The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1914-08-29
DEFINITION OF COOPERATION
IN agriculture II Means the Working
Together of Farmers for Trans
action Of Business.
lSy b. II. HIRRARnN

D9 cooperation is understood the
WORKING together OF a number OF per-
SONS Tor some common end. Literal
ly' II may mean a working together
IN an unorganized way. For example,
TWO farmers exchange work, or they
unite their efforts in breaking the
ROAD after a snowstorm. These are
uhoouoted examples OF cooperation.
80 also Is 1t a kind of co-operation
winch brings men together in the
processes OF manufacture. One group
OF men digs the ore, another trans.
ports 1t, third reduces and refines
IT, and so on to the final process.
these men. however. are not members
OF company in the management OF
winch they have a voice. They are
not doing the work for themselves.
lheir cooperation is on the basis of a
contract and their reward is a sttpu-
laleo sum. In the case OF the owners
OF the business. the return is In the
FORM OF interest. rent, or profits. In
this form OF organization the rewards
are on the individualistic basis. and
IN proportion to labor performed, land
owned. capital invested or some basi-
ness advantage. In the MANAGEMENT
OF the business the voting strength OF
the proprietors is ordinarily in pro-
portion TO the capital owned by each.
In the cooperation with which We
are here concerned the business Is
owned and run by the group among
"hom the rewards are apportioned
whether on the basis OF capital con-
trlouted, business transacted or labor
performed. The distinguishing fea-
ture is the ownership of the business
oy the group concerned in its opera
ton not as wage earners or as in
vestors, but as buyers, sellers, pro-
ducers, or consumers: all on a par.
In other words, the cooperators con-
stitute class, and are not representa-
tiVes OF several classes. For exam
pie: the group may consist Of farm
ers who are either sellers or BUYERS.
or both; or possibly as breeders OF
STOCK or grain; or yet again as manu-
racturers. In every case, however.
they are banded together for the COM
mon purpose of doing for themselves
Jointly something which each sepa-
rately could not do as economically.
and which they do not choose to
leave to an outside, or independent
agency. Briefly. then, cooperation in
agriculture means the organized work
ing together OF farmers for the trans
action OF business. The essence Of
such a business Is the common ad- |
Of the group. II is a method |
Oh performing work which, presum-
ABLY, can be more economically per.
formed by the interested parties than
by the tradesmen outside the eroup
who are disposed to perform the sery.
Ice for gain to themselves. In true
cooperation there are no true profits
such as q private company strives TO
get, but salaries and wages of man.
ager and employees will have To he
paid by any such company of any
size. In some minor nm.
iertakings the work is sometimes
lone by members, free Of charge. thus
eliminating both profits and salaries.
There Is no dividend on stock above
lominal interest rates; the increased
'rfce for produce. decreased price of
or the more favorable rates
N loans. use up the surplus which
otherwise might go into dividends.
Presumably. 1t is a method of taking
ome OF the friction out Of the proc
'sses OF production, distribution and
Exchange. and bringing the co-operator
more directly in touch with the mar.
tets in which he has business to
ransact
Cooperation may have for its OBJ
ect either the buying or selling Of
GODS. and these are by far the most
sual objects. In many countries the
Of credit is one of the
host prominent objects of all agrtcul-
ural cooperation. Less frequent but
ute as important, is cooperation
racticed in some lines Of production
nd manufacture.