Evening star., 1867-01-04
COOPERATION

Although many of the chief necessaries Of
lie nave been somewhat reduced in price re-
Gently, yet the opinion still prevails that ow-
ns to the extortion Of monopolists many ar
ticies are still much higher than they ought to
be. great many remedies have been pro.
posed, and cooperative companies formed in
New York, Baltimore, Troy, and other cities
We have not heard anything as to the success
OF the New York and Baltimore Associations
but cannot see what benefit the cooperative
grocery IN Troy is to stockholders as we learn
that II does not sell less rate than mer.
chants who deal for cash. Notwithstanding
this, the sales for the last six months were
&27,0CO, and for the six months precedinp
S33-0cO; but very little less than that of the
largest and best established retail groceries
Tns cooperation foundry in the same citv
seems to be a great success, as the capital in
vested in the buildings, ground and tools, is
about $3.50 o, all paid up, and they now in
ventory property between S}O,OoO and S3i,OOO
Thrty-two moulders are employed and from
i,I7O to l,9OO stoves cast per month. All the
MT N in this foundry, who can, work by the
piece. and we told that the average wages
OF their workmen are about $50 per week ay
eraging about SX hours per day in the sum.
mer. In the winter their wages become Iess
per day.
ThIs sort OF CO operation will probably be
found IN practice more ADVANTAGEOUS than
cOmbiEstlo TO cheaper meat coal, groceries.
dc, which, although they seem to succeed in
Esgiand, do not for some reason thrive so we'll
here. In England there are six hundred and
nifty -one I" Proyident Soc cieties," established
on the cooperative plan, and possessing an
aggregate capital OF nearly four millions of
dollars in American money-f76l,3l3. Gro.
ceries, meat, shoes, clothing, coal, flour and
even farr iery, are included in the plan upon
which these societies operate. The mode of
dividing profits varies in the different socie-
ties, but the general rule is TO set aside certain
proportions for interest on paid up shares,
dividends TO members, depreciation fund, re-
serve fund. &c They all appear to be verv
economically conducted. The accounts are
in the great majority of cases audited by mem.
bers, sometimes assisted by a professional ac-
countant Nearly every society throughout
the list exhibits a balance in hand, and the
assets are in almost every instance largely in
excess of the liabilities.
1t strikes us that the surer plan for house.
Keepers here would be TO practice rigid econo
my, and endeavor, which almost the poorest
can do, to lay aside 8 small reserve fund,
which will enable them to buy at those seasons
when the necessaries Of life are cheapest and
In such quantities as TO make a saving The
vast difference between buying in large and tn
small quantities il evident on the least refiec.
tion 1t is curious fact that for q given auan
tity OF coal, -four or other staple In daily use,
the poor man paws higher price than the rich.
The smaller the quantities purchased at time,
the higher is the price paid. When it is not
practicable for one housekeeper to buy in largo
quantities number of families can club to-
sether and purchase At the cheapest stores,
wholesale, thus saving themselves the profits
"a huN