The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-09-02
VALUE OF GOOD NEWSPA-
PERS IN DEVELOPING
continued From Page One.)

aoIS Brook Farm experiment IN New
England. backed by an unusual array
of the scholarly minds OF the country,
proved a dismal failure. The grange
movement attempted a forms of
operstion. some OF which have
won. notably the Grange banks, some
of them ranking among the stable d
nancial instructions OF the Cnlted
states. Cooperative nave
made some pronounced successes,
some "a pronounced failures. But the
chif exponent of cooperation In this
country is the Building and Loan AS
sociation. an institution ~springlnS UP
around Philadelphia in the middle OF
the last century, and which has spread
all over the country. 1t is estimated
tina the building ASSOCIATION nave
built more than a hundred thousand
homes in Philadelphia alone. These
societies have commenced work in
North Carolina, Charlotte particular
ly showing the results Of the excellent
work they accomplish.
The building and loan association
has been as remarkable in its success
i'm the United States as the
tive store has been in England, appar
emily showing that cooperation is not
peculiarly and English trait, but a
human trait. Yet there is a curious
feature attending cooperation IN all
countries. In France cooperation in
stores. banks. and production has had
but limited success. but profit sharing
factories. where the original owner
continues to direct affairs, sharing
profits with his workmen seem to
flourish.
In and Italy the
tive bank is the form in which mutual
help is making a decided success on a
considerable scale. Denmark has
thoroughly successful cooperative
dairies. In London the cooperative
store ia conducted by professional men
and clerks with a decided success.
Each country, it will be seen. APP
pears to make a success OF some par
ticular form of cooperation, although
no country succeeds very largely in
many forms. The Changers in the
United States made an extraordinary
effcrt to bring the manufactured and
the buyer closer together. and to elm
mate much of the cost of distribution
but the grange stores we're never a
pronounced success on any large scale
Why one line of cooperation brings
success and another brings failure
may never go beyond the debatablt
stage. 1t is a curious fact that thu
Eochdale plan has been eminently
successful at some of the mining com
munities near Pittsburg, in Pennsyl
vania, while at other places in the in
dustrial sections in the north the fail
ure has been pronounced.
The members of the Farmers Unto
have been studying all these expert
ments in cooperation, and as Mr.. Poe
who is devoting much time and inves
tiagtion to a study OF the question
right at the home of many Of the ex
periments, Is taking an active han |
dissecting success and failure, it
likely that the union is going into CO
operation with more practical infor
nation than was ever procurable b
anv Ofhcr nrpanjZaf{O which tpouo1o
a similar road. The wide publiCft
the Progressive Farmer is able to CIV
to all the information turning on tn
working Of cooperative efforts is Ell
pected to waken a great enthusiasm
rs we'll as to help keep in the line
that promise success.
As near as can be gathered tt
plan Is put on trial in mod
fled form by several OF the local VI
ions Of the State and the signs indica
that their experiences is prOmisin
The presumption is that as the men
bers OF the union become acQuainte
with the plan Of cooperation, ar
have some profitable experience wit
it, they will rapidly encourage i
spread to all Of the local unions, n
only with a resulting benefit to tho
who are now in unions, but to Othe
who are likely to be attracted to I'll
unions by the operation Of the ne
system.
Each society is formed by a numb
OF persons. men. women, children, al
one who buys supplies. each taking
share or more of stock in the cOncer
The shares are made low, about fl
dollars each. that nobody need be ba
red out for want of money, and in &
older societies in England the mon
was gathered by small weekly pa
ments. in some cases as small as fl
cents a week, until the shares n;
been paid in. Business was not sta,
ed until the capital had accumulate
When funds are gathered a SIN:
store is opened. and it is the practi
TO sell for cash. at about the cure
prices OF other stores of the vicinir
This gives the society a profit on
sales. At the end of the year a div
ion of profits is made in proportion
the goods bought. The man who bu
a Lupdr dollarS, ura=1h