New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-14
Cooperation In England
Mr. Thomas Hughes, VI. r., Describes =.
Condition OF the Movement

NAOFfmemf.
From the London News Of November eol
At the opening meeting Of the session of tho
Social Science Association, held in the rooms
of the Association. in london Fn,lan5 NJ
Semoer 20, Mr.. L. Hughes q. c.. NJ. p. read
/ a paper on The present state Of the co.onera
/ tive movement At the outse. he traced tho
/ history OF legislation upon this subject. and
showed that the British Parliament had now
done all that 1t could to facilitate the operatiops
oil cooperative societies, and that their success
or failure must now depend, not upon tie
action OF the Legislature, hut upon the sound
ness oil the principles upon which they, war.
| founded, and the skill with which they were
conducted. Passing from this historical sketch.
he stated that during the year 1870. 749 so
cleties made returns 10 the British Government d.
The share capital Of those societies amounted
to $40, III ,305, having a turn over of S4l 600
900, and profit OF 80 GIFTS. The majority
OF these associations were merely distributive
stores, and but few productive institutions had
long survived the difficulties with which they
had to contend. The reason Of this want #
success Mr.. Hughes found in the circumstance
that 1t was more difficult TO conduct a manu-.
factory than store, and he therefore looked
TO Industrial partnerships, where the intelE-
gence OF the capitalist assists the industry nj
the workman, as n most important and mos.
beneficial part OF the co operative movement.
y 20" tue "hoit, ne was disposed 10 think THAI
the sanguine expectations Of - years ago were
ABOUT to be realized and that the principle of co.
operation was likely to rescue the BODY politie
from the evils to which it would be exposed
from the system of unlimited competition.
which only found favor with our "let alone
politicians.
In the course of the discussion which follow.
ed, Mr. Lloyd Jones, who had recently made a
tour OF inspection among the co operative soci-
etles OF the country. bore testimony to the sue
cess oil the cotton mills (Spiuning and weaving)
at Rochdale and Oldham. England At ROcb-
dale capital of S7j00uO, and at oldham
SoOO,OOO had been invested in these undertake
ings; and at Oldham, last year. a profit of 40
per cent. was earned. But the pccuniarv gain
was not the greatest advantage of the system.
The men connected with it were the most in
dustrious temperate and honest of the working
classes, and from this movement was 10 be ex
pected the best solution of the difficulties aris-
ing out Of the relations between labor and can
ltal. Mr.. Head (of the firm of Fox, Head &
Co., Mlddlesborough,) whose business is con.
Quoted as an industrial partnership, stated the
amounts which had in successive years been
divided among the wOTkmen, and expressed a
confident belief that in the end the system
would work TO the advantage of both masters
and men. Mr.. Hoskyns expressed some doubt
as to the proprety in industrial partnerships of
charging the losses OF one year against the sum 70
be distributed as bonus among the wOrkmen in
another; and Mr.. Jones, MATCHMAKER, objected
TO cooperation altogether, and welt at length
upon the special qualities necessary to make "A
good retailer, and the knowledge which he must
possess TO insure profit upon his transactions
Several other gentlemen addressed the meeting,
and the debate was adjourned.