CHAPTER IX 



THE STRUGGLES OF COOPERATION 



Ameeican agriculture developed through the 

 efforts of pioneers who were individualists, to a 

 large degree. The free and open settlement 

 of our western country developed large groups 

 of men who were loosely associated for com- 

 mon defense but who were very independent 

 when it came to matters of business. Probably 

 no country has farmers as a class who have been 

 less directed and controlled than those of the 

 United States. 



This individualism has made it difficult for 

 agriculture to be organized as it has in some 

 other older countries. There have been waves 

 of interest in cooperation among farmers at 

 various times in our history but these waves 

 have later subsided and the period of coopera- 

 tive organization apparently passed by for a 

 time. In periods of stress farmers have been 

 driven to realize the necessity of cooperation 

 and group action and they have been quick to 

 begin the organization of all types of coopera- 



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