Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-08-06
HOW PRODUCER CAN SUCCEED
Cooperation, to Be Prosperous, Must
Grow Through Gradual Evolution
Uniform Standard Needed.
(By G.. HAROLD POwELLJ

tBy G. HAROLD POWELL)
The average producer is not a bust
ness man. nor is he skilled in the art
Of competitive business. He is nat
urally a strong individualist. He Is
slow to delegate authority over his
affairs to anyone, and when he is face
to face with the skillful arguments Of
those who aim to break the organiza-
ton and keep him working as an in
dividual. he is likely to weaken and
finally leave the organization unless
he has felt the effect of hard times. a
helplessness arising from a combina-
ton of those who buy or sell his prod
ucts. excessive freight. or commission
charges, or other forms of oppression.
1t is a historical fact that the invest
ment Of the farmer must have been
threatened by existing conditions be-
fore he has been able, in the past,
to overcome his individualism suffi-
GENTLY to work with his neighbors in
cooperative work. The country is
strewn with the wrecks of co-opera-
tive organizations that were born pre-
maturely and which died by the way
side. because the farmer himself de-
serted in the first real conflict with
the established agencies that have
handled his business. Cooperation. to
be successful. must be founded not
only on economic necessity. but must
grow through gradual evolution. 1t
must have small beginning and
grow In strength through experience
step by step, rather than by leaps and
bounds. The fundamental mistake
that is being made in many localities
is to form a farmers organization all
at once on the plan of an organization
that has taken years to develop. The
plan may be sound. but a cooperative
organization can only succeed when
given the unfiinching support of the
members who through years Of ex-
perience have acquired an appre-
citation Of the fundamentals that
underlie a successful association Of
this kind. The success of any organi-
zation depends on its members, not
on its form.
The outcome of cooperative organ
ization formed to handle the growers
product will succeed or fail on the
skill and integrity with which the prod
uct is harvested, handled. graded and
packed. In the average association
the individual grower does not pos
sess sufficient skill to harvest, handle,
grade or pack his product carefully,
uniformly. or attractively enough to
permit the association to establish
a standard Of quality and therefore
acquire a reputation for its brands or
grades. A uniform standard of quality
in the brands shipped by an associa-
ton Is fundamental to success. Poor
handling in harvesting. improper
handling In preparing the product for
sale. careless or dishonest grading,
or lack of skill and knowledge in
grading and packing-these are COM
mon rather than unusual conditions
in the conduct of many cooperative
associations where the handling of the
product is controlled by the individ.
ual members. The output of an as
ISOLATION. therefore. acquires no sta.
BILE merchandising value. The brands
are not a guaranty Of quality. A
reputation for uniformity in grading
and packing can only be acquired
when the product of all the members
Is handled under uniform conditions.
The Standardization Of product can
result only from standardizing its
handling. grading and packing.