The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-05-29
THE PRICE OF SUCCESS Is FAITH.

THE PRICE OF SUCCESS Is FAITH.
We learn from an article appearing in late
ssue OF til. st. LOUIS Republican, that the
Workingmen's Pioneer Coo eratiye Grocery
Store Of thai city, has been sold out for want
Of patronage. The store was opened upon
capital Of S., 600 At the expiration Of the
first SIX months a dividend Of IA per cent
was declared. This looked encouraging. At
the end Of the second SIX months deficit
ency Of 81 loo was discovered. The terms
Of the directors having then expired by con-
stituton al limitation, the stockholders con-
vened, elected a new board, and directed
them to inquire into the cause Of the deici-
ency. The evidence taken failed to fasten
the fault upon the manager, but that officer
was replaced by new appointee. The
stockholders now began to lose confidence
in the store, and, under privilege accorded
them in the constitution, number of them
drew out an amount Of goods equal to one
half the amount or stock held oy them. Ma
turally enough the non-st0ckholding custo-
mers, observing that the stockholders were
giving und0nbted proof of their loss Of con-
tidence in the assoc" n, transferred their
patronage to other stores.
Another SIX months elapsed, during which
the business Jagged, and, at its expiration,
the goods, fixtures, &c, were disposed Of at
auction, and the receipts divld'd, the stock
holders receiving fifty cents on each dollar
originally invested, The creditors were paid
to the last penny.
IL is matter Of siucere regret TO US that
our duty as journalist compels US to re-
cord such failures as the above. II is but
one at the manifold ms ances with which the
times are teeming, wherein cooperative and
other woTkingmen's organizations are falling
victims to that seemingly innate distrust
which woikingmen almost universally enter
tain Of each other. In the face Of all the
success which has everywhere attended well
managed cooperative efforts, the want Of
confidence is cause for special wOnderment
The statistics which We have, from time u
time published, abundsnuy proving the pro-
6tableness Of investment Of money t0ith faith
I in cooperative production and distribution,
we think ought to be sufficient to engender
universal confidence in cooperation as an
aBtidote for industrial evils. Esery man
employed in or about the Troy foundry re-
ceiyed last year, IN addition to the highest
rate Of wages paid anywhere, a dividend Of
I 10 per cent upon capital, two dollars per
/ day as dividend upon labor. The success Of
I the RoChaale and Manchester stores, in Eng
4 land, and the Charlestown and other stores,
4 10 this country, is abundant evidence that
I all that is necessary 10 insure success in
7 cooperation, as applied either to production
or distribution, centres in that one talismatic
little word-.flith.
That humble body Of wesvers whom
at the liJtle mn in Rochdale, to, if possible,
u devise means whereby their condition as me
chanics might be bettered, saw the value Of
faith, for We find their spokesman promising
a statement Of his plan, by exhorting them
that confidence in each other could alone
prevent any effort they might make proving
futile The little seed which there and then
bourgeoned and blossomed, and whiced has
since attained such magnificent proportions,
attested the wisdom Of his words. Ii is not
alone co operation that has been retarded,
and that IN many instances, has failed by
the refusal Of woikpeople to repose that con-
hleuce il their fellows so necessary to in
many. The great cause Of financial reform
/ lags from the same reason. If a senator
with millions Of money take up the gauntlet
in their behalf, one-third Of those he aims
to benefit meet aim with the cry Of ambi-
ton If workingman, without a penny
in the world, beyond what he earns at daily
1 toll, lifts up his voice In advocacy Of the re-
form, he is Immediately voted a demsgo-
que, an adventurer in search OF profit
and rank for himself, and a pettifogger,
seeking to.build himself fortune out Of the
/ preiudices Of the people.
! We do not ask blind faith we want a
/ cautious faith. The eradication of the cor
ruption that permeates our every govern
mental department as water does sponge,
is an easy task to united and harmonious
people. The power Of numbers is in their
eoncresence. Separate and work singly
with them and their power is lost. Unity,
harmony and faith, are the open sesame to
the gate of relief Without knowledge Of
these magic words tho gates are forever
closed against us.
Ia the Instance we began this article by
chronicllng, ia lure was the ultimate and hea-
w cost Of want Of confidence, and failure has
been the price paid in ninety-mne out Of
every hundred such instances Faith is not
a costly article, either IN effect or money.
Make a safe place FOR your faith put il
there, and our word for it, the disagrceable
duty now devoving apon US, Of recording
non-suecessful attempts at union or CO oPer-
alton, viii seldom recur, and the success Of