The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-02
CHI A r L F. s TON.
FRIDAY MORNING. JULY q, 1869.
self.supplying Cooperation.

self-supplying Cooperation.
The cooperative system in Great Britain
has assumed a new shape in one importan,
particular, the cooperative principle being
now applied to supplying with goods the
retail co operative stores.
Originally each store had its own separ-
ate buyer, and he went into what market he
could or happened to know Of, and often
went to the wrong or bad one, or did not
know how to buy to advantage if he did
get to the right place; or, perhaps, If he
got to the right market, and knew what to
select when there, ne carried with him too
little capital to lay out to purchase to
advantage. Then few wise and practical
heads said that cooperation should take
an other step, and could take it; that instead
OF 400 societies employing 400 buyers, the
great majority Of whom being mechanics,
could know nothing Of the business, few
well selected buyers might buy for ALL
Then ordinary cooperation arrived at
point when it was seen that another step was
practical. The Rochdsle perpetrators were
the first to see this and attempt to realize
what they saw to be possible. Mr.. Abram
Greenwood, Mr.. James smithies, Mr.. Will
liam Cooper, Mr.. Ashworth, Mr.. Stott, Mr..
Edwards, Mr.. Nuttall and others-whoee
names are known in all chronicles Of Eng
llsh o-operation--worked hard to create a
"North Of England Wholesale Co operative
'Store,'' which should keep buyers in the
best markets Of Europe, and collect in a
central store in Manchester produce suAi-
oient to supply all the stores of Lancashire
ana Yorkshire, and even co-operators in yet
more distant counties. They got oapita!
s''oo1 iDod, took An empty warehouse in
Dantzlc- street, M Manchester, and commenced
business 1t took, however, much time,
labor and patience to prevail upon the sep
arate stores to join in federation of self
supply. 1t took as much education Of the
stores to enable them Is COG their true
interest and duty as to train individual
workmen to become in the first instance 90
operators. The stores had their collective
Jealousies. Their own buyers did not like
TO pc superseded. Some Of them received
consideration for buying Of particular
tradesmen; some who did not do this had
friends whom it was in their power tn
serve. In other cases, clever travellers
tempted store managers to buy Of them
Ssme articles at q farthing ton cheaper
than the Wholesale store, which dealt only in
pure goods, could supply them, and such
atOraa Kent mt ~ tho foSo.os;.~ r-S.
the prophets Of the new federated sohem 9
found, like other prophets of good, that
they had NO credit or honor in their own
stores. Even Rochdsle, the pioneer Of CO.
operative progress, did not go heartily into
the new plan. However, time is given to
all men, and If they add sense to perse-
verance, they come to succeed. The lead
ers Of the federation had patience, and pa.
tience gave sense time to mature, and 80
the "right came uppermost," and the
Dantzic street store, opened only Ave years
ago, has grown too small for the business.
and the society has bought piece Of land
In Balloon-street, not far from whore tho
Manchester warehouse Of ..John Bright
"Bros." stands, and have built thereupon q
plain but most substantial and commodious
store Of their own, seven stories high.
The new store has cost 10000. The stores
federated with 1t exceed 200. The stores
buying from it exceed 800. and the persons,
members Of these stores, amount to 100, 600.
The Manchester Central Store Supplying
Conpany began business in March, 1854,
when the capital was a999. BY Janusry,
1868. the capital had grown to s2e s1s, and
in January lest it was E32 .O9O, or more
than 5000 900 in United States currenov--
the amount Of goods sold in the half year
ending January 1st, being over $3.50, 900
The total expense Of conducting the busi-
ness, exclusive Of interest ON capital, ia
l,1OA In the pound, and including inter
est, 15d.
There 10 progress and power in eo-opera-
ration. The co-operators are ,abeus to
create journal Of their owa, and have
entered into negotiations to take into their
hands The Social Economist and the Co.
operator, 70 that there may be journalistic
unity inform as well as spirit, and one
accredited paper for one great party. Jour.
nalism, which gives so mach weight and
inspiration to politics, and advances public
affairs TO freedom, will no doubt yet rein
epife co-eperation with adventure tenn
pered By prudence, and put It's NOW peouni-
sry Power to indefinite uses. Industrial
partnerships nov legalised in England, by |
q; s.S. rrs-cs>ss.sd BY the lats Mr.. ashele
field. Mr.. Brigh,'s colleague Ia INC fspre.
sentation Of Birmingbam. will daily inoits
tonew enterprise 10 cooperative dirsctio ions.