The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-02-02

Among capitalists it is united effort
to get high interest on money; among
producers it is united effort to get
a high price for their product; among
nonproducers it is an attempt to get
products at least cost. Each group
seeks it's own selfish ends with little
or no consideration for the welfare
of the other groups, and the result
is that Capital is not safe. Big as
we'll as little banks go broke. Pro-
ducers have no assurance that their
products are being entrusted in safe
hands. Example, recent potato ship
ments. Nonproducers of any COM
modify are dissatisfied because the ex-
penses and designing of the first two
groups makes the cost to them irritat-
ingly high, and fill them with fear
that they cannot get what they need,
must be eliminated before we can have
anything worthy of the name Com
mercial Cooperation. Many we'll
meaning persons think they are pro-
noting cooperation when in fact they
are only adding recruits to their own
class forces and making ready to en-
act more strenuous strife against
some other class forces. All forces
should work in concert toward sup
plying people with what are needs
common to all. These imperative
needs are food, heat, health and So
liability. Absence or shortage in
either of these brings suffering and
extinction. We have had enough
strife between organized classes.
Let US have a real cooperative po-
tato warehouse at Minot. The way
is clear. We can all get in it. Here
is the way to do it. The city of Minot
and all citizens and property within
the corporation must cooperate with
the rural districts by selling its NUM-
cipal bonds and establishing a NUM-
cipal market house suitable for pota-
toes and perhaps some other things.
People within and outside of Minot
who have capital to invest will buy
these bonds and thus become cooper
ators. Growers of potatoes will be-
come co-operators by assembling their
products in the house and paying bin
rent which will create a sinking fund
to pay off the bonds. The buying and
consuming public will cooperate by
coming to the Minot Municipal Mar
ket to get the potatoes we have to
spare. There will be no potato "pool"
to provoke suspicion, hatred and ami
mostly Of buyers, Anything short Of
this is not cooperation.
Farmers in Ward county have been
led to believe that by buying share
of stock in some locally popular joint
stock company they thereby become
co-operators. The term cooperation
is q great convenience to the pro-
motors of joint stock companies. Per-
haps there will appear some neat look
ing promoters Of a joint stock potato
house making use of this convenient
and attractive term. Dear reader,
let me suggest that if such pro-
to the old bureau drawer and get your
cooperative joint stock company and
ask the promoter what he will give
you for it. If he offers you anything
less than par give him the laugh, and
he will take the hint that you have
gotten wise enough to not invest any
more hard earnings in stocks that are
classed as Of little or no value by
conservative investment houses. Tell
him you will buy Minot Market House
Bonds, if issued in accordance with
state law. If the city of Minot will
not even give you a chance to get a
real cooperative potato warehouse by
buying her absolutely safe and sound
Market House bonds instead of
stocks Of questionable value you may
know the city is not a co-operator
for the greater good. There is scarce
ly city of any note in America or
abroad but what has a municipal mar
ket house conducted on such lines as
promotes the general welfare of their
people. "Why not Minot 2"
JOHN KASSENS,
Anderson Block.