28 ~ PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



the same time prevents a monopoly. Allow none but Patrons 

 to become subscribers. Select the best business man j^ou have 

 among you for an agent, and pay him a salary, but never a com- 

 mission. It will also be far better to pay a good agent high 

 wages, than take an unfitted one for nothing. Lay in 3'our 

 stock of goods through the State Agency. Sell to all persons 

 at an advance of 10 per cent. When selling to a stockholder, 

 give him a ticket indicating the amount. When at the close of 

 the quarter, half year or year, you are read}' to announce a divi- 

 dend, pay your stockholders 10 per cent, interest, and divide 

 the balance among the purchasers in proportion to the amount 

 their purchase tickets indicate. Upon no condition depart from 

 strictly cash transactions. B3' applying to the Secretary of 

 State, copies of the "Act Concerning Corporations," together 

 with the necessary blanks to proceed in the organization and 

 incorporation can be obtained. The whole work can be accom- 

 plished at a cost to not exceed about $15.00 



These co-operative stores, managed under the principles of 

 our Order, are indispensable. Unless, however, they co-operate 

 in purchasing, they weaken rather than strengthen the interests 

 of the Grange. Neither do I consider thatone in each county 

 or district is sufficient. We must occupy the entire ground. 

 From each central store let there be branches. If we leave any 

 place unoccupied where implements are sold, we leave our mem- 

 bers there to be fleeced, to compensate the enemy for the loss 

 sustained at points where our stores compel them to cut prices. 

 It is an easy matter for merchants to thus assist each other, and 

 I am informed, upon good authority, they are doing so. If we 

 thus establish county stores and their branches, it facilitates the 

 work of concentrating orders for the State Agency. With 

 ordinar}'^ business tact it will be found a profitable investment. 

 This, in the main, is the popular and successful '' Rochdale 

 Plan." 



It will be remembered that in my circular letter accompany- 

 ing my " Confidential Price List for 1875," I informed the Pat- 

 rons I would fill orders for them where they had no county 

 agent. Daring the first quarter I filled orders to the amount of 



$ 160.76, saving S 100.80 



Second 1.900.99, '' 842.65 



Third 727.48, '' 401.10 



Fourth 1.260.15, " 555.25 



84.049.38 $1,899.70 



This saving does not include freights. I had no wa}' of ascer- 

 taining what difference it would make. To this I might add at 

 least §2,000 worth of orders I received for plows and cultivators 

 last Spring, for which the cash did not accompany the order, and 



