Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1914-05-15
By MATHEW s. DUDGEoN

we have seen a new farm building or
any permanent repairs on old build
ings or any other farm improvement
inquiry invariably has revealed that 1t
had been added since the farm went
into the hands of a purcasing tenant.
In other words, Meeghan and other
tenant purchasers feel now that in
making repairs or improvements they
are working for themselves, adding
value to their own property, where for
merly any improvements made were
for the benefit of the landlord for
whom they had no particular liking.
Farmers Views on Cooperation.
We asked him what he thought of
the cooperative society and what use
erative society was organized" he
said, ut was difficult to procure fer
tilizers. While the department of ag-
riculture analysed the soils and
taught the farmers, by bulletin and
otherwise, the elements which must
enter into fertilizers it was absolutely
impossible for the tenant to procure
of the dealers fertilizer containing
these elements in proper proportion
Fertilizers were high too"
Now, as he explained, the co-opera-
tive societies buy the elements going
into the fertilizers and themselves
mix them in the proper proportions.
The cooperative association not only
guarantees the quality of the fertilizers
furnished to their members, but sells
them ut q greatly reduced price. That
they are better than the manures pur-
chased OF the regular traders is evil
denced by the actual effects upon the
crops.
Cooperative Credit
II was evident that In Meeghan's es-
timation the greatest benefit to the
members of the local organization is
from the credit society branch of 1t.
The farmers in this vicinity had been
we'll taught and we're anxious to i'm
prove their stock to get better imple-
ments, to use commercial fertilizers
properly compounded, to plant better
seeds. Before the cooperative credit
association was organized they were
unable to do anything of this sort
, Since the cooperative Organization
has been In operation, however, 1t is
! easy to get from the society q small
loan for any of these purposes and the
, farmers were In consequence steadily
: improving their property. In other
words he seemed to think that the Inn
: provements in rural agricultural meth
, DDS which we see everywhere would
, have been absolutely impossible with
out this little local credit society
! Meeghan himself through loans Sc
: cured of the cooperative credit society
had been enabled to purchase bloode(
stock and had bought improved nipple
ments and tested seeds.
;. We found upon our return to the vii
= lage that school was just closing ant
a Quinn went with us to his home, which
r although modest, was as trim and com
/ Portable as any village home which WI
4 have ever been privileged to visit II
A America He talked freely of the al
g fairs of the society, showed us tn
q books and records and explained tn
p methods and practices employed in tn
= cooperative conduct of the business
|. A Simple Organization.
Q The cooperative society has n
|, headquarters and consequently has n
:, rent to pay. The home OF the seere
q tary Is the Office of the society. Their
t the banking business as we'll as tn
j other affairs of the society are cor
T. Quoted by him out of school hours. Tn
II little society has 500 members, eac
d member having one share upon whic
y he has advanced about sixty cent
II The credit society, branch of the q
operative association, has 161 men
It bers.
D. The society meets" he said, "fou
h times each year. At those times ID
I, members give US orders for thes
IT goods which We handle co-operativel.
D. including seeds, manures, Implement
10 and occasionally other articles. W
20 over the old accounts and arrsne
y for their payment or extension W
le talk over the plans of the society. "
O. consult about local farm problem
n about seeds, manures and rotation
70 crops, exchanging ideas as to methot
n of meeting various questions TIL
I'd arise. There is no cooperative sto1
,y here and we never keep articles
re stock We order seeds, manures ,
re implements and notify the fAx2I