The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-07-01
soon as We have twenty pounds in hand We

soon as We have twenty pounds in hand ve
will begin.
At first all who wish to Join the society
must subscribe a shilling entrance fee; but
when the shop is in working order, non
members being allowed little profit, can
pay their entrance fee with the profit they
may have received and then, if they are
regular customers, they can gradually pay
the f-ll share out Of the quarterly profits
from their purchases. Of course it will
not be pleasant for the shopkeeper to hear
OF your setting uD for yourselves, but IL you
can do thing for yourself, you need not
pay others, nor can they expect that you
should. The coach proprietors did not like
the railways interfering with their trade,
but all improvements to the many will gen
orally intiict an injury on the few By
cooperating among yourselves you put the
profit that previously went into the grocer :
pocket, into your own. Ofcourse be does
not ike 1t, but the hundred families who
hal previously dealt there will be better
of, and We must consider the interest Of
the many before the gain Of the one.
" | have exp aimed to Cable the way tie
shop is to be managed and, therefore, as
soon as the money is subscribed, we will
Join the Wholesale store at Manchester, and
get our goods from there, and thus save an
other profit. Until you can afford to buy
house and premises, which l hope you
will soon be able to do, we must use
Cables front parlor; and, as be will have
to hnd the room, light, fire, time, preparing
the goods, bookkeeping, etc, five Der cent
Or shilling in the pound, is, believe, the
usual allowance. When the weekly rc
ceIPts amount to twelve pounds, nine pence
IN the pound will be sufficient for the money
received above that sum, and six pence in
the pound above twenty pounds. This, nv
friends, Is all have to say at present on
the subject. | am sincerely anxious for it's
success, because ] believe that Co operation
is The only means by which the people can
improve their condition. The example of
Rochdale is wonderful tie profits Of this
society reaching, believe, to over twenty
thousand pounds year. We hear of CO.
operative farms, mills, works; and why
should WilIingwell be behind If YOU al |
love working as well as you love Willing
well, we shall soon be a prosperous and
happy society"
They agreed to allow Mrs. Gable a shil-
ling In the pound, as payment for selling
the goods, and each paid the first install.
ment Of shilling, and some paid up one
share in full, though John Flaxman said be
was sorry be could not at present deal with
the association, as be worked for Mr.. Black
stone, who expected him to take groceries
as part payment Of wages.
Every arrangement being now fairly dis
cussed, and all agreeing to circulate the as
socIatlon and its advantages among their
friends, they gave three cheers for Mrs. |
Gable, which awOke the little one, who bad |
for some time been lying asleep in the cor
ner; and all went home With be satisfaction
y thinking tha at last an opportunity was
afforded By which the Borkingman might
earn that independence which the Almighty |
b"s iHI'ua.~l "a thU nearts OF all and /
without which no country is secure of its
freedom, because she can only base her
on an artificial, and, consequent
y, sandy foundation.
Reader, YOU have flished short De.
scripton Of how to open an equitable shop.
Ihe object of writing il was to induce you,
should you have little splre time-one
nour a week-tO start similar ASSOCIATION |
p your nrlghbo hood. Th-re is no pecu-
mary risk. \ very few men bers can keep
10 alive. anf m active interest 10 its success 4
Wll give yon ample reward for the little
trouble required 70 start it. If, therefore,
such Is your desire, aid us 10 promoting a
movement which will enable Your fellow
men, through their own efforts, to obtain
moderate competence and comparative
.omiort and what il Of far more impor-
ance, the very act cf combining with
)tbers for an individual benefit will teach
habits without which social organization
md Improvement cannot be successful
! he very fact Of a member fshng away.
lnd having through misfortune 10 dispose Of
his share, will be more keenly felt than
any legal punishment that could be infict-
~; because the question with Us all is
hat vii, my companions think ?-not,
" bat do my superors? To purchase a
share involves an individual act Therefore
IN opening the way fer man to combine
With others, through the protection of the
aw, for his own advantage, you place him
n the path Of civilization az be must feel
hat, 10 the possession Of this share, his
personal interest will BE- directed 20 q hope
only attainable through natural support
md cOD6dlng honor-and thus another
'ecruit will be enlisted for the vast army Of
social lmurOvers.