Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-03-07

countries. And, perhaps, the Scan
dinavian people in love for freedom
more closely approach the American
people than any on this earth.
The program of the Farmer-Labor
party is the cooperative Common
wealth.
A Cooperative Commonwealth, in
short, is a state wherein public utili-
ties and natural resources are state
owned or comparatively owned and
other enterprises are comparatively
owned with the state aiding coopera-
tive business exactly as it aids private
business today.
To understand the cooperative COM
mOnwealth, it is necessary to under
stand cooperation, which is collective
ownership or mutual ownership of
any enterprise.
Regain All Profits.
A cooperative society is composed
of members who voluntarily join and
pay for initial stock. If a prospective
member has no capital with which to
purchase such stock, it is permissible
to allow him to take stock and apply
his savings-returns on his patronage
to the payment of the stock. Each
member of the society has one vote.
Commodities are bought and sold at
prevailing prices and at the end of a
given period all profits are returned
to the patrons in the form of savings
returns. Each member of a society
is supposed to patronize the society
as long as he believes it to his bene-
fit. Depreciation is charged off against
property at each inventory as in any
| other business. The ultimate aim of
cooperation is to supply all the needs
Of members.
In Minnesota at present there are
more than 5000 cooperatives, more
than any other state in the Union
| These enterprises do a business of ap-
proximately $3O0,O0O,O00 annua ally
which does not include $977, 100000
in mutual fire insurance carried at
cost by producers in Minnesota.
Cooperation is the purest type OF
public ownership and the highest type
of private ownership. 1t strengthens
mans right to private property by
lated capital and the drain of profits
1t turns profits from a blight to q
blessing by distributing them again &c
the producers and the consumer. Ii
solves the problem Of maldistribution
and encourages production for use
| fyrn n no nj
capitalism. 1t perpetuates American
institutions by providing means for
their expansion and support. 1t feeds
American habits by supplying pur-
chasing power. 1t carries with it per
manent security for the masses.
Must Come by Degrees.
The most sincere proponents for the
Farmer-Labor plan will admit that ii
must be attained in easy stages, that
it cannot come overnight. Human
nature does not respond to tiger-like
changes. But even now in Minnesota
we have taken first steps toward the
unfolding of the cooperative common
wealth. 1t is up to us to see that we
do not lose this valuable ground.
The instrument through which tC
gain the cooperative commonwealth
is through the ballot and education
If the people will permit themselves
to learn of it's benefits, it's fruition is
certain Its opposition comes from
persons like Strachey, who have pei
opinions they desire promoted, dowl
to the financial and industrial tycoons
who know that such a system will re-
move their unbridled license, privi
leges and power.
The Cooperative Commonwealth
plan is Minnesota's American solution
to the American problems brought or
by a predatory, ruthless capitalism.
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