The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1914-09-19


were maintained comparatively. The
mercantile business in Utah was be
gun I'm many cases upon a truly CO.
operative basis the business being
owned by those who were to deal
with the store.
MANY of these early enterprises
were for the cooperative purchasing
of supplies. These, together with
many Of our canals ana other enter
prises of a similar nature, soon drift
ed into private hands. 1t Is probably
true that at that early date in Utah
the great benefits of cooperation
were not fully realized. 1t may be
true that the abandonment of cooper
| alton was due, in d few cases to pow
erful and selfish individuals who saw
the opportunity for personal gain in
monopOlizng q particular business.
The falling away may have been due
In part to the relative competence
and independence which did not eX-
list at first and the absence of which
forced cohesiveness and the greatest
possible efficiency in especially the
larger enterprises. Undoubtedly all
of these factors operated to some ex-
tent.
The fact remains that Utah began
and successfully conducted for many
years one Of the earliest IL not the
earliest extensive experiment in CO.
opration on this continent in modern
times. 1t is lametable that the worR
begun at that time was not continued
and completed. After half century
the nation is just working into the
period of social advancement which
Utah enjoyed in pioneer days.
And Utah growers after half cen.
fury of apostacy from this wonderful
principle, given to them early have
at last realized the absolute neces.
sity of cooperation if they are to de-
velop their industry to its fullest en-
tent. Too much cannot he said as
We are entering this new phase Of
our agriculture in support OF coop
Grafton. And the pitfalls to be avoid
ed cannot be too generally spoken
Of A cooperative business among
farmers is conducted for the benefit
of the growers. In a creamery pea
canning company, fruit marketing
association, a cooperative buying as.
ISOLATION, a cooperative association
for the obtaining of insurance all
these should aim primarily to serve
the farmer. A creamery operated on
this basis would pay as high price
as possible for the cream instead Of
as low Il price as possible All that
the creamery would wish to make
would be running expenses. IL the
case of peas, likewise. In cooperative
fruit marketing the grower gets al
the returns beyond the mere main
tenance of the organization. In the
cooperative buying of farm and home
summplies the association charges
only enough to pay the running ex-
penses of the association. In insur-
ance, likewise. The obvious intent
Is to cut out overhead charges and
middemen to as great an extent as
possible.
Ignorance Is the greatest enemy of
cooperation. Ignorance manifests 1t
self in the disposition to over value
your own agricultural output aai un-
dervalue your neighbor's. Ignorance
manifests itself in failure to zee the
fundamental economic necessity of
catering to the best and largest mar
kets, and the necessity of obtaining
II community reputation for a stand
ard product which can only be dong
through cooperation.
Intermountain, including Utah, ag.
riculture will become prominent be-
cause of the factor of irrigation and
rich soil which we possess. This
combination will produce high yields
followed by high priced lands. follow
l