Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-04-28
MIR. HARTMAN WRITES ON
COOPERATIVE STORES


!, Editor Free Press:
II | appreciate the article on eoopera-
s tive stores in the Idaho County Free
Press thinking il was a good hint in
the right time. 1t certainly looks rea-
| sonable if such institutions could
not make a success in North Dakota,
where the farmers are enthused with
the A. G. Townley spirit believing that
everything that is not owned and run
J by the farmer should be cOnfiscated,
they would find still harder shedding
in Idaho, where the farmers with such
narrow ideas are away in the minority
1t is true that where such cooperative
institutions are organized and carried
ON, it really works a hardship on bu-
siness carried on independently, as in
"A measure it disorganizes the commu-
nifty and kills the get-together spirit
in a town.
The organizer going around to sell
shares to start such cooperative stores
is usually a good talker and has a
great faculty for showing the farmers |
he solicits to buy shares how they |
have been robbed in the past in the
way of unreasonably large profits,
where he had been buying from his
home dealer, and where he sold he was
also getting it in the neck Just as hard.
The farmer feels now that he has
discovered what kept him poor, after
working hard for so many years. He
takes a share or more if he can, with
blood in his eye resolved that from
now on what he makes viii be his, as
the organizer takes pains to tell him
IN eases where they charge more pro-
mt than is required to pay the RUM
ing expenses of the institution. it
comes back to him in the shape of
dividends so the farmer sees he can t
lose, and he becomes n great booster
for the concern. in which he is Il share
holder, not caring how coldfy he treats
other business men, thinking and even
saying if he could 90 broke, he had to
ook out for no one.
just such a feeling as this, shown by
he shareholders of most cooperative |
Institutions get the community out of
harmony. The merchant who took an l
interest in getting roads built into }
he town and other improvements
made, feels he is not treated rightly :
fter what he had done for the com
lunity and the money he spent, so he q
eases to be a booster and let's things h
rift along as they will. Other bust Il
ess men become of the same mood
nd fall into line.
The men hired to run such coopera-
We institutions feel after they have
armed their salary it is theirs so Chey 81
re never found very free in spend Il
e their time and money in order to Il
MD up the community. Under such If
'nditions roads are not kept up and Y,
lie town rs a whole is beginning to ~
sc out against other towns where -
ore public spirit and harmony exists. ~
In the meantime, the farmer who VI
'ught share in the cooperative al
ore finds that, while he has bought b'
share, he has hurt the town i'm many st
lys and hash t saved himself verv tn
lch money after all. If any evi- on
nee of saving ever came to him it n,
IS of little consequence. -,
The warehouse that was to have :"
we'd him so much money bv getting su
ay from the middle men and specu- vi
ors, he finds is another co
He can plainly see tn
neighDors selling to the indepen- mi
Mt warehouse and getting Just as 'rh
eh for their wheat, and about equ- IN
z good weight 81,
lie now sees where he hash t bet 90.
eu ms condition a bit; that it was -
dream about this buying so much sea
aper and getting a bigger price for tan
3t he sold. He becomes dissatis-
|, lists his farm with the real es
man; he is already converted so I
to allow someone to make COM wit
sion IN order to help him make a 70
, so he can get out and try it o.,
ewhere else nsu
buyer can be found, the next cen
& in order is an auction sale. VIII
he next we hear of our friend. he Ark
bougtht a small farm near a good the
town that hash Z been killed bv aux
much cooperation. So our 81 n
nj finds good mar Fou
for his produce, with W,
better roads to haul over. besia- VI
better social conditions, such as men
ches and better schools. He has eign
away from this idea of wanting quici
ave it all, but rather figuring a Guat
out to make more money and be-
S a believer in the noble old slo-
OF living and let live =
Yours truly, IN
PHIL HARTMAN. prod
! Idaho