Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1874 — The Success of Co-operation Among the Farmers. [ARTICLE]

The Success of Co-operation Among the Farmers.

About two years ago, when it became demonstrated that the Fanners’ Movement was not an ephemeral project, the necessity for co-operation in the sale and purchase of necessary articles thrust itself upon the attention of farmers. The first co-operative clubs were formed for the purpose of buying plows, cultivators, etc., at the manufactory, and by shipping a car-load at a time and dealing direct with the manufacturer to effect a saving on the freight, and also to avoid the payment of a profit to the agent or middle-man. They met with a rebuff at the outset. The manufacturers returned their orders and declined to fill them, saying that they must buy farm implements of the agents or not at all. Twenty-one plow-makers met in convention and passed a resolution to sell to farmers at retail prices only, but advising their agents to sell to members of Granges at a small profit for cash. The Patrons grew indignant, and the result of a discussion in the Granges and Clubs was a firm resolve to use no plow made by the men who had refused to sell to them at manufacturers’ prices. In insurance there are three co-opera-tive companies. Elevators and grain warehouses, twenty. Manufacturing establishments, thirty. Grist mills, eight. Packinghouses, three. Co-operative associations, eight. Grange stores, sixteen. In some of their business movements, of course, the experiments have not been as satisfactory as could be wished. In some instances the farmers have been imposed upon by insincere and Belfish men who have led them into trouble. On several occasions the Age has counseled its read ere to go slow, but sure. To take no false steps, but look the ground well over before they invested, and to trust no man in manufacturing or mercantile business that they do not know all about, and know him to be both morally and mentally competent for the post for which he is mentioned. The above schedule shows an amount nearly equal to five million dollars which the fanners have put intodthe co-operative movement in sums of twenty-five dollars and upward. 'Die Bureau of Agriculture has roughly estimated the savings to the Western farmer, through the economic features of the Grange, to be from tfi,Boo,ooo to *7 r 000,000; and this is but a beginning of the immense advantages derived from the practice of superior economy, the abandonment of the vicious credit systemand the fostering of a sharp competition in trade. —lndustrial Age.