Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-10-12
COOPERATION
VS..
ARISTOCRACY
(BY ]. Q. Ingram. }

| tiiiii u WIZ w Nv ~
institution and local institution.
| believe In Industrial democracy and
free competition. The laws OF compe-
tition. supply and demand" are nat
ural laws. They deal with natures
system n growth ann progression.
What would happen TO this world II
some class Of people could stabilize
temperature, hold the wind In check,
call the clouds to their bidding or con-
troll the rainfall and sunshiney
Man Is by instinct competitive
creature and when friendly business
rivalry and free competition goes out,
unfriendly social rivalry and militant
competition will result.
our exchange IL now being led by
our county agent and the Pacific Coop
erative League To pursue course
which | deem to he detrimental tO the
interests of the stockholders and out
Of harmony with the objects and pur-
poses for which the project was
launched. 1t now appears that we are
advised to become branch OF world
wide Industrial autOcracy,
The league with which we are ex-
pected to unite Is desperately autocrat-
ic and opposed to competition. We
have learned that the zone man, one
vote" feature of our constitution means
IN practice that each man votes one
time only. for by one vote the stock
holder relnquishes his share of the
control and loses his identity In the
board Of directors In turn the board
of directors will vote one time for
affiIiation with the league and thereby
relinquishes its authority and loses its
identity in the league head.
There will he no initiative, referen-
dun or recall provisions in our constl-
tuition because we will have no indlvid-
ual existanee except as patrons
There are evidently two phases OF
the cooperative league project First,
II is scheme of the reactionaries To
fasten their wartime system Of pro-
fiteering upon the American people
and force public adoption OF 1t. and
forestall any progressive move to re-
construct. Once the markets ana pur-
chasing power OF the masses could be
taken out Of their hands ana vested In
nutocrntic heads. above and out or
reach Of the people, the exploiters
and gratters would have the public nj
their mercy. Any scheme To create
rigid commercial channels ana force
fire people to sell and buy through
them exclusively. Is "A plot TO prepare
the way for profiteering ana graft
The leagues price Of admission to
their lofty haven and seat on their
hoard of control Is; Identities or pro
duccrs and consumers who are pledged
10 buy and sell through their channels
and who own paid-up stock enough ia
hold them tight
| think cooperation between produc'
ers and consumers Is the proper thing
10 do away with monopoly ana force
free conception in every branch oil
our Industrial life. This would per
init the law Of supply and demand ia
function and prices, wages, profits
rents. etc. would adjust themselves ma
tnrnlly and correctly; but this could
ONLY be accomplished through demo
cratic organizations that would keeT
the power end of the line down anO
bring into action the sovereign power
Of the masses.
This popular cooperation In indus
trial matters would develop initiative
in the people i'm political affairs ant
the Initiative. referendum and recall
would he demanded, by which the pub
lie could deal with the robbers ant
gra fters. secure impartiality in gov
erHment and equality Of opportunlt!
In business.
Socialists talk about The brother
hood of man and forget that Cain an'
Abel were brothers and that Joshua
failed to kill all the Cananites.
The most significant phase OF tn
cooperative league movement Is IL
pnrt in the retaliation OF the OLE
World against democracy
Three years ago Nice-President Mar
shall said that the soul OF the United
States was shining up on the shores o.
Europe and now the soul OF thesOlt
World Is shining up ON soil Of Amer
len. Our president carried the chllt
Liberty to the shores OF Europe ant
Iunvailed the father of II in their midst
We unfurled the banner OF demOc
rocy to the four winds. struck dow
the septered fist and thereby offended
the gods OF the Old World. Now th'
lOII World seeks To destroy the sou
Of democracy by supplanting it will
Industrial autocracy and prepare oul
lpeople for their governmental forms
The most gigantic organizing move
ment in the history ~ the world is now
nuerating under the name OF coopera
ton and its plottings and propaganda
IL reaching into every quarter OF the
qlobe. The object OF all this is to seal
loutocrncy. This means that the PEG
oIe of the world are being marked fol
lexploitation and being provided VIII
handles by which they may be picket
mn when some world despot shall care
to make use Of them. Democracy Il
being challenged today as never before
The first frenzied affort Of autocrac'
IN carry out its program was TO organ
,ze the religious world, that the Christ
'nn bodies might he moved aecordin'
in autocratic plans This movement
;.iled because Of the democratic ma
ure IT religion. the Christian religion
lhejne an individual matter. The soy
rignty Of all Christian bodies natural
~ rests IN the hands Of their severa
members Therefore when the inter
church World movement was brough
"a n referendum an end was put 10
| ,orV auicklv