New-York tribune., 1869-04-17
COOPERATION.

COOPERATION
ONE OF THE INDUSTRIAL WANTS OF NEW-YORK
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: 1t cannot be too earnestly impressed upon
the minds of tho working classes of this city that the
golden days of small abOrfor large wages have dis
appeared. More than ever is it now necessary for
workngmen to study economy, and learn now to
make the most of every cent they earn. America
should understand this useful branch of knowledge
better than any other nation. 1t was here that
Franklin shed alike the luster Of his theory and
practice 1t is here that rational and practical edu
cation is almost thrust upon every poor mans child
And vet it is manifest that in no other nation does
the extravaganza of the people assume such un-
reasonable proportions Instead of building up
homes, they live in public, they dine at the rcstau
rant they poison themselves at the grogshop, they
smoke. chew, paint, scent, dye--in short, they de-
prve themselves of every vestige OF natural man and
wOmanhoOd and 10 pay for all this they content
to breathe the fetid atmosphere OF oyercrowded
houses in the lowest streets of the city, These evils
must be Temeded, these eXtravagant tolie5 checked
But howl and through what agencyf
Why should not every wOrlingman assure his life
for one tho9sand dollars Il he be too poor Why
risk of every individual member OF his famiyf II
| an Office does not exist in New-YOrl which would
take these risks, what is to prevent the working
classes forming such q oneY
Retail assurance will pay as large n bonus rs
wholesale and diffuse its blessings among hundreds
instead of units. 1t is useless to talk about the inn
nracticability of such scheme The British PIuden-
| tia Insurance Company Of London has issued its
| month policy of this class. 1t was started by
| wOrkingmen. The British Government, seeing the
| importance of such movement, now lssue similar
policies From the loading of the tables to meet the
increased outlay necessarily attendant upon such q
| class of business the Company Is made secure and
the actual profits made the proprietary system,
after setting aside ample funds to meet future liab
tiles. amounts 10 nearly 40 per cent On tho mutual
i,la more ba cd
reduction Of premiums. the increase OF the amount
assured, by nearly one-balf.
Again: Why should the people OF this city allow
middle men to run the price of Goals TO high as
$40 $ per tun, when IL can be ec0nclusyely proved
that the labor bestowed upon the hewng OF them Is
not more than about 81 per tun and allowing for
cost Of royalty, wear and tear of machinery freight
and incidental expenses So per tun leaves splendid
margin for prOitsY The Coal Kings know how TO
look after their own interests the Atlantic
well here. They pay one shilling for the prOduc-
tion of one tun of coal IN Newcastle, send 1T 100
miles, and the people who purchase it have TO pay
from 20 to q shngs Or why should bread and
meat and fruits and vegetables fetch nearly double
their actual yalue Is 1t because the labor bestowed
upon their production is so literally rewardedi Let
any practical man ask himself how many seven cent
loavCs one barrel Of flour will yield and compare the
result with the selling price of that barrel of -four
when il is sold wholesale to tho large dealer if he
wants to find out how useless pToitmOngeIs step IN
to take an il-descryed, because not honestly earned
share of the workingmans produce. The real secret
Of economic living consists IN this; that the con
must place himself IN the closest proximity to
the DTOduCcr; for the moro nanuS Jne article pro-
duced passes through, the more will the consumer
have to pay for that article.
From time TO time efforts have been made by the
working people of this city, through the medium of
co5perafion. to remedy these evils Stimnlafed 70
the experiment by the glowing accounts which
reached them from the old country, of the great
benefits which had been conferred npOn the working
classes through the application Of this principle, they
started provision shops. but from variety of
all such efforts mp TO this time have proved abortve
Some have failed for want of capital others for want
Of custom. Of
proper and efficient management. / cannot believe
that this inetlicency IL the result OF Ignorance;
clinatiOn perhaps to attend vigorously TO all those
details which are continually brought before the
Committees 1t is more than probable, also, that
tendency TO speculate in the shares may have had
something to do with these failures The capital has
6uctuated, the Withdrawals have been too numerous;
crippled in resources they have been induced to
trade on credit bills have fallen due when there
no possibility of meeting them, composition has
been entered into the institutions have passed in
TO liquidation, and in more than one instance the
lawyers have swallowed up all that remained of
them 1t is unnecessary to enter into particulars of
each society but will cite the most recent case of
failure. The Manhattan Cooperative Store, now de
funct, failed first. because 1t made no effort TO in
crease the number of its members secondly, because
it neglected TO call up all its unpaid capital; thirdly
because il allowed its shareholders 10 withdraw their
capital too hastily; fourthly, because il permitted
its officers to transact business their respOn
sibihty instead of upon the sanction and RESPONSE
bility of the Committees ffthy, because sharehod-
ers purchased their provisions from private dealers
instead of patrOniZing their own store siXthly, be-
cause those who composed alike the membership and
executive departments, were devoid of that enthu-
Giasm, that devotion to tho principle for its own
sake, as a great ameliOTatiye social measure
which is so necessary TO all pioneers in an
untried and novel movement. / ought to
mention here that the law under which such nstitu-
tons are egazed is defective i'll one important par
ticuar lt is so constructed that the liabilities Of
members cease when their capital is withdrawn. 1t
should continue to the extent of the capital invested
for at least two years after such withdrawal This
would prevent n run upon the funds of the company
in the event of any real or imaginary panic which
pht arise for if those who compose the company
know that the law holds them responsible TO the OK
tent of their share capital for two years, whether
they belong to the company not instead of leaving
1t through some paltry annoyance, through some
tTng difficulty they will the more earnestly attend
To Its interests with view to the essening Of the
evils already existing.
Law similar to this exists in England and has
worked most admirably the actual number of stores
which have failed from all causes is only three in 90
and it Is principally due 10 the beneficial restrictions
Of this law that such a fortunate result has been
attained. Several stores have been in difficulties
generally through some violation of the rules n
panic has ensued and "a rush has been made for the
withdrawal Of capital but the timely warning of the
President that they would but render their losses
more certain by such an act, has made them pause
they have cooled down, faced the difficulties
mastered them and are now in prosperous position
To whom must we look Tor increased efforts to sup
ply this national want To the men of capital TO
the pliianthIopists, 10 the working people them
seyesI Assuredly to those who arc most interested