THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FARM 



establish a plain business firm? A lot of far- 

 mers could make up a firm, surely, as well as a 

 lot of towns-people ; not a cooperative concern, 

 not communal, just plain business." 



The idea was a novel one. It took root. It 

 began to be nourished by the dismal rains 

 even of further meanness. It grew strong and 

 sturdy under the winds of opposition. A firm 

 of five hundred farmers, such a thing under 

 the old order of things would have been as 

 preposterous as a firm of five hundred doctors, 

 or ministers, or university professors. 



But the leaven was at work, and the firm 

 was established. A manager was chosen from 

 their own number "to look after things," and 

 they began business. First, they said they had 

 not had a fair deal from the merchant in their 

 little town, the only merchant in the village, 

 which was the focal municipal point for their 

 farming region. He had charged them his own 

 prices for his wares, and paid them his own 

 prices for their wares. He was altogether too 

 thrifty. The farmers said, "As a firm we will 

 now buy our goods at wholesale and sell them 

 back to ourselves at a slight advance to cover 

 expenses. We will also," they said, "put up our 



367 



