MEMBERSHIP RELATIONS OF COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATIONS 23 
The next question approached the matter of benefits from another 
angle by asking, “ What advantages have you as a member which 
nonmembers do not have?” The answers given to this question 
are in Table 20. A larger number answered “ None ” than in the case 
of the previous question. This is natural in view of the fact that 
nonmembers often share in the benefits of cooperative marketing. 
A larger number appeared to appreciate the value of the grading 
service, when they compared their position with that of the non- 
member. 
The next question reversed the proposition by asking, “* What 
advantages, if any, have nonmembers that you do not have?” The 
answers to this question are shown in Table 20, and throw further 
light on the importance attached to the matter of getting paid 
promptly. More than one-half of the replies mentioned this as an 
advantage. Only in association 4 did any considerable number indi- 
cate a belief that nonmembers have no advantage. 
LACK OF APPRECIATION OF GRADING SERVICES 
The question, “ Do you think your association pays more nearly 
according to grade than private buyers pay individual farmers?” 
was asked to determine what recognition would be given to the 
service of grading when it was specificially brought to the attention 
of members. Table 21 shows the results. 
TABLE 21.—Feplies to question, “Do you think your association pays more nearly 
to grade than private buyers pay individual farmers?” 
Members reporting 
Reply Association 
Total 
1 2 3 | 4 
| 
Number| Number; Number| Number| Number 
58 69 3 
“OS gi sy i a) Ee a So Ola a ee 90 93 10 
“OL oe SA ee 8 Bey Se. | eS eee 15 24 11 21 71 
LDPE SEVET EVE ee RIES | Ty RL WE Letom! try 8 9 RR 114 9 16 14 53 
‘Tidy (oir ey Se Pe RL ee ee SS . oe eee eee 12 6 5 5 28 
Shope be eo Se ORG ESS AD See ae oe a 99 108 122 133 462 
1 Can not tell yet until association makes final payment. 
Two-thirds of the members interviewed evidently felt that their 
association rendered a service in grading when the matter was 
brought to their attention in this way. Some of those who an- 
swered “ No,” or “I don’t know,” may have been comparing associa- 
tion average prices with prices quoted by outside buyers rather than 
actual prices for specific grades. The practice which is often fol- 
lowed of buying cotton at a flat price tends to benefit the producers 
of lower grades at the expense of growers of cotton of higher 
quality. Some members may have had in mind a possible advantage 
in selling low-grade cotton to local buyers. 
