CHAPTER XXVIII 



COOPERATION 



During the last few years much consideration has been given 

 to the subject of cooperation. Producers are urged to cooperate, 

 middlemen are forming organizations, and consumers have the 

 " get together " spirit. There are many reasons for this tendency. 



The producer receives only about a third of every dollar the 

 consumer spends for food materials. 



The consumer is constantly paying more for foodstuffs, but the 

 farmer does not receive correspondingly higher prices. 



The farmer pays from 8 to 12 per cent on borrowed money, 

 while organized industries pay only from 4 to 6 per cent. Organ- 

 ization will materially increase the purchasing power of each dollar. 



Apples are grown by the orchardist, but it is the middleman, 

 not the grower, who sets the price on the apples. This is as absurd 

 as it would be for a middleman to set the price on the product 

 of an organized industry like the Standard Oil Company or the 

 United States Steel Company. 



The unorganized consumer is generally the one who pays the 

 bills for the high cost of living. 



There are many other reasons being brought forward in the 

 attempt to make producers, consumers, and others cooperate. 

 The old saying " In union there is strength " is still true. 



How to cooperate. All apple-growers in a certain section should 

 come together at a definite time and place and proceed to form 

 a local organization. It is necessary to have some form of consti- 

 tution and by-laws, and to elect officers, such as president, secre- 

 tary, treasurer, and if a buying or selling organization, an agent 

 or manager and a board of directors. An organization should be 

 incorporated as soon as practicable after its formation. 



The wording of the constitution and by-laws should be short, 

 concise, and clear. The officers should be the broadest-minded, 



