Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-08-26


eupying considerable public attention. and
Whatever tends to elneidate the matter is
eagerly sought after by the community. q few
tinouInts. partly IN answer . eommnniea-
icle OF Sunday last, may not Be amss.
Thas correspondent says The true idea
OF cooperation il to economic the labor and
expense OF disbursement"
This idea, it seems to me, IS very narrow
and contracted one. Co.operation, as its name
implies, has NO such sdeflniion; nor are there
any ct its defenders VINO pretend TO claim this
idea as its chief end and aim. 1t is founded
npon much broader basis-a basis that has
for its corner.stone mutual benefit and pro-
tectlon."- It has never been claimed by any OF
the labor or expense of disbursement, if we
take this last clause in its true acceptation and
meaning.
ANY person of ordinary intelligence will At
once see that the labor and expense of dis
bursing a certain sum OF money is not In
creased by being disburaed by corporation,
unless said corporation has more saIaried men
to engage in its disbursement than private
individual has. If it requires a certain num-
Der Of men to disburse sum OF money, where
In Is the labor and expense increased when
vate enterprise The sanee number of men
are req nired in each case.
Another objection urged is, that to form an
organization, choose OH 4ias, ass, 'invoives all
pense OF an independent business" i
Let US look at this assertion, anasyze 1t, and
see what its foundation IL. Now, whR. are the
difficulties A certain number of persons
invest certain SUMS of money in the purchase
OF goods. choose an agent to ouY and sell them
at such per centage ever the FIRST cost as will
pay The legitimate expenses. Where are the
"dimculties' to be met with here Where
everything is bought and sold for cash. what
and where are the complications %
The moment such a store as the one conIem-
custom ready at it's counters In its hundreds OF
members. and 10 not like q private enterprise,
that must be built up by the individual exer-
uon 1a and energy sts proprietor.
Wnere, then, Is the risk OF an independent
business! As l have shown i'll preceding
portion of this article that the same force is
necessary to conduct q certain amount OF bus,.
ness, whether done by private or smbined
enterprise, you will at once see that the expense
can IN no wise be more in one case than In the
other Said correspondent further saws, in
speaking Of the plan OF purchasing OF the
Rrocers At a stipulated price or percent age. to
be mutually agreed npon, that .sthis last
scheme IS very much cheaper. as it avoids all
the trouble and erpensc OF q company, and the
customer or consumer does not incur any
tfpease whatever IN making the experiment"
have already shown that the expense is
the same in both cases. and that goods can be
bought and sold inst as cheaply by one as oy
the other. Now as regards the tsexpense' OF
making the experiment. this correspon dent is
very far from tks-trutn. There is no .ex-
pense" whatever attending the experiment
Each person invests bus share and NO more,
and fnls he can draw out, or sell at any time
ne chooses. II all goods are bought and sold
for cash. how can there be any expense bat
what's met and provided for by the percent.
age added to the first cost OF the goods, iseiud-
Ing the transportation, waste and all O, her con
tinRencies This correspondent is evidently
one not well posted IN regard to the practical
operation OF store like the one proposed, or
his assertions would not have been so broad
and sweeping.
Let us look for moment at the practical
operation OF q store conducted Hpon this CO.
operative pian and see whether these oblec-
tions are not met and ans wered in the unbou ound-
ed success OF tue enterprise. In 1864 the
Charleston, Mass, cooperative store was
started upon a capital OF $500, with the same
difficulties to meet, the same obstacles to over
come, that those interested in the same enter
prise IN this city find to contend with. After q
lapse OF three years the capital stock has been
increased SI2,5O0, and the shares from l6D to
? 500. From one small insignificant room,
called store, the society has gone on prosper
ing until 1t has two large well.stocked esta0-
lishmenfs. where none but the very best of
goods are kept for sale and am informed by
the President of the society that they are abont
to start q third store with a capital Of s,J,0sr
-, 600 Of which was taken in two weexs
Are there any better facilities for the success
OF such an enterprise in Charleston than can
be found here
Your correspondent believes that there is no
better material TO build such a socIe upon
in this or aby other country, than is found In
this city OF Washington, and It's success is
only question OF time. All opposition brought
against it will only operate in It's favor. The
10 founded In Justice and right. and
with euch foundation to build upon there
need be no fear Of a failure. PROGRESS.