The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-01-05
COOPERATIVE INDUSTRY
As n Means OF Transition from Social
Isolation and AntnEOnism 10 Uni.
YersRl Concord and Happiness.
BIZ z. 7. GRANT.
NUMBER l.
NUMBER !.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

More than hundred years ago the ma
tions Of Europe began to be convulsed by
those political agitations which gave to
the New World Republic, now become
colossal, founded on the theory of the
EQUAL RIGHTS OF MAN, and led, little
later, to that bloody national tragedy, the
French Revolution. The political agita-
uons are still vigorously maintained, with
fears Of change perplexing monarchs,' and
by their side has sprung up new agita-
ton, even more radical, and possibly more
prolific Of disturbance, involving the RIGHTS
oFLABoR, and producing thus far such fruits
as Trades Unions, Labor Strikes, Eight
hour Laws. Cooperative Stores and Work
shops, as we'll as numerous Conventions of
working men, in which a turbulent and
revolutionary spirit Is often but thinly
disguised. Slavery, in the form Of owner
ship by man of his fellow man, having
been driven out of Europe, and almost out
of the civilized world, "the toiling millions
who grind at the wheel of labor" under the
wages system, working, as slaves do, for
others profit or others pleasure and not
their own, are being penetrated with a
sense of injustice, and are becoming clam
orous for the recognition of their claims to
consideration and relief, and are inquiring,
often with menaclng earnestness, why IT IS
that they enjoy so little of that wealth of
which they, and they only, are the crea-
tors.
To what results these labor agitations
will lead, confess myself unable to fore
see. In their direct tendencies, as l inter-
pref them, I recognize very few of the ele-
ments Of useful and healthy progress, but
as Signals of distress" as tokens Of disaf-
~ hov nd
it may be, terrible meaning. The agita-
tors are not mistaken as to the reality oi
their sufferings, however imperfect may be
their conception of the appropriate rene
dies. The failure Of their efforts to I'M
prove their condition-if failure awaits
them, as is probable-so far from inspiring
a hope of the peaceful settlement Of the
questions at issue, will become itself the
parent of disorder and violence. Failure
! will produce, not resignation and content
| but desperation, and it IS not prudent tc
| ignore the danger that the torch Of the In
cendiary, and the dagger Of the assassin
Will aVenge the wrongs for which redress
may be sought in vain.
Every friend Of humanity, especially II
| this country, which has so lately emerged
from cruel and desolating civil war, BY
which an unhappy race was wrested from
the grasp Of the oppressor, at an expense
| Of million Of its best and bravest citizens
cannot but desire a bloodless solution o
| this problem of labor, now thrust so OBJ,
trusiYely on public attention. Such so
luton l aim to furnish in a series of arti-
cles under the title Of "Co-operative In
dustry." My purpose is TO show how IN.
dustry may be organized, prosecuted anc
-ecompensed, according to principles o
| perfect Justice, without prejudice to any
class or interest how its product may be
| augmented; and how waste, IN which l In
| clude not only unnecessary consumption
and useless destruction, but also the much
more important item Of productive force
! expended in superhuous, unproductlve ol
mischievous functions, may be largely dl'
minished And not only this, but to show
| what Is much more important, how the
aversion TO productive industry, which Il
now generally avoided, unless compelled
by the pressure or the fear of want, will first
be neutralized. and then, by degrees, be
replaced by incentives which Will cause II
to be sought for and engaged in for Its
own sake, and even more eagerly than
amusements now usually are.
l think it will be allowed that this Is @
great object at which to aim, and by rea-
son of its magnitude crave indulgence
for inevitable short comings. But the sub
ject has far wider scope than this briet
statement would indicate. The object ul-
timately aimed at is nothing less than that
of leading humanity into path of indef-
mite and benefcent progress, by pursuing
which it will extirpate evil in all its forms
effect gradually, but surely, the extinction
| of all vices and crimes, and finally lnaug-
| urate on earth the UNIVERSAL REIGN Cd
JUSTICE, ORDER AND HAPPINESS.