The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-01
THE PIONEER SOCIETY.

I a..
twenty-five years ago there were
twenty eight workingmen in Roch-
dale, the home Of John Bright, all of
whom were low down in the world,
hard-working men, who found it no
easy matterto- make e. the twosends of
the year meet. Like many thousands
Of other men, they saw their scanty
earnings go into the pockets Of class
of middle men - small shop-keepers
aud hucksters who stood between
| them and the first cost OF food All
I over the country Protective Union
/ stores had been established, and all
had failed The first idea of cooper
alton was fora combination; tDSdo
away with all retailers--to purchase
supplies, food, and clothing at first
cost, and thus save one or two profits
A certain number Of individuals put
their spare shillings into a common
stock and employed an agent to pur-
chase supplies, but it was soon found
that there were various reasons for
the failure Of the plan. Such stores
had no special attraction for the pub
lie; there was no guaranty against
false dealing, and the few who had
contributed their shillings, not hav-
ing the general public for customers,
soon found that the expense Of keep
ing up the concern made it a losing
business.
The twenty-eight men of Rochdale,
not discouraged by their first at
tempts, started in 1874 on a new PLAN
They had learned something of ext
perience. They put into the concern
So a peice, $40 in all. Not a verA
large capital for setting up a store
but they said to the public: Invesd
in this new enterprise and you shallt
have . per cent. for your money, forI
we will never engage in any specula-
ton, we will give no credit We will
buy for cash and sell for cash. We
have made a calculation, and know
that this course, if rigidly adhered to,
will enable US to supply goods cheap
er than any huckster or small trader. /
More than this, we propose, after
paying interest on the capital, to d.
vide as bonus whatever remains in |
proportion to the amount spent in the
store by each member" That was
the proposition.
TheywentF through the first year
without loss. They made also the
discovery that custom is as necessary
as capital; that the number of indi-
viduals In a family made difference !;
that man with large. family was
much more profitable as customer
than a single man; that there was no
lnducement to purchase inferior arti-
cles--n0 temptation to sell them at
high prices, inasmuch as whatever
was taken from an individual would
go back to him as bonus. Those who
had thus combined could show their
neigh bors that they had better goods
at cheaper rates than those supplied
by the small traders. The second
year they had "a members and 1905
capital, and were able to divide $40
profits. The third year they had so
members, with a capital of 81 ,26Q;
did a business of IS, 200 and divided
$400. q
In 1854, ten years from the com
mencement, they had nine hundred
members, a capital of $36. 900. and |
did business of $166, $50, at a profit |
of nearly $4,000 With such a CAPT.
tai, the proprietOrs were able to buy |
as advantageously as the largest deal |
ers. They were cash customers they |
had no debts; they had the conf |
dence of the public-of the rich
and the poor. See how rapidly |
they went onlE Another. ten years
including those of the terrible ones
Of the cotton famine-brought them /
to 1864, with four thousand seven |
hundred and forty seven, members, i
$l30, 600 capital, a business of nearly |
$500, 600 and a profit for that year Of /
Sl13, 900. The years of 1865 and 1866 l.
have seen the tide rolling on mightier
than ever. Before me is the balance H
sheet of 1866-a membership Of six |
thousand two hundred and forty SIX |!
a large ulaiorityaof the families IN the |;
city-a capital Of one half million |,
do lars-a business of 81 ,245, 000, and
a profit of 100000! l give round |!
mum bers, reckoning, to the pound.
The membership today is over seven
thousand, and the profits for the year
1867 will exceed 100000, nearly all 4
OF which viii go back to the pockets
of the members as bonus. The work
ing expenses are only two per cent. 4
on the returns.
"A VISIT TO RoCHDALE. !
Accompanied by gentlemen con-
nected with this co operative move
ment, | visited Rochdale to see the
stores of this pioneer society. 1t wasH
in the evening, and the streets wereN
with people, operatives from
the mills, who, after their days workl
tfn0ng the streets for recreationA
: This is our butchers shop" said
my conductor, showing me into II
large building where quarters of taf
beef and mutton were hung. A half
Anzen men and more than that nnn1L