THE U.F. CO-OPERATIVE CO. 89 



whose experience had been with chain stores, 

 preferred the latter plan, which was endorsed by 

 the Board of Directors and forthwith put into 

 effect. 



Inasmuch as a number of the Branch Stores, 

 which were then being established, were located 

 in towns, the question arose next as to the admis- 

 sion of townspeople, a problem which was finally 

 solved by issuing " Participation Certificates" to 

 urban residents; which certificates conferred 

 the privilege of trading but not of voting. 

 Special by-laws, providing for this, were sub- 

 mitted and passed at the next shareholders' meet- 

 ing, held in Massey Hall, December 16th, 1919. 



Meanwhile, in October, the U.F.O. had achiev-* 

 ed unexpected and spectacular political success, 

 and two directors of the United Farmers Co- 

 operative Company (Messrs. Drury and 

 Doherty) were respectively Premier and Minister 

 of Agriculture for Ontario. The annual share- 

 holders' meeting for 1919 was, therefore, one of 

 peculiar interest and importance. The atten- 

 dance was greatly in excess of anything hitherto 

 attained, and enthusiasm ran high. 



Criticism, however, was not wholly lacking. * 

 Mr. W. C. Good, the first President of the 

 United Farmers Co-operative Company, and a 

 Director until the winter of 1917-1918, publicly 

 called in question the whole recent policy of the 



