VALLEY SETTLER
Published every Friday at Palmer,
Alaska, by the Matanuska Valley
Carrier's Cooperating Association
‘or the purpose of giving news of
the Association’s work, problems,
accomplishments-, and news of local
and general Interest.
Ry-C.R. Rasmussen.
Subscription rates: Yearly.
Local $1.00
By Mail 1.75
Single copy .10
MATANUSKA VALLEY FARMERS SHOW CON
FIDENCE AND COMMON SENSE.
■Si
lt seems peculiar that correspon
dents for Outside papers seldom
get any news about tbe Matanuska
Colony that is favorable to the
people of the Project. When some
story of a purely prefabricated
nature is told about our section it
is eagerly seized and shot out
over the wires without any effort
on the part of the correspondent,
appearantlv, to determine the trutt
or falsity of the statement.
Maybe this is in accordance with
he best newspaper tradition, that
news must consist of a MMan bites
dog” nature, and possibly it is on
account of the fact that the Mnt
anuska Project has had so much
political serium injected into its
blood stream that nothing but the
unusual is expected of it. If we
were conducting a two ring circus
up here wc could use the advertis
ing v/e get very successfully.
But, when the majority of the
peaceful citizens of the Valley
assemble and listen with interest
and respect to the accomplishments
of the Board of Directors and the
Manager of the Farmer's Coopera* '<
tive Associate on for the past year
then, though the report shows very
successful performances in spite
of many difficulties, it seems
that this isn't what people want
to know from their newspapers.
To those who are fortunate •
enough to belong to an organ!za*
tion that has made the progress
that ours has in the last three
'fears, it isn't news either be
cause they have been contributing
;o the success themselves and
while they may not always under
stand just what every little de
tail means, they do in the final
analysis understand just what has
been accomplished. No one that is
not connected with an organization
can really understand it either,
for they are not a part of it, and
their advice should not be taken
too seriously. In the long run,
the people who make up the member
ship of any organization, must be
responsible for it's success or
failure. If we are incapable of
determining what policies are most
favorable, or how to hold on to
the wealth v/e have acquired or ac
cumulated, then we are not on toery
safe ground.
V/hat we are trying to do is to
congratulate the Board of Tirectors
and the Manager, the employees and
the members of the Association, for
the splendid showing that has been
made in the past year. If any per
son is interested, but skeptical a
bout the value of cooperative or
ganizations, then we would advise
them to get figures and facts re
garding the benefits to any coop
erative group who have worked to
gether for a common purpose over
any reasonable period of time under
reasonable conditions. Many of our
own members would be surprised, if
they would take the time to in
vestigate the benefits that have
accrued to them, and the share they
have earned in a successful coop
erative.
This year has been a trying ti/ne,
caused by internal and external
conditions imposed upon the Board,
the Manager and the employees by
various persons and causes, but in
spite of the difficulties, the
whole organization carried on in a
manner that is a credit to them and
for which we owe them a vote of
thanks. When the most trying time
came and the Board and the Manager
had the opportunity to explain
their side of the controversy, the
members evidently felt that Board
and Manager were right, and stood
by them. The people as a whole,
have stood by the Board loyally,
and again last ’Wednesday evening
the Board must have been gratified
by the support shown them.
The men elected to serve at this
meeting, are all farmers, and will
be able to handle the business that
they understand, better than anyone
else. We doubt if this Cooperative
will experience any great difficul
ty in operating successfully, as
long as the members show as much
common sense in their selection of
Directors, and giving them their
confidence, which is so important
in the management of a Democratic
ally controlled organization like
ours. The Editor feels that it is
up to the farmers to produce, and
the Cooperative will do it's part.