442 



THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW 



their failure is certain. The old adage, 

 "Great oaks from little acorns grow," 

 I believe to be a safe guide for the sup- 

 porters of co-operation. Many small, 

 well-organized associations, where the 

 membership is in close touch with their 

 organization and with each other, from 

 which they can learn true co-operation, 

 hold a close sympathetic relation with 

 the individual members which is impos- 

 sible with a large institution whose 

 membership is widely scattered. But 

 some one will say no small organization 

 can stand the expense of doing business 

 along lines which will bring greatest 

 success. Very well. A large central 

 organization can be formed, and in 

 many cases has been formed, from the 

 small organizations, each small organi- 

 zation becoming a stockholder in the 

 central organization and each sending a 

 delegate to the stockholders' meetings. 

 This gives a strong central body made 

 up of picked men from the many 

 smaller bodies. Because of the large 

 volume of business, such organizations 

 are enabled to get the very best experts 

 to handle it, and further, it is always 

 sought by the very best houses. Their 

 strength commands the respect of the 

 transportation companies. It enables 

 them to have representatives in the field 

 both at the receiving point and at the 

 point of delivery, thus assuring the 

 proper handling of the business. 



From the foregoing it is easy to see 

 the latent possibilities of co-operation. 

 Some of our weak-kneed brothers will 

 say it is visionary. But this is not so. 

 I have not mentioned a single thing 

 which is not represented by a living, 

 working, successful institution, ranging 

 from the small co-operative store to the 

 mammoth Rochdale system of England, 

 — which grew from an organization of 

 .nine weavers to its present huge propor- 

 tions ; and the eminently successful 

 credit associations of Europe, — which 

 assist the farmers to finance the farms 

 and the institutions connected directly 

 therewith ; and in America the great 

 citrus and deciduous fruit associations 

 of the west. 



We Americans are strong individual- 

 ists and it is hard for us to give up that 

 individual independence which is so 

 diametrically opposed to co-operation ; 

 but necessity is the father of many 

 great advances, and it is gradually 

 crowding us to the advance line. As it 

 forced European countries to co-operate 

 in order to feed the vast population 

 from a small territory, as it forced the 



great fruit interests of the west to seek 

 relief through a community of actions, 

 so it will steadily but surely drive us all 

 to an understanding of the great bene- 

 fits which are to be derived from co- 

 operative efforts. To be sure, as has 

 been the case in the past when co-oper- 

 ation has become an accomplished fact, 

 the road will be strewn with the wreck- 

 age of failure, but so is it also strewn 

 with wreckage in all commercial under- 

 takings, and because of the failures it 

 behooves us and enables us to take ad- 

 vantage of the past, and so organize 

 that the pitfalls which have caused dis- 

 asters before shall be avoided. 



When shall the work of organization 

 be commenced? The answer is simple: 

 when the condition exists in marketing, 

 purchasing, in dairy work or fruit grow- 

 ing, or in any other line of effort which 

 can be materially improved by the com- 

 bined effort of the citizens of the com- 

 munity. How shall , the work of 

 organization be carried out? The or- 

 ganizers should first make themselves 

 familiar with the particular line of co- 

 operative work which it is proposed to 

 accomplish. It is essential that every 

 member join with a correct understand- 

 ing of what is expected of him and of 

 what he has the right to expect in re- 

 turn from the association. The initial 

 work of organization is so important 

 that it is hardly possible to lay too much 

 stress upon it. Lay your foundation 

 well. Be careful that there is a perfect 

 understanding of conditions, require- 

 ments and probable results. Be careful 

 of your membership. It is not difficult, 

 when getting subscribers, to keep out 

 those very objectionable classes who 

 never agree, who always want to take 

 advantage, are habitual fault finders, or 

 are dishonest; and, further, under no 

 circumstances allow any one to become 

 a meml^er whose natural interests are 

 not in accord with the purposes of the 

 organization or who has interests which 

 might be antagonistic. No one who is 

 seeking position for himself should be 

 allowed to become a member; if he is 

 worthy, hire him, but do not allow him 

 a voice in the membership. It is not 

 necessary to have a large number to 

 start with. A well-selected, loyal mem- 

 bership, which will work together with 

 a determination to succeed, is the most 

 desirable, even though small. All or- 

 ganizations should be incorporated. The 

 sale of stock should be primarily for the 

 purpose of obtaining members, although 



