212 THE FARMER AS A (OOPERATOR 



tations may be offered them to leave it; but there are too few 

 of these to be considered. 



Business, in the end, will certainly flow to the easiest chan- 

 nels; if cooperative enterprises succeed, it must be because 

 exj)erience shows individuals that it is not only more profit- 

 able, but unusually more convenient, to deal through them 

 than elsewhere. Men will not long subject themselves to per- 

 sonal inconvenience to promote any enterprise even though 

 they really believe it to be almost essential to the general 

 prosperity. They will almost universally rely uj)on its receiv- 

 ing the necessary support from others, and not concern them- 

 selves personally. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance 

 that cooperative enterprises shall be well plamied, properl}^ 

 located, and equipped to do in the most economical and eflect- 

 ive manner whatever they propose to do at all. There is 

 really no difficulty in this, nor need there be any lack of 

 money. While the general complaint of producers is lack of 

 capital, yet it must never be forgotten that the aggregate 

 capital invested in producing any given quantity of material 

 is very far in excess of the sums required to market it. The 

 advantage over farmers which outside capital possesses is in its 

 form — money — its concentration, and power of repeated use 

 within a short time. Whenever farmers once combine in a 

 firm and legal manner, their financial strength is enormously 

 greater than that of the mercantile concerns which, in the 

 absence of coo[)eration, would handle and market their crops. 



It is tliis fact which makes successful cooperation possible. 

 It is a maxim never to be forgotten that those who supply the 

 capital will control the business; and it usually does not much 

 matter whether the funds are invested as profit-sharing capital 

 or as loans; in the latter case capital is almost certain to so 

 protect itself as to practically control, so far as it desires to do 

 so. If 3^ou borrow mt)ney on produce, for example, the control 

 of sale nominally remains in your hands, and may actually so 

 remain so long as the margin of security is abundant, and the 

 lender has no more profitable use for his money; but if he 

 needs his money, or if for any reason he becomes dissatisfied 

 with your management, you will find that within a short time 



