20 UNITED STATES - CO-OPERATION AND ASSOCIATION 



The proposed scheme has certain social features, but no rules are laid 

 down for the conduct of affairs purely social The two clauses following, 

 which form part of the proposed model constitution, show the spirit in 

 which the whole scheme is conceived: "The policy of publicity will 

 acquaint the members with the personal afiairs of one another to a very 

 large extent ; it is the purpose of the association to make use of that know- 

 ledge to the advantage of all in checking waste and promoting eflficiency, 

 and to that end the executive board and standing committees shall study 

 the causes of failure on the part of any member and procure for him expert 

 advice and assistance. 



" The fact that this is a co-operative enterprise must never be lost 

 sight of, and it can only flourish by the united efforts of all its members, 

 each freely performing according to his ability, the various duties which 

 devolve upon him. " 



The scheme is intended in the first place to solve the question of utiliz- 

 ing the cleared timber areas by converting them into farm land. The suc- 

 cess of capitalistic colonization enterprises proves that similar development 

 schemes are capable of yielding large profits ; and though co-operative ven- 

 tures have not been as a rule equally successful, the Wisconsin plan, as 

 here outlined, seems to be usually well safeguarded by the provision made 

 for the effective control of associations through the State Board of Public 

 Affairs. There is a guarantee that any project for co-operative coloniz- 

 ation before being launched will have been critically examined by persons 

 whose sole interest will be to ensure its permanent success, and that, after 

 being launched, the conduct of its affairs will be jealously supervised by the 

 same persons. This responsibility of each association to a central controll- 

 ing authority is the characteristic and most significant feature of the whole 

 scheme. 



