The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-05
COOPERATION VERSUS COMPETITION.

Lecture by JIr. Robert Crowc-The Past and
the Future OF the Working Glasses.
lecture was delivered yesterday afternoon at the
Farmer Institute Ludlow street. by Mr. Robert Grove.
Cooperation versus Competition" After few in.
troductory remarks be spoke as follows:-The FUN
damenal axiom Of Political Economists every age and
country with few modern sxcepous) has been that
" man can provide better for himself, and more ad.
ntageously for the public when Left to his own IN
dvidual exertions opposed and in composition with
his fellows than when aided by social arrangements
which should tend unite bis interests individually and
generally 70 society" In fact the principle OF individual
interest," though anti social impoc and irrational in
It's results, proclaimed by the most distinguished
political economists TO be the very OF our
social system without which society could not exist
This system has in the past prevailed with no apparent
opposition Empires have crept from the womb Of bar
barism to exalted condition OF civilization-but
only the half -obliterated page Of history
be traced the faintest evidence OF
their former existence other nations now noarsh-
ing the ruins OF those former ones present such an
Of national strength incline to believe that
time will be powerless affect the Prominent among
the nations Of cur time stands England, ana though
shall have occasion to advert TO other conntres yet to
her turn with greater confidence, because anordng
more ample scope for investigation In no other coup
have the consequences OF the competitive system
been fearfully developed The natural consequence
and az an illustration Of this let the condition of
canaik OF France, the great unwashed and swinsh
multitude OF England and the mudsills Of our Northern
States bear witness Nor does the evil end The
individual system Is mixture OF extremes as TO power,
wealth and poverty, and those concomanis are insepa-
raby linked TO despotism tho one hand and slavery
on the other Privilege and caste divided the world
into classes those classes are kept apart nom each
other by the individual principle and this subdivision
OF society by permeates the whole from the high
est to the lowest Thus it Is that man. the world over
regards his fellow man not as coequal, but rival,
whom it is the business Of bis life TO outstrip
supplant Excessive composition Is the leeiti-
mate iru't Of me nSiyaua system S,rh T ,Ma-
sports, in their education they must get above their
neghbor In the infancy Of society the individual sys
tenn best adapted to the capacity OF man. because
II afforded necessary stimulus to his nantne condi
ton; but knowledge formerly tho exclusive properly
of the few. by its very diusiveness demands change;
the rapid development OF machinery essening the labor
OF men, but forcing them 10 acquire additional know
| ledge imperativeiy demands it, Now, while I am
DO the mos; natural in the origin Of human society,
also see that many evils OF which we justly complain
their origin TO this source. In the first place
has established universal selRshness observable in all
the relations OF life, and from this sehshness has
sprung the legislation in all nations Of the world favor
ing production without corresponding regard 10 tho
distribution OF labor's results Thus have created
q civil warfare between individuals engaged III the
same profession or business Their interests are made to
appear antagopiscand 30 envv jealousy anger fraud
all Of which may DO summed up in the modern word
smart" generated Another evil resulting from
the present system the temptation, nay the necessity
to create artificial wants. minister 20 the inordinate
demands Of that scllshness which is the motive power
Of tho whole system. and consequence increased
the intensity OF those passions and vices which
defy the regulating power OF law. This reasoning
may appear strange, but would no stranger still
produce reason why many should DC exposed 10
poverty and want That such is the case is evident.
and for its existence may be found IN the fact
that there exists unnatural limit to the produc
ton Of wealth. Presuming that the exhaustion Of our
productive powers and tho satisfaction Of wants
the only natural limits what then is the
third Simply this-"competition," or the Icgiti-
mate product OF the individual system To Illus
tra.e this let me say that the quantity Of wealth
which working receives always tho least that
economists Of the old school, and the reason why he
does obtain twice the quantity Is because II he
individual demanded more, another individual would
the necessities Of HIS fellow workman competitor
When tnis principle is clearly understood, mon will sec
that the exhaustion OF productive powers and the
satisfaction Of wants the only natural limits
the production Of wealth that long capital shall
be employed IN competition with capital instead Of in
conjunction with il, shall satisfy our or
exhaust our productive power About the 1927 II
was estimated Great Britain alone the application
Of scientac power to production cqualIcd The added
manual labor Of four hundred million adults; that Is to
say the working population Of Grss. Britain being az
four hundred millions Of workmcn 10 produce the
amount produced BY labor saving machinery.
Observation-Disclosures OF this labor saving power
was introduced within tho last century But
while the power OF production has thus Increased,
has the given the lahorer Increased
similar proportion Let the universal poverty Great
Britain TO day answers land pronounced by competent
ton on the earth-et tho enormous rate Of taxation
upon her people boar witncss Bot this taxaion
though Is cannot BE- considered the prime cause
nasmuch as according to the English Registrar &c neral
Miles, states that IN 1928 the tax sos per bead
onc-fortieh OF Briiain's wealth. Tho true solution
must be sought for In the false system OF
exchange. IL may DO said that an unlimited inter-
change Of products cannot possibly deprive the work
man Of the produce OF his labor; bat answer that
merce unfrequenty compelled 10 sell their wealth
az under prime Of the materials forfeit
ing whole OF the profit resulting the per-
fOFm nd q
among the wealthy Than the poorer nations Now le,
ask TO what condition will this constantly ncfeas
ing application OF scientific power under the present
system lead usf | answer, to national bankruptcy
and ruin--io universal pauper'sm and starvation.
OF what interest Is II to the tong slave that these
animate competitors multiply-unconsumiog and per;
petnaly industrious working s.avess Nothing. Thor
labor brought into the marke; sell against the labor
Of man. Bringing this part OF my subject to close,
let give you ew evidences OF the result of this
system "a general sense F',s as to ihe colcen,r,,
owned by $50 000 in 1922 Tor thirty years aer
the number fell TO 10000, aud order 10 illustrate
way in which this centralzing system has been con-
Quoted take the folo.ngrhe Marquis Of Breadalbane
rides hundred miles IN straight limo his
grounds; the Duke OF Sutherland owns the country
from sea 70 sea- and the Duke Devonshire besides
other estates, owns 90 900 In Derby ON these
very estates the average wages of the iaboer nine
shings So per week. aud from acareuiy prepared
table ind that the average wages OF the agricultural
iaporers Of England and Ireland thiryseven cents
per day, mud himself and only half employment a. that
Turning the further consideration OF this system
fraughf with horror and disgust gladly turn another
tncue SuIfouuosu every uHuu WIN tue results Of
their toll the thoughtful among the children OF labor In
voluntary excam " Is there no escape is the great bulk
OF humanity doomed 70 eterna toll is there
no the dark desert Of dcsparno bright OF
hope guide tho toling millions TO coveted Ia
Yes the long looked for boon within grasp"
The lecturer then enlarged upon the history pros
poets Of cooperation. dc stated that the present
there were In England tholsand cooperative institu
ope With membership OF two hundred thousand and
representing invested capital OF eight millions This
the growth OF only twenty years In ls43 the
Rochdae Equitable Pioneers started first
association With capital OF S. In Germany coopera-
ton bad been equally successful There were less
than three hundred and hfy thousand members OF CO.
operative stores; there an annual business
transacted Of $4,000 600, and an invested capna Of
nearly 81, 100000