The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-07-14
THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT.

"Cc-operativs stores s the title Of work just pub
hshed in this city BY Leopold Holt II Is based on
the recent German work Of Eugene Richter Az the SUBJ
Jet attracting general attention among The work.
isg classes Of the metropolis and elsewhere in this coun
try, pretty full reference the matter viii no doubt
be Of interest to those concerned.
sslf-rsiancs 10 . princips held sacred By political
sconomiss and acknowledged BY many Who are TOO
weak In character prof. By It's many brilliant sxam-
pies, and "mnd ng ones business 10 considered
the acme Of worldly knowledge. Il does not appear.
howevsr-smilss "sslf.help" Observation-Disclosures
many men have risen from wrschcdnsss To- prosperity
without the encouragement and aid Of their more
wealthy and influential associates Man 10 social AMI
NAL and matter how he may desire 70 wrap himself
up In his own dignity and 70 rely exclusively ON his
powers OF mind and muscle, no cannot altogether do
without the cooperation and assistance Of his
fellows The volume before NJ fully Illus
trates this fact, and contains statements Of
social truths bearing on the important question
Of the relations between capital and labor - useful to
the political economist and the social reformer as TO the
classes whom IL ID particularly addressed 1t 10
welcome at this time when unfortunately the relations
between the employer and the employed rest on very
unsatisfactory basis Eugene Richter German student
and careful observer OF social questions lately gave TO
the world valuable work cooperative societes. show
ing the progress Of the combination system among work.
men in those countries where has been brought into
active operation Taking the work OF Richter basis
the compers OF this book have undertaken 70 snow now
the social condition OF the working classes Of this eoun
try DO improved without rash legislation or political
II has always been problem dificus Of solution and
yet unsoved In OF tho European countries
and in the United States 70 80 az the relations between
those labor and those who receive the price
Of their work that the capitalist may have fair In
teress the money he invests without op,
value Of his services without. infringing ON the
rights of the employer In the discussion OF this i'm
BEEN given TO matter very closely connected with il
and Of grave interest 70 the workmen. To man OF
limited means. the receipt Of Eve dollars day instead
of TOUR dellars Is welcome change, even though IL
fuI agitation But the obtsinment Of nour At
mutton aud other Articles OF home consumption at
proportonaly reduced price, together with reduction
desire on the part Of every who lives by his Tally
labor The object Of this book 10 70 demonstrate oy
art" sca co onsr.en n. American wokmn can
obtain the Of lie cheaper and better than be
docs now, and at the same time receive handsome
dividend on the money he invests in the experiment
After careful perusa Of Richters statistics It is i'm
possible 70 doubt that the scheme Of cooperative
stores 10 well worthy Of the consideration OF oil who
are either directly Indirectly interested in
the prosperity OF the working classes Of this country
Although Richter has systemaized and put shape the
idea Of cooperation among for the supply OF cheap
food, the English entitled to the credit Of first
putting TO the test Of actual experiment AZ far back
a. 1843 dozen poor weavers assembled In Rochdale
England for the purpose OF devsng means OF obtaining
the necsssaries Of life without having 70 pay the
erbtant charges imposed by established deaers With
out much discussion twelve put their nanes TO an
agreement to pay twenty cents week into common
Of Equitable noneer." They q once issued
. programme. which read substantially thus
.uen .x UeScs shan SrDS p.cunsry 1 profit
10 msmbsrs and Ut the time result 70 their ad
vantage individuals and IS members Of the society
In pursuance Of this object the society levies contbu
from IL members with which TO carry out the fol-
lowing designs--l The erection Of store for pro-
Ing, OF oshsrwss obtaining. Of number Of houses, in
which such members dwell - shall nd Il easier or
Exactly one year Afterwards the society met and
found that they had f28 (about $685. accummulated
capital They opened store 70. trade and laid in
hight spirit they went quietly 70 work and
succeeded tar beyond thei, expectations The 70.
1885 the miserable twelve apostles OF coopsrason-ths
'Rochdas Society Of Equitable Po.sers had increased
is sales amounted 70 ss2sio $3.50 aao currency the
profit on which amounted TO 16 $45 sos CURRENCY
society footed up the respectable sum OF f1S,elo,
($471 660 or about Elb 1885, each The society. has
ten stores IN actual % ~ 10 sos ~nSs
articles kept 10 tho stores such are most in de-
mand, bue'any article for use o. consumption can DO
rative establishments. The society has I'VE butcher
shops end in them bought and disposed Of during
am6s, S5 calves 10 ALL 1858 head Of cattle or $50 sol
pounds Of meat Tho society found by dealing
and attention business they could outrp the trades
men Of Rochdale and compel them sell better articles
Of food and nj . cheaper rate The members
PEELED BY necessity y not urged BY principle to deal
Immediately interested In the just administration Of the
business and the system Of prompt cash payment for all
rendered the keeping OF accounts very easy to the
manager There was no need q adornng or adultera-
which 70 display them and as the Savings Injured to the
buyers ,members, In the end the society itself in
the possession Of patronage, and able to dis
Stimulated by the success Of the pioneers" other
towns England formed cooperative societies for the
same object, and with very satisfactory results The
number OF members Of cooperative stores In Great
Britain Is estimated TO be three hundred thousand
with working capital OF cl $780, 900 and annual bust
OF nearly ave millions An official report presented
the Englsh Parliament during the last estimates
that in 1883 the business and Of the societies was
much larger In that document II stated that there
In England go such associations with 100 900
bsr the sales exceeded 60 600 the private property
Of the societies amounted 70 f600 000 while profits
shared among the members for the year 1898 was
Oldham s bury and HsncSssser numbered Ss %1Is
members, with a properly Of 100000 and
success the members Of the Pioneer society established
In 1851, under different name, Corn Mil Society
which in lseA was running afeen stones with capital
operative steam Saw Mill, with capital OF E5s 900, had
abasinsss Of fils,53a with profit OF El2,sll The
accumulation Of wealth. Each society formed for itself
library, and maintained reading room for the Of
its memberS In many life Insurance and burial
associations founded with The surplus funds OF the
organizations
Attempts were made by the workiugmsn Of Paris to
introduce the cooperate system France but OBJ
staces were put in their way by agents OF the govern
mont, who dreaded combination Of any kind among the
industrial ciasses In Germany. however, the idea was
taken up with enthusiasm. Herman schultze, Of De-
tzsch, aPrussau deputy warmly advocated the system,
and under his able direction associations formed
ell over the confederation In 1850 not more than
twenty societies existed but now there are more than
thousand Members annual business Of 1t least
$1,000 900 ihaers (e5a ,000 and neatly $500 600
thalers tt3s50 600 private property The largest
society that OF Zurich which has eighteen stores aud
. bakery OF hs own. with annual sale Of bread to
| the amount OF 10000 thacn 1929 000L The only
place IN Germany where the system appears 70 have
failed " Dezsch. small Agricultural village There
In Berlin twenty cooperative store societies which,
together have monthly sale Of IL 900 10 1900 thaer
These societies closely united, and sort OF sub