Norwich bulletin., 1916-02-10
HOW COOPERATION WORKS
Farmers Taught By Bitter Experience the Power of Organization and sys- tenn.

tsn.
 The rural neighbors in the New England states have their grange or execute many cooperative affairs and benefits by the difference in buying or selling by the carload.
 I There used to be a grange local in sota and Wisconsin, but not now. The
 writer travelled to the state fair at Rochester and several of the county | fairs of Minnesota and Wisconsin In
 company with MT. Kelley, the real push in organizing the order many years ago. It was at his request was made member at St. Paul, then new grange and at his request we | worked together. But these co-op- erative centers of social life and ben eft have been allowed to die out. | Why? Because of the want of care and system and confining the work to
 purely farm humanity.
 | When the local granges first com menced trading with Chicago as a
 center, and really built up what is \ now a great mail-order house, every | thing was not honestly conducted, lawsuits resulted and the influence of
 other cities. local merchants and ma | chine worked to cause indifference. Since then, with work in single
 harness, the farmers have learned a lesson. Thy have been taught by bit | ter experiences the power of organi-
 zation and system.
 | The old grange admitted all class
 es of people to its membership. Self interests pulled against self-interest- | The grain and stock buyers were or | ganized; their interest ran counter to
 the interests of the unorganized far | mer. Brains were on the side of the | outsiders and against the warnings of
 a few of us older members the locals beat themselves to death on the rocks l furnished by political horses, business
 capital and business ignorance. To-day the farmers are organized,
 but not on the social, educational and | home-like lines of the grange. This | new organization in Wisconsin Is
 labelled the A. S. of Els. What Is l that? The American Society of
 cities, active in building warehouses, | trading and working as an organiza- ton for the farmer, but not in this
 territory.
 This A. S. of E. is not a mere so-
 cial organization. nor do they attempt
 to push that thought to the front
 They have their meetings with its dinner in a central location at odd times, except at the annual meeting business purposes.
 The state of Wisconsin has helped
 to bring matters to a head by he1 educational efforts like the farmers institute, department of agriculture and agricultural colleges The re-
 sultant increase of dairy business stock-raising and crop production
 with the detailed market reports show
 ing the broad margin between what
 the farmer received and the consumer
 There is where the daily newspaper
 and farm bulletin played a march.
 Our e0,0oO new sflos tell the story
 of many heads of stock to sell anC
 of pure blooded animals demonstra-
 ted that the farmers were no longer
 asleep.
 ;l Warehouses have been built. Tn.
 La Crosse packing plant is about tt
 be seconded by a new packing plant a New Richmond, Wis, and $250,000 o1 it's stock has already been sold. Int farmers mean business, a correct stat' of mind if they work with proper bus. } mess caution-something the farme as an individual has not gained a top notch reputation as possessing. As I have said, nearly every farme
 in Western Wisconsin has joined tn , A. s. of E., cooperative busines
 organization, as the remedy for over coming the long oppression of certain business interests.
 New possibilities, both in buying ant selling are being discovered, new an,
 old resources developed. The co operative work is fast bringing to tn , front men who possess talents the. I themselves never suspected. Yet il [ this cooperative chain, like that fl any other of the worlds activities, tn , whole is no stronger than the hon esty and intelligence of any one of : ficer.
 Let me tell how the live stock i ' handled from one railroad statio ] near my home, and then remembe this live stock matter is only on : branch of the the wool, the cash crops the dairy products. etc. In buyin
 there is the fencing, the mill product used in feeding, the seeds, and es pecially the flour. Cooperative store are comon, but are supported outsid 2 of the A. S. Of B.
 , The farmers organization has president, secretary and shippin clerk tfor the stock). The president