East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-05-03
The Progress Of Cooperation.
A Chapter of Contemporary Events.

From GOOD Words"
The rapid growth of Cooperation
amongst the working people in the
manufacturing districts throughout
England and Scotland, and the pecu-
mary as well Us moral gain resulting
from it, have recently been the SUBJ
jects of much comment in the leading
organs of public opinion.
To those who have not in recent
years noted the proceedings of our
working people, or to such as have
not studied the characters of those
who are most prominent amongst
them-there is much in what is COM
pretended under the general title of
cooperation to cause surprise, and it
implies a self-denial, self trust and in
telligenco, generally supposed to be-
long almost exclusively to the middle
and upper classes.
Those, however, whose duties havo
called them to deal extensively with
any largo number Of individual MEM
bers Of this class, know that amongst
the operatives in skilled trades, are to
be found men Of strong intelligence
and comparatively good education,
who, putting aside little awkward
ness of manner, are fit to take part in
any public business not requiring a
special training for its proper per-
formance. 1t is not alone in cooper
alton that the prudent economy, wise
self-control, and general good sense
Of. our artizan classes may be seen.--
These may also be observed in Prov
fully or dishonesty; Building Socie-
ties whose operations are extensive,
and in which the management and
trusts are really onorous, and in other
forms of cooperation from which
mony benefits and blessings have come
to the working people themselves, as
well as to those other classes who,
when those who labor break down in
prudence and forethought, have in
scme way to supply their wants.
Co.ope,ss ton, so-called, is but one
of many forms "a "a association to be
found amongst tho working people
1t is the highest form, because It leeds
larger capital, and demands more
robust intelligence in the working of
its various intricate plans than any
of the others; and because, 70 pro-
cure this capital, and work 1t profita-
bly,, requires more self denial and
consant sober watchfulness, than
nero building, sick and burial socie-
ties, or even trades unions call for.
It is a mistake, however, (committed
for, instance, in a late article on the
subject in the Quarterly Review,
to suppose that cooperation as it 10
now seen has been the growth of the
last ten or twenty years, as that which
is so often pointed to in Rochdale is
but one of several successful attempts
which for nearly half century have
beon made in these localities where
the most intelligent of our working
people are employed,
There is Cooperative Store in
Govan, near Glasgow, which, we be-
lieve, has now existed nearly sixty
years, although the business in that
locality cannot, we presume. be very
extensive. In Riponden, however, in
the West Riding of York, there is a
large cooperative concern which, for
about forty years, has done the chief
general business in that district, and
through which very considerable prof
its have been realized by the proprie-
tors. So FAR back as 1882 Co-opera-
tive Stores were TO lie found in nearly
all the towns and villages Of the man
ufacturing districts of the country
And the proprietors Of these, as may
be seen at their prospectuses and bal
ance sheets published at the time,
aimed at large ulterior operations te
redeem labor from the bondage in
which, as they declared, it was held
by capital.
But even though We presume that
the plans of these people were correct
and their objects desirable-which we
are not in the least disposed to do
the inadequacy Of their means, and
their want Of trust in each other woult
have broken them down. AS it was
few years saw the end Of some hun
dreds of them, and in the Metropolis
where they were most numerous an'
most pretentious, their failure wa
complete. Whilst their success wher
lit did occur in the country district
was of more interest to the share
holders than TO anybody else. Ii
other words, they had ceased to b
regarded by the working people a
useful for the nmelioration of thei
condition as class, and all who wishes
TO support them. OF TO see them pros
porous, died out of tho minds of tn
masses.
The main cause Of failure in thes
early attempts at corporation is, W
think, traceable 10 the fact that Oh
profit made on tho business was d