Fundamentals in Cooperation 39 



well-paid man and to carry out all of its policies through 

 him alone. Whenever a director or member assumes 

 the duties of the manager either openly or by indirection, 

 the association is bound to face a serious internal situa- 

 tion. Of all the different factors that have been con- 

 tributory, no single factor, unless it is disloyalty of the 

 members themselves or the meddling of members in the 

 duties of management, has operated so strongly against 

 the success of farmers' business associations as the low- 

 salaried, inexperienced, incompetent managers selected 

 by the directors to handle these organizations. This 

 position is not a place to be filled by a popular local leader 

 who has often failed in business, or who has been only 

 moderately successful. There are many association man- 

 agers of this type. They are "good fellows," but they 

 often stand in the way of real progress in the cooperative 

 movement because they have none of the elements of 

 leadership or do not possess convictions of a kind that 

 lead to the upbuilding of the cooperative method. The 

 organization must meet on every hand the competition 

 of organized capital. It has large questions confronting 

 it. The influence of the manager, next to the loyalty 

 of the members, exceeds all other influences, and the suc- 

 cess of the undertaking depends upon his skill and ability 

 in developing, with the directors and members, a con- 

 structive business policy that is able to meet these condi- 

 tions as they arise. 



