258 BACKGROUND AND MEANS OF SERVICE 



have great semblance of the fact. But does not this con- 

 dition limit real and earnest cooperation? Can a county 

 agent really represent the farmer partner, when this part- 

 ner pays none of his salary, has nothing to say ahout the 

 amount of it, and has no supervision over his work? Is 

 it to be wondered at that in some states farmers' organiza- 

 tions oppose the farm bureaus and the appropriations for 

 them? 



It would appear that ideal cooperative relationships ex- 

 ist in but few of the states. In too many states the public 

 institutions have in the past dominated the partnership 

 either through supplying funds, through provisions of the 

 state law (usually drawn by these institutions), or because 

 of lack of local initiative and local funds. In a few states 

 the local associations have too large a control for the beet 

 interests of the public partner. In a majority of the 

 states no definite, clear-cut partnership policy exists, and 

 the resulting relationship is an uncertain one which makes 

 the fullest voluntary cooperation impossible. There is 

 great need for the general adoption of a clear-cut policy in 

 all the states which will fairly provide for the interests of 

 both partners. 



Much is to be hoped from the national federation in this 

 respect. Close contact with farmers almost invariably in- 

 creases one's confidence in their ability and respect for 

 their judgment. This is the verdict of those who have 

 given such .contact most thorough trial. The collective 

 judgment of the men on the land is usually sound. False 

 or unwise leadership sometimes leads them temporarily 

 astray. 



Respect and confidence must be mutual, and power and 

 authority substantially equal, or at least each must be in- 

 dependently strong in order to insure the best cooperation. 

 If the principle of partnership and mutual and equal 



