Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1912-01-19
The Farmer and &C operation
An discussion of matter vital to the farmers
Of the state BY the President eff the a$ss
University

S7$ IL WI E$s NJ 93SS ~ ii455l
!, Der OF failures, but these have been
largely due to too great an amount of
credit, poor management Or over
burdening of the business at the start
with the old stock. [535si. 3I5$
These forms Of coop ation that
have just been referred t. 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 it lis called,
made little progress, because it was
hampered by lack of capital, lack Of
market, and lack Of knowledge Of the
finer points in business; nevertheless
the time is coming when the farmer
engaged in grain production will be
compelled to adopt cooperation or be
forced out of the field. The traction
engine and the large plow will UNI
dGubtedly supersede the horse, and as
a consequence costs Of production will
be cut down, profits will be smaller,
and TO those who continue with the!
old method the rents will increase. If
tue farmer can cooperate with his
neighbor by pooling his land, pur-s
chasing machinery, and carrying on
the work together, he is able to Sc
cure the benefits of larger capital, Of;
better machinery and of a constant
supply of labor. It is true that there
mig be quarrelling, as there could
be i'll any kind of cooperative enter
prise, but there is no reason why men
should not agree in the cultivation Of
the soil quie as much as in the sale
OF dry goods, farming implements Or
other merchandise. ...sS !, +, 4. s;5
One of the factors which retards the
development Of agriculture wherever
1T is found has been the lack of suffi-i
cient capital. In this country capital
has been supplied. either by banking
and trust companies or through loans
by individuals, or by the saving Of the
farmer himself We have not vet
learned that it is possible by combin.E
ing our resources to secure facilities.
for carrying on our business ,finan-
cially. This has been done in Europe
with marked success, particularly in.
m =; b'r-.j
France and Germany, where the fnan-
cial cooperative societies have made
it easier to- withstand the oppression
of users and secure the necessary
funds for holding the farm. h B III ;s; &;
Perhaps the main reason why CO..
operative efforts have not succeeded
in the United States to the degree
they have elsewhere is because the
emphasis has been placed upon the de-
claration Of dividends, when the real
purpose has been to improve the con-
ditions Of industry for the members.
Coop ration has nothing to offer in;
the way of magic returns, although
there Is much to be gained by the ap.s
plication of the; Joint judgment, in
dustry and honesty of the community.
toward the material betterment Of In
dustry. 1t is possible to secure more
satisfactory means Of exchange, better
facilities for placing the product on
the market and for securing steady
advance adv in community conditions.
Some day the farmer&will realize that
In cooperation he has a immense
power that can bring him practically
anything he wants. It will NECESSARY
" work only when accompanied BY
common 'l1lrl sense, judgment and industry,
but these coupled with the prin ciple
Will give to the rural community ali
the advantages that go with the city
| and q. many OF the things. that the city
can can never have 4 .s5} sEss
81 so it is to be hoped thst the farmer ,;r,,ar
realizing ei something Of what can :bie
secured through the means OF cooper ssu..
alton alton, will begin to- study, and having
Estudied will begin to act. With Ill
tneighbors and associates toward .t III
fgress., IL ;,s5 Y