CO-OPERATION IN THE UNION. 245 



it would fill a large volume. The possibilities of co-oper- 

 ative work are absolutely without limit. 



Next in importance, to the farmer and laborer, to 

 the subject just treated is co-operative manufacturing. 

 The necessity of this is obvious to all. Enough has 

 already been done in this direction to demonstrate its 

 success and utility. When the farmers, especially those 

 of the South and West, get tired of paying three and one- 

 half dollars for a pair of boots that cost in the East one 

 dollar and fifty cents to manufacture, they will begin to 

 see the importance of this branch of co-operation. When 

 they once realize the silliness of shipping their cotton, 

 hides, hemp and other raw materials from the farm, over 

 the railroads at which they make such loud complaint on 

 account of exorbitant rates of freight, then shipping them 

 back again, besides paying various profits to commission 

 men, manufacturers, merchants and others who handle the 

 goods, they will cease to kick at one dollar assessments 

 and other plans of raising means to emancipate them 

 from a system that is, to say the least, no credit to intelli- 

 gent men to continue for any considerable length of time. 

 We sometimes think the farmers and laborers ought to 

 follow the example of the young man who permitted 

 himself to be influenced by his ' * best girl ' ' to spend five 

 dollars for ice cream, candy and other little trifles which 

 her feminine taste prompted her to ask of him. Returing 

 home he held an indignation meeting, c * reconsidered the 

 matter ' ' and unanimously passed a resolution that he had 

 acted a u gol darned fool." He then tied himself to 

 the bed-post and administered a sound thrashing, accom- 

 panied by such ejaculations as, " You go and act a 

 (whack) fool again (whack), will you? You spend five 

 dollars (whack) on a girl again because she has pretty 

 eyes (whack) and rosy lips! You idiot (whack), let me 

 see you going (whack) to another picnic (whack) this 



