The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-06-19
CO-OPERATION.


little attention to this great question. They
are, and for long time past have been
wasting their time, aud large amounts of
money in fruitless Efforts to find a remedy
for the wrongs continually imposed upon
their.
If every "Trades Unon'' in the land
would at once begin &c discuss the question
Of co operation, and make themselves fami-
liar With the system, and the various ways
by which it can be applied to every branch
Of industry, and begin to save their money,
and organize Loon the coop erative prinei
pie, in ten years the condition Of the work
ing people Of our country would be fifty
per cent. better than now.
There is no single question connected
with the Trade Union " movement of so
great Importance IS cooperation, and vet
there Is 20 question so little understood OF
talked about. Go into any Trade Union
meeting in the land ami introduce the spb
lect Of cooperation, and You will find but
few who understand anything ab.ut il.
They will listen 70 what Is said, aud ap-
pIaud loudly when The great results already
achieved in few localities are detailed.
Ask them TO start some Co cooperative en-
some one already started, or TO be started
ID some other place, and down goes their
enthusiasm to zero, their hands will inv0l-
UNFAIRLY tod their way to their pocket
book. Is though they looked ur,a you as
a thief, trying 70 stea their money
fhey will tel you It's a very good thing If
it could be carried out, and they would Ike
to see it succeed, and they hope those who
have gone into it may not lose their shpney
bdt you might as well try 70 cos.sdf money
to build a railroad to the moon, xsiO try to
get them to subscribe to a c5'epezative en-
terprise. But Just take up ssae real or
imaginary grievance, ami make a spread
eagle speech in favor Of striksgsaad they
vii throw up thsif hats and shout their
throats sore over It, snj vote yea until
-aA~ NAAt1BH paws A"NliO- AhVy NftA AAN~
YOU TO alI the beer shops ami whiskey mills
10 The place, and spend all the money they
thought you we're trying to steal when you
talked cooperation and those who cried
"s,riSe" Tie loudest, will be the FIRST to ask
for assistance, ana the first % 90 back on
the Union.
Among the many strange things devel-
0pei ID his labor movement, the strangest
u all : that workingmen pay less atteation
to that which most concerns them to any
thing else in life; that they are willing to
spend their money and time in every con-
ceivsbe way, except the way calculated 70
give them financial and social freedom.
we know hundreds OF men who belong to
base bail clubs, skating clubs, boat clubs,
military organizations ID various other
things Of the KIDD, who spend their tima
and their money 10 a manner that Yields
nothing il return but sore feet, stiff joints,
swelied heads, black eyes, etc, etc, dis
charges, because Of lost time, and poverty,
and who are always behind with their dues
aud taxes to The Union, ard half the time on
the suspended list.
There are thousands or Union men who
never think Of paying their dues and taxes,
until compelled to do 50. Every ether
claim upon their purse, even 70 bill con-
tracted f5r bad whiskey, must be paid first
he organization through which their wages
are kept up, and BY which their trade is
made respectable and worth following, aud
by which they get their bread ard butter, is
the last thing they remember.
The aggregate amount Of money spent BY
the workingmen of the United States for in
toxicating drinks and tobacco, amounts to
about fifteen hundred millions Of doHIrs a
year.
We are not writing an essay CO temper
ance, nor advocating totel abstinence, al
though We believe in it. Our only ohject is
to show to the workingmen of the country
where 50 much Of their money goes-to show
them the vast sums spent 10 manner that
yields nothing but disease and death.
Ii the working people Of our land would
resolve to spend one.ttth less for drink and
tobacco, and depositit in fund upon which
\. draw for cooperative purposes, UGH as
purchasing homes, building houses, starting
stores, work shops, and so on, they would
have at the end Of the first year fund Of
tiTes hundred millions Of dollars. This, in
ten years, to say nothing Of interest and
profits on investments, would amount to
three thousand millions of d0lIars. II the
money thus saved, together with the inter
est or profits, was invested Oh year in a
business that would yield zen per cent. prr
annum, the total amount would be fUe thou
sand IRE hundred and .ffly-niae million
three hundred aud nifty thousand dollars, or
about sixteen hundred dollars piece for
every workingman in the country. These
are startling results-think Of them.
/ From Tennessee.