The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-12-12
:mhe Getil Mhi9
: COOPERATIVE LABOR.


The most practical minds of the
world, at the present time, are seriously
considering the problem of cooperative
labor, as the true solution to that appa-
rent antagonism between capital and
labor That millions should delve and
spend all of precious life in the battle
with poverty, and be barely able to
snatch from the clutches of the grim
giant of famine, a very plain subsist-
ence, varying at most but few degrees
in the measure of comfort obtained !;
and on the other hand, few thousand
of the human race should roll in the
wealth of this worlds goods, till their
unequal stores amounted to clOying
luxurics, is sorrowful comment on the
social economy of the human race
Nature makes no such unequal DISPOSE
ton among the creatures which alone
draw their daily bread from her mater
nal hand.
Nor could this great disparity long
continue, if intelligent men and women
would address themselves earnestly to
the correction of this, the greatest of
all social evils, the extremes of wealth
and property. 1t is happy omen of
our day to see that those who repre-
sent the solid and substantial of the
population, those who harness together
the labor of the hands and the brain,
are moving, though slowly, yet steadily,
advancing in the work of cooperative
labor. Cooperative stores were started
in England twenty-four years ago
Twelve poor weavers, in Rochdale, met
together to consult and devise some
means, if possible, to better their con-
dition, and after discussing all the known
and exploded plans, the cooperative
was determined upon. They decided
to pay each twenty pence week into
common stock, till they got enough to
purchase a few necessary groceries at
wholesale This was the first small be-
ginning of cooperative store. That
humble beginning now represents So
ciety of six or seven thousand stock
holders, owning capital of over
million of dollars, and the yearly profits
of its business amounting to between
three and four hundred thousand.
Cooperative stores are springing up
in various places, and building societies,
which have the same grand and bcncfi-
cent object in view, are becoming more
popular. Almost every town number
ing two thousand inhabitants can boast
of its Building Societies, and to the
existence of these associations the rapid
growth of our cities is largely indebted.
The Board of Trade of the city of Will
mingtOn attribute the increase of its
population, and the erection of the large
number of houses within the past year,
in no small degree, to the cooperative
building societies which arc in existence
in the city.
Another branch of cooperative labor,
which bears within it still larger ele-
ments of usefulness, if taken hold of
and properly organized, is "Co-Opera-
tive House Keeping. A lady is furnish
ing series of able articles on this sub
ject to the Atlantic Monthly, which
commend themselves to the thoughtful
pcrusal of every house keeper, as well
as to every head of family.
The primary branches of house keeping
designated in this lady's plan for coop
Grafton, are the Laundry, the Sewing
Room and the Kitchen. In these three
are comprised nearly the whole retail
trade of the country, which by the plan
of cooperative house keeping sketched
out, would be placed almost entirely in
the hands of the women. In the CO.
operative plan, nearly every article that
goes into the daily consumption of the
family would be purchased from first
hands, and the profits which go to form
lucrative business for a large class
of middle men, would be saved by the
wives and daughters of the working
classes, and those of moderate means,
of the community. By a judicious and
properly arranged system of co-opera-
tive house keeping, better table and
better wardrobe would be enjoyed by
every family connected with the society,
and that crying evil of faithless and in
efficient servants, would he corrected,
and in great measure got rid Of