The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-02-15

SU-Ur khhlIvE W6WSs
Cooperative Manufacturing Asso cia-
uons.
To carry on such undertakings ,uccessful-
ly, requires not only great skill and judg-
ment on the part 6frthe managers, but great
forbearance and q strong spirit of subordi-
nation on the part Of the capitalist work
men, who have to submit themselves to the
control Of those who are their own paid SER
wants. That they have often been found
deficient In the latter qualification is unfor-
tunately but too plainly manifested BY the
lamentable shipwreck Of some Of these es-
Establishments on this rock. For instance, a
mill at Psdiam was forcibly entered by some
Of the operatives, who tore the cloth from
the looms and damaged the machinery, be
cause they could not have the overseers they
chose the concern was thriving at the time
and could have easily borne the loss, but as
some Of it's funds were borrowed, the credit
ors, fearing its safety, came down for their
claims, and made it bankrupt. However, it
is not unnatural to expect that these quail
ties Of subordination and forbesrance viii
be Gully developed in time, as appears TO
have been the case already in Roohdale.
On the question of whether the requisite
skill and judgment can be found 10 the man
ayers, who are themselves frequently men
from the ranks of the operatives, it is allow
able TO speak with more confidence. It ap-
pears that The capitalists who are owners OF
the large mills perform little or no I1rt Of
the duties of supervision or management in
person, but depute all &c their hired subor-
dinates. Mr.. Cooper, one OF the managers
of the Rochdale Pioneers Society, in let
ter to the author on this subject written
some years ago, observed "Persons &C
qusinted with the manufactures Of this dis
trict know that, as rule, the employer does
little more than give general oversight e.
his business the rect is done by the ,rk.
ers, including those who buy the raw nate
rial and sell the manufactured article, the
managers, overlookers, &C., and If these can
m anage a concern for a capitalist, can thew
not DO il for the workers, who, BY their
united subf riptions, become the capitalists
also 70
Surprising this condition 10 be talftnsaa.
and that cooperative mandatory is fair
- started, 1t possesses one great advantage
over similar industrial undertakings con
Quoted by private capitalists, namely, the
greater energy which, owing to the interest
which each cooperative takes in the smouRt
and excellence both Of his own and his
neighbours work, will necessarily accompany
the exertions OF all engaged in Il. Those
who are accustomed to an agreeable variety
in their occupations cannot perhaps realise
the ex5eusting monotony Of the lreat major
~ of mechanical employments the inter
minable rows of bricks, the everlasting piles
OF mortar the endless length Of twist, and
the boundless expanse Of cloth spun aud
woven to the ineessant din Of clanking and
crashing machinery, are scarce less disheart.
ening than the eternal "seam and gusset and
band, band and gusset and seam" which
forms the "be-all and the end all" of the
poor seamstress's dreary existence. Is il,
then strange that the workman should at
times become gloomy and discontented
that be should seek to dissipate the shadow
which darkens ais life by artificial stirnu-
lants, and vent his dissatisfaction in COM
plaints against society and against his en-
ployer? But when you reflect that in sddi-
ton to this he is remunerated not in proper
ton to bis diligence, but according to fixed
standard, can YOU conceive anything want
ing to deprive him of all interest in bis oo-
copation, and render the primevaI curse of
labor curse indeed Even his very strength
but aggravates bis discomfort, doomed, as he
IS himself to be, TO grind in the prib on
the The BENEFIT q. t la5ss be sJ hi
SOW, acre the principle of cooperation steps
in, and sheds CLEAN Of light over the dark
pathway or his life i; establishing close con-
nection between the remuneration and the
toll, it robs the latter Of half, nay, all it's
bitterness for profit sweetens labor. Hence
forth the trowel and the saw, the loom and
the crank make merry music they tell of
comforts augmented, OF competence realised
Of Independence gained. The mechanic
goes to his work cheerfully, labors at il With
zest, and leaves it with regret. Mere exis-
tence, which to every man in full health
ought to be joy, becomes so to him once
more; be begins to feel some pleasureln the
present, because be has some home hope in
the future. This, however, il to anticipate
slightly another branch Of my subject, name
ly, the benefit which these societies confer on
the working classes.
There is one great difficulty with which
cooperative manufactures have to contend
in common with all other mercantile UNDER
takipgs, and which twas at one time thors;hti
would prove an ins1perable obstacle to tbs,r
saae9t success, namely, that Of CONNER
cial reVuislons and the other accidental dis |
turbances to which trede Is liable. The az.
tent OF this difficulty "a very clearly explain
ID by Mr. Edmund Potter, President Of the |
Manchester Gambler of Commerce, in a pa /
per 0n cooperation and its Tendencies. Rad |
before the British Association some wears
'inee. "Co-operation," he says, "would !
'rove weakest during periods Of depression,
md could not find power Of sustenation from
! multitude OF shareholders Of the weaker
capitalist class; whilst il would not supply
be power Of purchase and expansion Turing
hesa periods when the private capitalist in
es's and expands most probably
These views ere pretty generally enter
AIMED among theoretioal men, as well as
bose who, like Mr.. Ednnnd Potter, are In
imateiy acquainted with the phenozasna Of
rade, and the conditions c-ss1ffal to success
. commercial undertakings But Let M see
'hat has actually happened during the .reat
commercial revulsions whias have occurred
ince 90. operation societies beesa 70 be e.
abSshsd. Has any large number Of them
allied or rather has any larger number oil
hem failed than has occurred in the case oil
Establishments in thssamr branches of bust !
tss conducted BY priva's capitalists? III
ny crisis was likely 10 try the strength ofl |
o operative societies, the cotton famine was I
hat crisis. Yet what IL the fact ? oo-c-.-a- |
We societies have come out Of that terrible (
rdeni almost unscafhed. Like other astab- | 4
shmsn.S they have felt the pressure KEN
/; but from inquiries that i hare mazda A 1
'ouid appear that sneh failures q have "a
zrred, though doubtless hrstened ana ar- I
lHVmfed bV 10 fefFfhIn n xgrersyspa axa An A. a