96 



threaten it. Corruption and fraud are holding high carni- 

 val, and the money-changers must be made to feel that 

 the righteous indignation of nearly two millions of farmers 

 and their wives, sons and daughters, is not to be looked 

 upon with scorn, and that, further, they have rights which 

 must be respected. 



There is a universal demand by the Patrons of Hus- 

 bandry, laboring men and mechanics, that means may 

 be procured to check and stop in an effective manner the 

 adulteration of food, short weights, short measures, and 

 so much disnonesty in business transactions. They see 

 but one road out of the difficulty and that, as set forth in 

 our declaration of purposes, is by and through co-opera- 

 tion. The adoption of the Rochdale system by the Sub- 

 ordinate Granges will imply something more than the sale 

 of farm products, and the purchase and distribution of 

 supplies on an equitable basis. 



By the adoption of the Rochdale business plan, agricul- 

 turists may have their co-operative stores, their dairy 

 farms, and their beef factories, &c, &c, in all of which 

 the purchaser's interest can be considered, and general 

 prosperity will result from it because of the more equitable 

 distribution of wealth. 



At all events, whatever difference of opinion there may 

 be as to the value of co-operation as applied to production, 

 all agree that co-operation in distribution of the ordinary 

 necessities of life can, if properly restrained by a careful 

 code of By-Laws, result only in benefit to those who in 

 good faith adopt and carry out the equitable provisions of 

 the Rochdale system of co-operation. 



A point which should be kept in mind and impressed 

 on every occasion upon our members, is that every one of 

 our transactions are for cash, and cash only, and the sys- 

 tem we advocate and the only one practicable is pay as 

 you go. There is no better maxim for a man to live by 

 than this. The credit system eats the life out of more 



