Fundamentals in Cooperation 37 



cannot be handled successfully by a board of directors. 

 The commission form of government without a respon- 

 sible leader cannot be applied to it. It requires a man- 

 ager who is competent to assume the general direction 

 of its business. Like any other successful manager, he 

 must possess business ability of high order, sterling integ- 

 rity, and tact and judgment in dealing with men and 

 affairs. The manager selected may be a man of adminis- 

 trative experience, or he may be selected and developed 

 from the membership. The latter policy is frequently 

 followed in the formation of these associations. This, 

 however, is often a dangerous experiment, and innumer- 

 able cooperative associations have been wrecked as a 

 result of the inexperience and incompetence of the aver- 

 age producer who assumes the duties of a general business 

 manager. 



Difficulties in Management 



A cooperative organization is more difficult to manage 

 than an ordinary corporation. In the latter, the stock- 

 holders do not often take an active interest in its manage- 

 ment because they are not experts in the business of the 

 corporation. They select a manager and hold him re- 

 sponsible for the development and execution of their 

 policies, but when a farmers' organization is formed, the 

 farmer is an expert in its affairs to a greater or less extent 

 and he may feel that he is capable of handling the organi- 

 zation, or, at least, of giving active advice regarding the 

 details of its methods. This trait is a valuable asset in 

 a farmers' organization provided the manager is big enough 

 and broad enough and has sufficient skill to utilize it ; and 



