Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-01-03
Cooperation Societies

In such weather as this our thoughts are
turned to the suffering and the needy, and to
devising means for their future and perma-
nent welfare. The Southern people are
poor. The landowners, whose broad
acres are improbable the industrious
mechanic, whose labors furnish his fami-
ly with bare support ; the freedman,
who has spu rned employment for politics,
all alike suffer from the prostration of the
country. But with these necessities also
come efforts to ameliorate our condition,
and in many communities steps are being
taken to resort to the great social princi-
pie which is now making itself felt all over
Europe, but which formerly was unknown
in the midst of our abundance.
In union there is strength, trueism not
more forcibly realize ed than in the power
of cooperative effort to accomplish ends.
Mere combinations lead to ill-feeling and
open oppos ition, too frequently resulting
in loss of t ime and money. They are in
dHstrial tyrants, reducing the quick and
intelligent m echanic to the level of his lazy
and dull companion. Cooperation, how
ever, is only an effort to give association,
and therefore power to the capital of work
ing men, and by its successful employment
! supply the wants of members of co-opera-
ton societies, and not compel these men,
bers to depend upon the expensive capital
of others.
| In order that our industrious population,
upon whom the present deplo1able condi-
ton of the country bears most heavily, and
who are not yet fully aroused to the neces-
sity, possibly to the importance, of coop
Grafton, may learn something of what COM
bined effort has done elsewhere, we COM
pile brief statement as to the workings of
such associations in Europe.
The first fruit of cooperation in Europe
was seen in associations which had for
their end the reduction of household ex-
penses and at the same time to call forth
those habits of economy, system and
foresight which contribute SO largely to
the happiness of family. They aim at
an increase of material comfort by redu.
cling the expenses Of housekeeping, but
they propose also to improve domestic
habits and through them the ll-being Of
all their members. The first society form
ed for the purpose became known as the
Equitable Pioneers of Rochdale, the oldest
and now the most prosperous of all such
| associations. Rochdale is town of some
forty thousand inhabitants near Manches
ter, in England, well-known because it gave
: birth to Bright, and is represented in Par
lament by Golden. The great socialist
l Robert Owen, began here his remarkable
7 though sterile career as social reformer
but the intelligent fannel-weavers of tha
!, town, who constitute the active part of the
? inhabitants soon saw the flaw in his plans
r and shrank from the abnegation of prop
: erty, the ideaof communism, and the deni
> al of individual responsibility on which hi
: based his schemes. They next fel
!, into no less grieyous error believ
ing themselves underpaid by thei
; employers they tried strikes. The.
l were conquered, and now they turnsI
; in the right direction, and failing to Obtain
higher wages, they asked themselves if the,
: could not better their condition by red4c