260 Cooperation in Agriculture 



"These pioneers had little money of their own and could 

 not obtain financial assistance from people outside of 

 the state. Necessity, therefore, compelled them to join 

 hands in undertakings of this kind which were too large 

 for the individual or a partnership of individuals to con- 

 struct. It may be said that cooperation is the keystone 

 of the development of Utah. The success which attended 

 this ' form of organization in the building of irrigation 

 ditches and the utilization of water from streams spread to 

 other industries. This is shown in the cooperative cream- 

 eries, cooperative canneries, and cooperative stores that 

 abound in this state. 



"From Utah as a center this form of organization spread 

 to other states. One finds, for example, pretty much 

 the same type of irrigation enterprise in Montana, Cali- 

 fornia, Wyoming, Nevada, and other states. In Colorado 

 the capitalistic canal, or what the Census has chosen to 

 designate the commercial canal, was quite popular at 

 one time, but many of these enterprises have been re- 

 organized as cooperative companies. 



"The history of such organizations can be best under- 

 stood by reference to a particular canal, namely, the Logan, 

 Hyde Park, and Smithfield Canal Company of Logan, 

 Utah. This was begun in June, 1881. The interest in 

 the ditch is represented by stock, there being 2498 shares 

 having a face value of $5 each and a present market value 

 (June, 1909) of $70. Stock was issued in pay for work 

 mainly. This company does not figure on any definite 

 number of shares to the acre. Some land requires two 

 shares per acre for irrigation, others four or five. Each 

 share has one vote. There are five directors elected for 



