PALMER, ALASKA Dorothy Boll Editor St Publisher
Published weekly Cot the Matanuska Valley Farmers’ Cooperating Association for the
purpose of disseminating’Valley News throughout the Valley and to other points
interested in the Valley,
Subscription rates $1,75 per year by Mail Box $1*00 Single Copy 10gf
Distributed through Settler Boxes—Free to Co-op Members,
A BEAM OF HOES FOR ALASKANS.
I
According to press reports from Seattle it scorns that there is hope for a long needed
freight adjustment on the Alaska railroad. Coli J.P.Johnson has been in Soattlo
conferring with the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Alaska Committee and has gathered
information concerning the high freight rates now incurred by the railroad and also
the importance to the development of Alaska of lowered freight rates.
The rates on the Alaska railroad have been almost prohibitively high and when merchan
dise is hauled from Seward to Fairbanks it really is high. Recently lessen’s Weekly
Publishing Co. received a throe months' supply of Newsprint for their.paper costing
§441.45 for five tons and the froight bill come to §415.01.
n adjustment downward'of those rates will really be a boon to the Territory if this
can bo done. Col. J.P.Johnson has bid a great deal of experience in the operation
of railways since 1917 and it is hoped that he can do something with a situation
that has been considered almost'impossible. Du,ring this last-war"Johnson had charge
of all Allied transportation in Iran and later of all rail transportation for the
United States Army in the Philippines.
IS A CO-OPERATIVE SOCIALISTIC?-.
What is a Co-Operative?
A simple definition of Webster-’s-Dictionary is—"An organization of producers and
sellers for mutual benefit in marketing." Writers on Co-operative principles say—
A cooperative sales.association is a voluntary business organization established by
member patrons to market farm products collectively for their direct benefit.
Socialism is a theory that land, industries, and goods produced should be owned,
managed, and distributed by a government representing the-people; any system aimed
to put these ideas into practical application; Webster's definition. In other words
socialism has to do with government ownership. Perhaps because the government
financed the beginning of the Matanuska Valley project—the idea that the government
still'owns it is prevalent. In that case it'would be socialistic—but it is not
owned,operated or governed by the government. The Matanuska Valley Co-operating
Association is owned and operated by the people who arc members of the same. The fact
that they are using funds borrowod from the Farm Security does not make them a
government asset any more thaA it makes-a government farm out of your property if you
should borrow from the Farm Security Loan Association.
The ideals of Co-oporntives are unlike those of any political forms as socialism,
communism or fascism. Coportivism - has the elements of several economic systems.
It eliminates many meeknesses of other' systems and prevents the extremes to which
hoy go. It is not socialistic because it is not..government ownod or controlled other
lan'tho laws of incorporation allow for. the state or territory in which it,is or&un
zod. It is not communistic in that production is on an individualistic basis. Each
individual produces independently and sells co-operatively or buys co-opcrativcly.
Only marketing and « agencies aro owned co-operatively, Tho productive
machinery (in this case the farm) is owned by-the individual. The individual receives
what he earns according to his participation in the. co-opertive marketing or purchas
ing agencies. ' ' ■
A Co-opcrativo is a Co-operative'and the individual advances according to his
abilities and his individual efforts.