The Harrison times., 1914-05-02

said to be a digestive aid Of great er-
fectiveness. Altogether the company
takes in annually for its products the
considerable sum Of $4,150,000.
Profits to the Farmer.
At the time when the milk is deliv-
cred to the concern the farmer is
paid little over two cents quart.
This is exactly the same price which
others are paid for their milk by the
distributing companies. In case or
the man who delivers to one Of the
joint. stock companies this Is all that
the farmer ever receives for his milk.
The farmer who is a member of this
cooperative concern, however, at the
end of the half yearly period receives
a dividend which amounts to about
one cent per quart. At the end or
the year there is generally a small
additional surplus, so that the farmer
has altogether received over three
cents a quart for his milk, almost one
cent more a quart than the person
selling to the private distributors.
But this is not all. The farmer has
invested absolutely no money in this
cooperative concern. Yet at the end
OF the 20 years the 100 farmers are
in possession Of plant which is prob
ably worth 100000 and which has
been accumulated out Of the profits OF
the establishment. This is the prop
erty OF those who have delivered the
milk to the concern. 1t belongs to
them in proportion to the amoant OF
milk which they have delivered, taking
into account, in every case OF course,
the quality of the milk as well as the
quantity. The average farmer has
then from his milk, In addition to the
price which he has already received,
made a profit of $4,000 for the 20
years.
Cheap to the Consumer.
On the other hand, the prices paid
TO the cooperative concern by the pri-
vate taker Is extremely moderate. For
the ordinary quality of milk. which
corresponds to our certified milk, he
pays about six and one.third cents
per quart, For the special milk, the
infants milk and the hospital milk,
which is OF a quality seldom found In
American cities, the consumer pays
seven cents per quart
Capitalized Without Money.
Twelve years ago when the Tri'
folium was organized, not a dollar
was furnished by the members, One
hundred farmers got together and au'
thoriSed q few Of the leaders to bor'
row $125OOO at the bank 1t is to be
remarked in this connection that the
banks Of Denmark consider a loan to
q cooperative association which has
no capital stock and no tangible prop
erty as perfectly good loan. It has
been demonstrated again and again
that these associations are planned In
such a way that they are worthy OF
credit, It Is considered as safe AZ
any American Industrial bond, In this
case as in all others, only q few OF
the leaders signed tho note at the
bank, although Of course tho entire
number who were in the organization
agreed to stand back OF those who
borrowed the money Tho bank was
safo, both because the 100 farmers
represented we're responsible hnan'
cIally, and because they knew q CO.
operative concern such az this was to
be was n sound business venture.
The arrangement with tho bank
was that the money was to be paid
back out OF the profits In annual In
stallments running over 20 years
Tho rate OF interest was low,
The association has been In opera
ton 70 years, A larger sum than the
original st25,OOO has been advanced
because the volume Of business has
been 30 great that II was necessary
to make additional investment, The
concern has now 100000 invested
Nevertheless the entire indebtedness
will bo wiped out within tho 20 years
Quality First
10 IL TO be noted that this eo'opera'
tive milk company succeeds, not be-
cause Il Ia cooperative, but II sue
ooedB because Il stands, ~ do other
cooperative concerns, for tho highest
possible quality In lts product, II
strictly ontorces rigid rules relative
to quality and takes every proeau'
ton TO insure cleanliness and purity
Some Of the requirements which II en-
forc0s upon those who furnish milk
to II are m follows
Flrat, thore must bo q monthly In
speetion Of the cows by tho yeter'
mary representing the distributing
company, second, all unhealthy or do
feetiye cows must be instantly With
drawn; third, any slight sickness be.
tween monthly visits must be reported
20 tho company and the milk kept sep
arate, fourth, all sanitary directions
as to ventilation, cleanliness, etep
must be followed lfth milk from
COWS others than those inspected and
under control must not be mixed with
tho milk furnished TO tho eompanyi
sixth, milk intended for infants' uso
or hospital use must bo produced
fran eaWa from which aFe excluded