The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1912-02-08

dertully successful but it did not car.
ry much weight with it,n0r has 1t In
any other place outside oil an occa-
sional communistic community; con
sequeutly the development VI 90
operation among farmers has not
been carried on to any great extent.
They have, however. begun to recol
nize 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 develop creamery with any
advantage, so there has come into be-
ing all over the country a great num-
Der of CO. operative creameries which
have proved highly successful. It
was but short step from this TO the
organization Of selling agencies, with
central Offices, that should act as the
joint selling group for a number OF
creameries.
In other directions the cooperative
element has become operative, a.
seen in the cooperative elevators.
Some 1900 of these have been built
in the I7nitd States and have had con.
siderable influence in producing bet
ter results in the marketing of grain.
SO. too attempts have been made
here and there to pool the sale Of
cattle, in order to secure a better
price and to save the charges that
would be placed against them if sold
individually. There have, however,
been some objections to this method.
and recently one of the Iowa courts
has decided that the sale of cattle by
1'ooling interests is restraint Of trade
and consequently against the law.
But in. the field of fruit-growing much
advance has been made IN bringing
thegrowers together, seen particular
ly in what has been accomplished In
California, where a number Of in
dependent growers have come togeth-
er and organized. first taking up the
problem Of freight rates, later on that
Of packing, and now more recently
the manufacture Of crates and boxes.
Likewise the cooperative store, which
abroad has been carried to great sue
cess, now makes its appearance IN
rural communities. Sometimes they
are established by organizers from
outside, who suggest the purchase Of
old stocks or the organization Of new
stores, with the idea in mind Of Great !
ing a better basis Of purchase for the
local buyers There have been a con-
siderable number Of failures, but |
these have been largely due to too
great an amount Of credit, poor man
agement, or over-burdening Of the
business at the start with the old
stock.
These forms Of CO. operation that |
have just been referred to are almost |
wholly distributfve in character; that
is. they are an effort to place goods |
in the hands Of consumers and not
lower the cost Of actual production.
Producers cooperation, as 1t has |
been called. made little progress. be- |
cause it was hampered by lack Of cap
ital lack Of market and lack Of knowl- !
edge Of the finer points m business;
nevertheless the time is coming when |
the farmer engaged in grain produc- !
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 !!
the horse and as consequence costl !
of production will be cut down. profits |!
will be smaller and to those who con- |
time with the old method the rents !
will increase If the farmer can co. |,
operate with his neighbor by pooling |
hrs land, purchasing machinery, and
carrying on the work together, he Is :
able to secure the benefits Of larger !,
capital, Of better machinery, and of :
IA constant supply Of labor. It 10 !
true that there might be quarreling as 7,
there could be in any kind of cooper
alive enterprise, but there rs no rea-
son why men should not agree in the !
cultivation Of the soil quite as much !!
as in the sale Of dry goods, farming |
implements or other merchandise.
One of the factors which retards |
the development Of agriculture where
ever it is found has been the lack of
sufficient capital In this country CAP
ital has been supplied either by bank