PALMER, ili.sk:.
Dorothy M. Bell
•Editor
Published every week at Palmer, Alaska for the Ifatanuska Valley Farmers’ Cooperating
Association for the purpose of giving news of the Associations TIork, Problems and
Accomplishments as well as news of general interest to the Valloy.
SUBSCRIPTION RATE 'l,75 per year_ Single copy lOgf
LET’S MAKE THE VALLEY
" T HE GARDEN SPOT OF ALASKA
ft
Last weak we emphasized the fact that Palmer is badly in need of a '’Clean-Up". Vie
suggested that we have a clean-up week and by that we mean a definite time sot aside
for that purpose with definite aims in view.
XIo don’t believo that we are bragging —too much— if we say that the Matanuska
Valley has the setting for one of the most beautiful spots in Alaska. Xle have sur
rounding mountains—as beautiful as can be found anywhere. VIc have forests—and a
very productive soil which can be tilled to good advantage. Uith a little planning
and careful planting our surroundings con bo mado very artistic. A littlo raking,
collecting and burning of rubbish or other moans of disposal goes a long way toward
improvement. If possible—the application of a few ccats of paint whore ncoded can
turn an ugly eyesore into on attractive if not beautiful spot.
7?c shall have visitors this summer, and we might have distinquished visitors, Uho
knows? There nro reports that the President of tho United States is contemplating a
trip to Alaska—and why shouldn't ho stop in the Matanuska Valloy—one of tho most
talked about valleys in the Uestorn Hemisphoro.
Plans are now under way for a definite "Cloan-Up" week—so let's all Co-oporato, and
make the Valloy "The Garden Spot of Alaska."
THE :.!T:BZ3*7; POSITION IN HIS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION
The IDEAL objcctivo commonly expressed for cooperative Associations is that they
should be "farmer-owned”'and "farmer-controlled." Many associations have aeh loved
the famer-ownod feature,'and there seems to bo no question as to theit being con
sciously farmer-controlled. In other cooperative associations, however, the fact
of ownership is not so clear to tho members,
THE BASES OF A TAUBER* S INTEREST
Some authorities have maintained that tho stock form of organization for cooperatives
encourages a more active interest on tho part of members than tho nonstock form, Tho
members’ financial interest in stock cooperatives, howovor, may be less
than the interest of members in a similar cooperative of the nonstock typo, because
the amount of the individual mombei\*.s stock is relatively insignificant. For example,
some cooperatives defined as the stock typo have one share of stock, par value $1.00
as a requisite for member di ip.
After ell, the member’s reel interest in his cooperative assocletion is proportioneto
to his patronage. Ownership should, therefore, bo in eftcord with patronage, and per#*,
heps control should bo exorcised in the samo proportion. Because it has'boon recogr
nized that investment frequently does not boar any relation to patronageJ many stock
cooperatives have provided that, regardless of the amount of stock owned, every mcm
bor should have only one voto,
Some cooperative associations require comparatively little capital'Ibr operating pur
poses. Coopor"tivc servico and collective bargaining associations, for'extmple, often
need little capital to perform the functions for tfiieh they wore sot up. In some
cases stock cooperatives have issued little capital stock and depend'on borrowing ffom
different sources the capital that is required for operation. A few, unfortunately,
are making provision for the members to contribute any cohsidorablo amount to the
capital structure of the organization. On the other hand, some nonstock cooperatives
issue certificates of indebtedness or certificates of equity in a revolving fund
which gives the individual member a much larger oquity in tho capital strfleturo of t-ho
corporation than ho would havo as tho holdor of a nominal amount of stock, as in many
stock-type cooperatives. In other eooporr.t ives the members contribute capital
indirectly by waiting a definite period for returns on tho commodity marketed through
tho Association.
Cant, on pago 3