Co-Operativc Farming 



249 



I do not suppose the co-operative principle 

 free from objections, but rather regard it as 

 an improvement, and presume that its imper- 

 fections may be, in some degree, remedied 

 by experience. To illustrate the idea, let us 

 suppose "A " to be a landowner and farmer ; 

 B, C, and D, labourers, or, as generally 

 called, farm hands, seeking the usual employ- 

 ment that belongs to farming. It is presum- 

 able that " A " has some ready means, or if 

 not, that the farm brings to market some pro- 

 duct at a very early date ; else how could 

 any kind of labour be secured and paid for ? 

 (Our farm labour costs us 30 dols. per week 

 during the planting and growing season). If 

 so, then there is no difficulty in arranging the 

 matter as to the present wants of the 

 labourer, which must be carefully provided 

 for. " A " puts in the farm at such a rental 

 as it may be mutually considered worth, and 

 adds to this the use of stock, and the use of 

 say 300 dols. as a labour fund, for which he 

 is to hold tenantry and receive five-tenths of 

 all gain. Now if he proposes to labour, let 

 him be paid for this as are the others — say 

 12^^ per cent, or 10 per cent., one man to 

 be president or director, another secretary or 

 keeper of accounts, and still another treasurer 

 or custodian of the funds, valuable personal 

 property, &c.. 



To distribute the responsibilities of the 



situation will no doubt prove the best way, 

 and if there be not offices for every one, let 

 there be imaginary ones made, so that each 

 one shall feel that he is a necessary part of 

 the common enterprise. The matter of tra- 

 ditional or transient labour can be provided 

 for, and made subject to the general rule. 



This is very likely to strike some minds as 

 a gross innovation of the established manner 

 of employing labour, and to such minds it 

 may appear quite wanting, when weighed in 

 the balances of a "a sober second thought ;" 

 but the present feeling of the labourer is 

 somewhat changed from what it was a time 

 ago, and seemingly his feelings now tend to- 

 ward emancipation from hired service, unless 

 he is dealt with more liberally than of old. 

 It is surely wise to accept whatever of facts 

 there may be in the case, and to conform our 

 line of action to suit the reality of the situa- 

 tion. We cannot unmake the condition of 

 the labourer's mind ; but we can make a new 

 form of labour service. If the mountain will 

 not come to us, we certainly can go to the 

 mountain. I know several farmers who 

 have given up the use of hired labour on 

 their farms because of its lack of profit, and 

 I know of others who continue to hire with- 

 out seeing any gain therefrom ; to such 

 there seems a remedy wanted. May not this 

 co-operative method be that remedy ? 



