Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-11-27
Cooperation in the United
~ States.

The London correspondent of the
New York Tribune gives the following
interesting and encouraging facts in re-
gard TO the experiments made in 90
operative enterprises, which are at
present exciting so much interest
among workingmen In this country:
The capital Owned by the English in
dustrial class IS one of the surprising
items of the times, and 1t is surprising
that the owners thereof that have never
hitherto realized what a power they
possess, and how much, by wider ap-
plication than has hither been given to
CO operative effort, they might, almost
at one stride, change for the better
most of the material, social and
economic circumstances by which they
are now influenced. The truth is Just
beginning to dawn upon the most
sagacious of their leaders and represen-
tatives here, that there waits an i'm
mense capital owned by themselves
the toilers and pioneers IN large de-
greenwich is now made much more
beneficial to the classes hitherto an
tagonistic, than it is to the real owners
thereof. The lesson to be deduced
from the statistics which l am about to
give, ought by no means to be lost in
the United States, where association as
an instrument of self help is just be
ginning its real development. 1t need
only avoid the mistakes of its progeni-
tors and types here, in order to reap
even great results in a much shorter
period of time.
1t is of course true that cooperation
is not a new idea. But its practical
realization in the matter of supply at
least, will not in England 60 back oi
1913, while in truth its great develop
menG has taken place within the last
fifteen years. L have gathered from a
great variety of authentic sources, many
most valuable statistics, which | shall
insert here as a means of calculating
the truth-tkat the industrial class
everywhere have, by means of wise
use of their combined capital, the best
lever they could ask to lift themselves
from the slough of poverty in which a
larger portion of them are struggling.
Lying before me are the returns for
1866 of Mr.. J. Tidd Pratt, the register
of friendly, benefit, building, provident
and other forms of associative selfhelp,
which the legislation of Great Britain
recognizes as legitimate. 1t is, doubt
less, that the class rulers Of this empire
did not realize when they passed the
acts under which this great network Of
associative effort has spread itself so
widely, what q power they were Great
ing. or how expansive would be the
principles embodied in the series of
acts, of which the Industrial and
Provident Society act" of 1868, that of
Limited Liability" and a recent one
relating to industrial partnerships
are most favorable illusions.
As it Is, the result of cooperative
supply associations have attracted such
attention, and developed the means
by " 9hich the industrial class can in re-
ality become their own capitalists, it
will, perhaps, be well to show the pres
ent condition of this movement.
According to the return mentioned,
il appears that there have been regis
tered up to December 81, 1865, in
England, Wales and Scotland, 752. Re
turns have been received 436; 76 have
been dissolved, and 240 have neglected
to send the annual statement. The
law requires this, and imposes a penal
ty for non compliance, but the Reg
istrar is left without the funds and ma
ehinery to make this effective. Since
The date named 25l more societies
have been certified. This makes, in ali,
1910 cooperative societies. of which it
is evident, by the returns, 81 haYe not
been successful, or at least not so much
so to make them desirous of stating
their success. Some of these societies,
engaged in manufacturing, have pur-
posely refrained from sending in re-
turns, though they claim a moderate
degree of success. The business com
monty carried on is that of grocers and
provision dealers. One fourth, perhaps,
also sell dry goods, boots, shoes, clogs
these latter articles are chiefly sold in
Iancashire), /, and similar articles. There
are eleven flour mill associations regis
tered. They are all in the cotton
districts. Among the
trades there is one operative wire fac
tory, one shuttle making, one alkali
works. one lock maker at Wolverhamp-
ton, one cooperative cotton factory,
and hand loom weavers at Norwich,
two masons' and builders, both in
Yorkshire, one operative boot and shoe
factory, one operative farrier's shop,
l.