VALLEY SETTLER
Published every Friday at Palmer,
Alaska. by the Mat urn ska Valley
Farmers Coo;crating Association Tor
the purpose of *i/inp new of the
Association ' ? work problems, ae
comp 1 i3bmerts r.rd news of local
And ge.eral interest.
By--C,R,Rasmussen.
Subscription rai;s. Yearly,
Local $1,00
By Kail |l,75
Single Copy 10
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
CHRISTMAS THIS AFAR, FINDS THE WOR
CD at large in turmoil., Rations
that call cnemseLves Christians arc
trying to injure each other by all
possible methods of barbarianism.
sometimes we wonder who the baroar
ians really are. Hew can anyone
truly say that civilization is ben
eficial when sucl, conditions exist:
after twenty centuries of Chri.-T
ian teaching how can anyone be
criticised for questioning the ben
efits, judging by the results.
'This is the negative side of the
question and if one were inclined
to use snap jucem^nt in forming an
opinion, the situation lacks bad..
Put there is a ori<_hter side.
Primitive man must hav teen sus
picious of his follow companions
because the ability to reason thing
out on a mutual, basis was developer,
very slcwly Each individual had
a few primary problems that took
most of his time w tb much physical
effort, that is the ,c. eciiring of
food, clothing and shelter. Some
times a group cf people, usually
a clan found that working together
as a whole more could be accompli'h
ed with less individua.l effort than
by working a.Acre, such was the be
ginning of the Cooperative idea.
This idea has been developed in
most all lands, the Chinese Tong
was a product of this idea, even
though some unscrupulous persons
used it for things that were not
corr.patable with the best interests
of tho people as a whole. People
both good and bad find Cooperation
usually assists them in their eff
orts b xth for good and evil, near
ly always more can be accomplished
than through individual action.
Selfish individuals often cooper
ate very closely with others liko
themselves, using the ordinary un
suspecting citizen as a victim,
these men use all possible means to
further their own interests by coop
eration, usint educational methods
- most
Oroup
monjcy ar.d power for themselves, by
deception and fraud,
New we, and I believe thr
of u.3 are Included in this
who arc so selfishly exploited, '
have a very effective and easily
available method to combat this
policy 0f oppression, and that is
to me Cooperative organization to
furtbur our interests.. But first
we must know and trust each other,
That can only be accomplish id by
working with each other , ny being
fair and honest in our dealings,
instead of listening to vague and
slanderous statements spread by
people who have an axe to brind,
try to find out what our problems
lore and assist in the solution by
aiding in ways that will b«- of it
each of us.
Since we are going to be neighbors
anyway it will make life a 1ot more
pleasant and comfortable tc be on
good terms with each other When
Demagogues, Politicoes and T'nreau- ■
or its seek to divide end corse hat
red. amcne om member ■, just remem
b'rj that your best interests are not
ho.ijng considered, but chat there is
something back of the mover, nt that
will hurt you when the effort is
accomplished.
ro tnose wnc would seek spiritual
confirmation of the truth <.f friend
*!' r ^operation by the Great Master
and In Whose Name we observe the
Christmas day, we might read the
Sermon on she Mounts Mathew 5th. '
Chapter, we believe; and then read
IV3 23rd. Chapter of .the same book,
and 3r e what was said about the
people cf the period when it was
written. I wonder if human nature
h s ohenged much after reading about
tre Pharisees of those days.
Let each of us resolve this Christ
mas that we will be more friendly
l'-' all, generous in our judgement of
other’s faults, and exomir the
condition cf our thoughts tnd act
ions in relation to our part in
the scheme of things. All the
beautiful and expensive presents in
ttye world are not nearly s^ import
ant as a generous and friendly feel
ing toward others. Make tils a
COOPERATIVE CHRISTMAS.
IT LOOKS QUEER TO US.
Recently several Cooperative em
ployees were fined #2,00 each in
addition to the regular Territorial
School Tax, These employees pro
tested against paying the Tax as
they were members cf the local
Volunteer f ire Department t'. ,t is
financed and operate.'1 by the Coop
erative, they have attended several
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