The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-06-13
SHOWING the WAY.
Farmers Along Texas & Pacific TAX
Ing Advanced steps In co-opera-
tIon-centraI Selling Associations
Organized.

Ing Advanced steps In co-opera-
tIon-central Selling Associations
Organized.
BY Herman J. Seiferth in New Or
leans Times-Picayune.
The farmers along the line Of the
Texas & Pacific, although they only
recently adopted the cooperative
movement. already have carried it
SO far that the rest OF the state
may learn much from their efforts,
plans and results.
They have not only organized sell
ing associations, but have begun In
cooperating these agencies for more
business-like conduct. They are also
combining these bodies into district
organizations In order to, make still
greater cooperation and uniformity
possible.
Several OF the parishes have be-
come pioneers in aVailing themselves
of federal extension work which places
experts directly on the farms, pay.
ing half the cost in order to obtain
the best practical guidance.
They have entered upon the school
garden plan on a general scale, and
have held a boys farm congress OF
vast educational value.
They have also devised a method
to eliminate fraud from farm selling,
finding, as the Times-Picayune point.
ed out, that one dishonest deal af.
fected an entire section.
The latter campaign began at a
meeting called at Donaldsonville, for
the purpose of raising fund OF
$2500 among the four parishes OF
Ascension, Assumption, Iberville and
ST. James. One thousand dollars
was Immediately pledged by Ascen-
sion alone. The ayoWed purposes
were to advertise the country in an
attractive way, to bring prospective
buyers and sellers in touch under the
auspices and under the sponsorship o.
the best people, and to exercise the
Influence of the organization toward
seeing that land companies conduct
ed their business in the most relia-
BILE and business-like way. The idea
was to stand back of honest proposi-
tions and to proffer new settlers
every facility. including the social
factor. LM. Soniat, of Iberville, was
elected temporary president, and
work Is already well under way.
The organization of farmers selling
associations has progressed more
rapidly than In any other section of
the state. Such bodies are in oper-
alton at st. James, Donaldsonville.
Labadieyille, Napoleonyille, Sans
town, Plaquemine, Adds, New Roads
and Melville, and Hahnville and 9TH
ser places are about ready to begin.
Most of these are In the initial
stages. Adds being the farfhest ad-
vanced. Each has a president, vice
president, field manager and secre-
tary. The field manager is an ex-
pert in farming, gives advice upon
farm problems, looks after the grow
ing OF the crops, and keeps tab on
the acreage and other progress. The
secretary's duties are to be In con-
stant touch with the buyers, obtain
quotations and see that produce is
properly packed, standardized and
shipped.
Napoleonville was the pioneer In
the Incorporation idea. It suhserib-
ed $4,000 worth of stock, the shares
being $40 each. The motive was to
impress responsibility upon the north
ern buyer, and afford the shipper the
protection of limited liability laws,
1t is also the purpose to establish
a corn elevator, warehouse and other
facilities for general use. The or
ganization intends the wholesale
buying of seed and introducing other
cooperative benefits.
Further development Of the selling
as well as the cooperative plan, af-
ter the perfection OF the units, will
be the organization of central blu.
reaus tt is believed these will save
time and money. The secretary OF
the central bureau will be man OF
highest class, with the ability to Sc.
lect and control the most suitable
markets. He will also gather and
distribute Information more thor.
oughly and quickly than possible by
the individual association, advice will
be more uniform, information fuller.
and buyers attracted in larger mum.
bers.
The advantages of the selling plan
have already been felt, and benefits
practically illustrated At Adds.
the individual seller who secured 20
cents for his potatoes, received $1.09
through concert Of action. On Bayou
Lafourche the difference was still
larger, from rs cents to $1.24. Adds
has begun buying her supplies by
wholesale and made a pronounced
saving.
Merchants and citizens have begun
to take an interest in the farmers
movement, and In some places a
prominent part. At ST. James two
doctors have joined. At Plaquemine
a lawyer is a leader. At Adds an
ice manufacturer is at the head. Al
New Roads the superintendent OF
education and an editor are the guild
ing spirits. A planter commands at
Labadieville, and at samstown doc
tor is the secretary and a grocer
DonaldsonVille's mayor, lawyer, di
rects there.
Diyersification is one of the first
natural results. That and co-opera
tion are the main topics at each
meeting. The idea is not diVersifi
cation only in truck, but all along The
line. One of the main lessons ID
that dairying, hog raising and cattle
grazing are desirable, SO that the
waste products, owing to the loca
market or other causes, can be turn
ed into an asset by being converted
into meat, which lends itself either
to home use or to sale.
Interest in the new dispensation i.