264 THE FARMER AS A COOPERATOR. 



all men of small means, who depend upon collections at the 

 end of the month to pay for goods which they have purchased 

 during the month; in the case of country retailers having a 

 large trade among farmers, they have to give, and conse- 

 quently to obtain, longer credit. Large numbers of them are 

 practically "carried" by their wholesale merchants, and could 

 not do business otherwise. It would be simply impossible for 

 the majority to pay cash for their supplies, and those who 

 could do so would do it only when compensated by a good 

 reduction in price. It is impossible to solicit trade from those 

 whom you refuse the credit customary in tlie trade, and those 

 from whom trade is got most easily by those newly seeking it 

 are invariably those whose credit is pretty well exhausted 

 elsewhere, and the result of any systematic attempt to sell 

 retailers direct would inevitably be either a very small busi- 

 ness gained at a very high price, or such a gradual accumu- 

 lation of uncollectable accounts as would bury the idea of 

 profit out of sight. 



There is still another consideration. The same idea ol 

 convenience which leads the individual to buy su])plies of his 

 grocer rather than to hunt among individual producers, will 

 lead the retailer to purchase of the wholesale merchant from 

 whom he can order at once, not only one article but whatever 

 he needs, to be ordered at one time, shipped at one time, 

 handled at one time, and paid for at onetime; especially if 

 he is having hard times with his own collections, and conse- 

 quently, although solvent, in need of some extra accommo- 

 dation, he will be careful not to invite pressure upon himself 

 by offending those who can press him. 



From all the above it is evident that there can be no 

 economic gain to a society of producers in dispensing with the 

 services of the retail or wholesale merchant in the lines 

 which ordinarily handle their product, or in engaging in any 

 sort of controversy or contest with them; but on the contrary 

 it will be most gainful to work in entire harmony with them, 

 understanding fully that each one of them will seek to buy at 

 the lowest possible price, and sell at those prices which in his 

 own judgment will yield him most profit, but seeking con- 



