Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-11-12
GOOD AIDS IN COOPERATION
Strong Capable Management and Sup
port Of All Its Members Essential
to Any Market Association.

The growing feeling that there is too
much difference between the price
price paid by the consumer has turned
the attention of American farmers
more and more to cooperative market
ing associations as a promising rem
edy. Producers of perishable products
have advanced the furthest in this d.
rection. and the best organized coop
erative marketing associations are
now to be found among the California
citrus fruit growers and among the
deciduous fruit growers of the Pacific
Northwest. In general it may be said
that the most promising field for such
associations is in the marketing OF
highly specialized and localized crops.
The work of the marketing associa-
tions includes the establishing OF
grades and standards; the adoption
of brands and trade marks; the Sc
curing of capital and credit; proper
advertising to encourage consumption
of a meritorious but little known prod
uct: discovery Of new and extension
Of old markets; securing information
as to crop and market conditions; the
equitable division of profits: adapting
production 20 meet market require
ments; the use Of by-products: secur-
ties: the cooperative buying and man
ufacturing of supplies; cooperative
use of expensive farm machinery: Sc
curing Of lower freight rates. more
equitable refrigeration charges. and
more efficient transportation service;
the securing of more and better la
Dor: and the general cultivation of a
spirit of cooperation In all community
affairs
These objects can not be achieved
II farmer has not sufficient faith In
the cooperative idea to go into the en-
terprise with his whole heart, to hold
up theoretically the hands of the man.
ager and work disinterestedly for the
success Of the association as a whole.
he had better not become a member.
for he will be far from a source of
comfort to his partners.
The manager should be employed by
the board of directors and should have
large powers. He should employ and
discharge all labor. He should secure
information as to crop and market con-
ditions and furnish same to the men,
bers on request. He should encourage
the production of the best varieties of
products demanded by the trade He
should conduct packing schools. in or
der that growers may become trained
in the best methods of grading, pack
ing. and labelling their products. He
should have charge of the grading.
packing. and inspection of all associa-
ton products. and should have control
Of the brands and labels. and their
use on the association packages. In &C
cordance with the rules of the asso
citation He should enter into con
tracts for the sale of the association
goods. He should have entire charge
of the marketing of all association
goods. subject only to the action of
the board of directors and the bylaws
and rules Of the association He can
not be held responsible IL he is to be
dictated to at will by each member or
the officers are constantly to NEEDLE
with his work. This does not imply
that the manager should be dictator
From the suggestions Of the officers
and members together with those from
his own experience he constructs a
business plan. Whenever a manager
loses the confidence of the members.
IT is better to replace him with q man.
ager who possesses that confidence
But no manager. however competent
he may be. can lead a cooperative as
ISOLATION to success unless he has real
cooperation from the members. In
cooperative circles the disloyal mem.
Der is the chief element of failure.