New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-27

have had Secondly, their wOTkmen, not ulspoSeu
to roam have become better curriers' from familiar
ity with the wants of Messrs. Websters speciai
trade and the clearer understanding between lore
men end workmen under them; beside the very
marked profit resulting from the production of more
work from the same tools and machinery. his III
deed is the chief advantage to the capitalist Of the
industrial partnership. At the end of 1865 when
Messrs. Webster announced their scheme, their
workmen responded in written document, thank
ing them for the kindness which had marked the
act and voluntarily pledgng themselves to abstain
from intoxicating drinks. This pledge. l am told.
has been well kept and the morals OF the men IN the
Maiden establishment have been greatly improved
in consequence.
THE GREAT ERROR on THESE SCHEMES.
The one great error Of the several plans, of which
these two are fair examples lies in the fact that the
sums thus paid out have been distributed instead OF
being consolidated and thus their great value has
been lost. The profits. for instance, OF no one man
amounted to more than $l00.-nOt very great sum
to the commOnest Iaborer in this country of high
wages and higher expenses; not enough to start Dsi
ness on and yet too large to waste. Half OF those
receiving this or smaller sum- too often look it
as Christmas gift, and spend 1t such it is hardly
big enough for "nest egg" in savings bank.
Yet in the aggregate these sums very large and
if consolidated could be mado available for many
good purposes In Massachusetts, there is not, COM
paratively, necessity for applying these sums 10
educational or charitable purposes; but there are
other uses for precisely such amounts, and profitable
uses too IL such accumulated profits should be APP
piled as banking capital, building or real estate
fund.- OF cooperative store capital, its productive
power would be greatly enhanced and fully
developed. In this latter way these sums
could DO made available for feeding the
families of factory hands, at rates much below
those which they pay. AS for instance the $4,000
which, at the end of this year, will have been thus
distributed by the Bay State Boot and Shoe Company
to its operatives at Worcester, would have formed,
if consolidated larger capital than those of the
Worcester Protective Union and Worcester Cooper
alive stores, which do business of more than
$250OOO year. The Maiden operatives alluded to
could by combining the profits OF their industrial
partnership for two years, secure capital as large
as that $4,000 on which the Charlestown Co0perat-
i've Store, under Mr. George Fl. Spauding's manage
ment does business Of $150000, furnishing food to
3S5 stockholders at cost and repaying to more than
900 nOn-stOckholding customers handsome percent
age of their purchases. There is practical system
for unemployment of q wOTkingman's savings which
offers such advantages the cooperative system In
manufactures and in purchasing supplies OF food
And every industrial and cooperative partnership
cessful establishment of cooperative store. The in
credulity of workngmen rs to the advantage of CO
operation cannot DO dispelled except by some such
financial miracle. To get $50 500 tho result Of
such partnership will not impress any one mechanic
as miraculous; but it will set him thinking if he
finds himself shareholder in a store OF bank, with
capital of some thousands of dollars as the result of
combined labor.
GREAT ADVANTAGE OF COOPERATION.
One indirect advantage of the of industrial
and cooperative partnerships, not generally forseen
or calculated upon, is the effect on real estate.
made notes on this point in Troy where the effect OF
the success of the co-Operatves the real estate
market was very marked; but though in my letter l
promised to fully illustrate and explain find it was
omitted. am rather glad of it now, for learn that
the same effect follows the establishment of indus
trial partnerships. The tendency well as aim and
design Of cooperation in both forms is to lead men
to settle down. naturally as the factory in which
they are interested as possible. The result is, of
course an ncessant demand either to rent houses
TO buy lots and dwellings; in either advance
in price follows. 1t has been thus at Maiden; thus
at Worcester but less marked in either instance
than at Somerset or Troy.
"What effect" asked Of the Troy manager and
afterward of his chief assistant, has the establish
mont of this foundery had real estate in its
vicinityT
1--WE have simply colonized this noghborhood,"
was the answer when we bought the lots where
the boundaries stand, they were open common
this lot where the wall house stands, stock
yard. The tavern opposite was stock-drovers'
tavern-you see that by it's NAME Bullshead." The
lots below cost US $l23 lot; they apprized
at $500. The stock-yard was offered just before we
built for 500. The year had TO buy il in
at $1,000 to prevent its going to party to whom We
didn't want it TO go. Fronting River-st lots
worth from 500 to 800 or less before we built.
Many Of our men bought their lots at those prices
shortly after VIC began here Now they worth
g. 900 One of the molders here bought two lots on
| time-bis stock was his security-for $780, He now
holds them at g. 900 each Nearly every man in this
foundery owns his homestead. They have bought
and paid for them ont of their surplus wages which
they lend to each other. Say one is building
house, he borrOws the surplus wages Of two three
Others, and thus pays as he goes After time he
viii lend his surplus wages to some other. In this
way $4,000 in cash has been employed by the work
ingmen in this foundery alone, out Of their wages in
building dwellings and buying property in this
vicinity
The establishments conducted on the industrial
partnership plan report the general result less
marked than in this instance but very observable
tendency of the operatives to settle the fac
tories in which they interested is noted by all
with whom have talked. 1t is fact which ought
to lead real estate to encourage the formation
of all such partnerships whether purely cooperative
or merely industrial.
From the above you will SEQ that Massachusetts,
has not done much in the way Of cooperation in
manufactures. But her cooperative stores are the
most numerous and successful In the country will
forward a full account of these unique and CON-
mendable institutions in my next.