country in Europe, but the whole pop
ulation has experienced an education
| al and social uplife. Hardly anywhere
has cooperation been developed IN ~
many phases. In it has been found
the key to universal prosperity.
What has been done in Denmark
can be done, under efficient Leadership Il
in Minnesota, Texas, California.
Maine and every other state in The
Union. American life, 1t Is true. L
already on a far higher plane than L
that of Denmark thirty years ago; bus i
| the uplift which comes from the DC
velopment Of cooperation should
| therefore be grander in relatIVelf
long period And the honor which
shall come to the captains OF co-opefa.
ton, who take the lead in such deVeE
opment. shall far outsbine that which
is bestowed today on the captains ~ &
| industry; who, after all, are only zoe E
best representatives Of the selfish y.
| dividualism we once glorided, nas
which is now recognized as inimica 4
| to the best interests Of Ameficaf
democracy.