The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-01-18
SOLUTION OF FARM PROM
To Avoid Capitalization Of e..
Business Cooperative Now
ment Must Prevail.

Inc cooperative movement
prevail If we are to avoid ths
tralization of the farming busin..Y
the hands of large land owners
the introduction Of tenantry fary
Farming cannot escape the actio, u
the natural laws of business tina,
compelled the formation of the 49,
ed trusts" The time may be q,
when farming will be highly cs,,I
lied, but the current sets in IN, u
rection, and the only alternati,, u
the big farm privately owned ana III
by tenants or hired men is TIA 81
farm owned by men In common u
ting into operation the same -
tive labor-saving methods, says I
Farm. Stock and Home. The tin.
set up the commencement tina, u
enable the small farmer to mai,,
his independence under the incre,,
value of land and cost of producS
is now, rather than after that hi
pendence has once been lost az ~
been the case in Denmark and Irpl,,
Cooperation offers efficiency
larger net returns in exchange q.
fancied personal independence. NJ
Is well illustrated by the case a, :
creameries VS.. the home butter ~
er. A neighborhood can join toesIl
and make product of even QUA.
can market that product with la
profit, and can gain In other war,
giving up something of its indi,p,
rights. And wherever this CT,
done, wherever the neighborhood =,
Is more effective than the family hi
cooperation has a field of usetulns
and should be entered into as a M
ter of business sense.
The field for such effective oro,
cation is large 1t covers all n
ranges of production, including IA
grain and live stock. Seed testing
sociations, improvement societs
shippers associations all have IN
place, and a highly profitable one
the business is handled in a prosl
manner. In all probability we III
in future expand the sphere Of
operative effort within the neighbl
hood circle to include many oh
things still held jealousy In b
home, though not with good busins
reason. such as baking, washing a
the like. 1t is not likely that we sh,l
find 1t profitable to go outside u
lines Of farming, and as farmers d
to run stores, and banks, and lunbJ
yards. Isolated cases of success mi
be cited, but when the farmer lear1
his direct line OF business, evJ
though he may succeed, he is not 4
vancing the interests OF agriculturs
The place where cooperation seen
most likely to fail is in not RECON-
ing this limitation, and in trying
accomplish an industrial monopoly \
fore it has mastered the possibilins
of the agricultural field. Such Z
tempts, having as their immediate d
ject the ousting from business
some man in the community, are d
worthy the name they bear, and b
ing based on prejudice and revene
rather than upon the underlying pm
ciples of business and social need thz
makes real cooperation possible, the
are bound to fail, sooner or later.
In order to make the best use Of d
cooperative movement we shoul
study it's purpose. and carefully q
tempt only those things that may
done without injury to other nel
Nor will 1t profit one organization ;
attempt several things at the san
time. The old adage about too man
irons in the fire applies to the COO
erative organization as well as the d
dividual Do one thing and do It vel
II another thing need doing bets
than the individuals in the neighba
hood can accomplish 1t, acting alons
let those interested organize and q
that thing comparatively. Keep ID
closest possible working union b
tween the various cooperative bodle'
and let them act II possible under
general organization. but do not U
tempt to carry dead weight In ID
form of men not interested IN ID
movement.
Cooperation will solve our bushes
and social troubles to the extent ni
we accept 1t as a new way OF ooA
things. and give over to 1t our OLD
diyidual outworn ways. Its failure
it's success to accomplish for US oe
ter things than we have accomplish
for ourselves depends upon US as ~
mers. Properly used 1t will pront
in more ways than the financial Al
by starting the cooperative nelsno'
hood in our time we are laying, des
and solid and secure. the foundano
upon which our children may ou'
institutions Of social democracy In'
the passing OF time and the comm
of new forces into the business ~
agricultural world will leave "
shaken.