The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1865-09-07
The Labor Movement.

ne co operation ~ ssleLL va iaoOAeiS,
which is now attracting SO much atten-
ton in the United States. originated at
Rochdale, England. The history of it
is briefly as follows
October, 1914, the Rochdalc Equita-
bic Pioneers Cooperative Society form
ally began its operations. This society
originally consisted of twenty eight
weavers, who. by weekly contributions
of two pence for cents each raised t2S
a the capital for their trading operations.
Including Scotland, the present number
of these associations is believed TO be
about eight hundred, the members two
hundred thousand, and their capital more
than 4 million sterling, or more than 81,
600 coo in the currency of this country.
The orr riginators Of the society took a
shop in a back street called TODD Lane,
at a rent of $50. Their first cashier,
William Cooper, is yet the chief superin
tendent Of their concerns. After get
ting up the shop only about SO remained
with which to buy goods. In fact. it is
said wheel barrow would have held the
entire stock They did not understand
the trade, and the result was considera-
BILE loss from bad management. Pcrse
however. and after restricting all sales
to cash principles, ana getting rid of dis
honest managers, the society finally per
mauently established itself. The pio
neers-whose number was now increased
to fortv-resolved to put together their
f2S, or Sl40 in the year 1914, in order
to establish 4 shop where they might
buy genuine groceries and other necessa-
rv articles at 4 moderate rate. They
were determined to buy and sell for
cash only. to be careful as TO the integrity
of those whom they employed knowing,
that if these conditions were fulfilled,
they would always have either their
money or their stock Of goods The
number of their mem bcrs increased every
year until 1862. when. through the press
urc of our rebellion and the cotton fam
inc. it decreased from 3, 900 to 3,50l In
1915. it had II members in lS46. it had
so in lS41, 1l0, and finally until, in
1868, this association alone had 4,ol3
members. The funds. which were only
f2S, or $40, in lS4i. were ElSl in
1S45; f252 in 1876; and f49 36l, or
about S246.00 in 1868. The business
increased from f110 50 800 in 1915 to
fl5s, ,032 (S193 ,O00) in 1868, and in the
same time the profits increased from
f22 (Sl60) to fl9,6TI (S9S, ,0OO). Be
sides shops like these described above,
there are in Great Britain grist mills,
manufactures of boots and shoes, cot
ton and woollen goods, locks and hard
ware, conducted more or less on the co
operative principle.
In the United States there Is no gen
eral system of this character. bnt the
present agitation among the industrial
classes is designed TO inaugurate this CO
operative system. Various attempts
have been made in New York and Gin
cinnati, to carry out this principle, but
they have failed, in consequence of bad
management. The main object of the
present agitation IS to secure proper
compens alton to labor, 10y reducing the
hours of labor to eight, and the problem
with whicl. " orlIing Men have to deal is,
whether the reduction of hours can be
accomplished without corresponding re
daction Of wages. The Working Men OF
Massachusetts are now graphing with
that subject If they succeed. the ques-
ton will be solved If they Iail the West
! can do nothing. because it is plain to all
/ men that manufactures cannot be sus-
tanned at high rates of labor in the West,
while low rates obtain in the East
/ What Working Men Of the West have
! to do to accomplish their object, is to wait
patiently for the East to solve the prob
! lem before them, and to be ready to
/ second the operations of their co lahorers
/ at the seat Of competition. The Work
j ing NJ Ell of Massachusctt have organized
I a League for the purpose of reducing
the legal days labor to eight hours, and
they have presented the subject to theii
] Legislature but the question cannot bt
1 q iisposed of until next winter IL q bill
should pass in accordance with THEN
wishes, there will be no difficulty in Other
/ States East-excepting perhaps, New
Jersey and Delaware-and consequently
none in securing the adoption OF the
same principle " est Supposing that tC
be done. the next thing necessary vii
be to effect an agreement between the
employers and employed upon the rat
of wages according to basis of labor
Dayton Journal.