Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1934-01-25
THE IMPORTANCE OF
COOPERATION
Editor Askov American:

Editor Askov American:
The meeting Of the Pine County
League of Co-operatives held at
Hinckley. Saturday, Jan. Goth. was not
as well attended as had been antici-
pated. One reason for this poor at
tendance could possibly be laid to the
fact that nearly all sideroads were
blocked with snow. This. however,
could not have been the only cause
as several organizations located on
main highways, which were open, had
no representatives there. 1t might,
therefore, we'll be questioned whether
or not the farmers of Pine county are
really ready to cooperate.
The fundamental principles of CO.
operation are so we'll understood and
have so often been carried out sue
cessfully in practice that no one has
any doubt about the soundness of
these principles. The cause there
fore must be sought in other direc-
tiOnS. AS l mentioned in these col
umns two weeks ago, the cooperative
organizations are now beginning to
make themselves felt and private bust
ness interests are girding their loins
for a struggle, and whether or not we
realize the situation, we can be sure
that every possible obstacle will be
laid in our way.
1t was not by mere accident that
the oil code contained a clause forbid
ding cooperative oil associations to
pay patronage dividend. The same
clause was found in the retailers code
and the fertilizer industry code. Had
this clause been left in the code and
enforced it would have put out of
business every cooperative oil and re-
tail association in U. S. Neither is it
an accident that the township mutual
insurance companies are not permit
ted to write fire assurances in cities
and villages of mere than 1000 popu-
latiOn. These facts, and there are
many more of the same kind, are not
given much publicity, and therefore
are not well known. Several columns
could be written about this struggle
which is now beginning to take shape
fought out to a final conclusion, and
plenty of reasons could be set forth
to show why united action will be
necessary to carry on the struggle.
1t is, however needless to go into de-
tails at this time.
The meeting at Hinckley was at
tended by representatives of six or
seven organizations. w. S. Petersen of
the Midland Oil Assn, gave short
talk on the needs of a county organi-
cation and explained what has been
and what is being done in other Min
nesota counties. He also outlined
some of the projects which are now
being taken up by cO-Operatives on a
nationwide scale. For instance, Mr..
Petersen related how large and we'll
known manufacturer of farm ma
chinery had cCme to the cooperative
organization and offered to manufac-
ture full line of farm implements
and sell them to cooperative retail
organizations at a $40 discount. And
when only a short while ago the CO.
operative oil associations were asking
for bids on 100000 pounds of grease
they were handed identical bids from
ten different oil concerns. These bids
were all rejected and these concerns
were notified that unless competitive
bids were submitted the cooperative
Gil associations would buy or build
their own grease manufacturing plant
This had the desired effect and grease
was contracted for on reasonable
basis
Delegates to the Hinckley meeting
were all much in favor of organizing
strong county league and it was
decided to continue the efforts to bring
all cooperative organizations within
the county into the league A tenta-
tive outline of a program will be
drawn up and sent to all these Organi-
cations and it is hoped that each will
discuss this program and offer sug-
gestiOns for building a strong and
functioning organization. A very live
ly discussion was carried on through
out the meeting and on the whole the
gathering was much more profitable
than would be indicated by the small
number who attended. Another meet
ing will be called, possibly in March,
and presumably at this meeting def
mite plans for the future will be
formed.
Once more | would urge cO-operators
to watch for the announcement of date
and make it a point to attend this
meeting.
H. r.. BUCK.
Askov, Mimi, Jan. %, 1884