New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-02-24
A HISTORY OF COOPERATION.
ALL INFORMATION CONCERNING COOPERATIVE
MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED
WANTED AS MATERIAL.

ALL INFORMATION CONCERNING COOPERATIVE
MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED,
WANTED AS MATERIAL.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Before Mr.. Greeley's death had writ
ten this letter intending ask of him its insertion in
THE TRIBUNE in other journal could its purpose be
so well answered and to one could have the same
pleasure in addressing It, When Mr.. Greeley came 10
England he did the honor Of visiting me- For more
than % years discerned In him President In the Re-
public OF Newspapers and during his welearned candi
dature for another Presdenshp and since his death,
have indicated him wherever have written or spoken
Since Cobbett there has been journalist whose per
sona yigor Of thought and speech has been so sgna
disployed his paper and who by nero force OF oer
airy individuality, has commanded such international
attention With fine hospitality to IDEAS when only
genius knows how to accord Mr. Greeley gave publicity
TO the diverse views OF independent thinkcrs and many
IN this country have foolishy regarded this as sympathy
with eccentrcity Yet there never was pubclst VINO
exceeded Mr. Greeley in the art OF giving hearing WIN
out needing the views he did not share His own robust
convictions made him master OF opinion and his death
has removed one OF the forces of our time, and mas
left the world poorer All Of who regarded HIM are
glad to see that THE TRIBUNE elects to remain identified
with his name and bears the words, Pounded by
Horace Greeley" q mightier line than That WHICH, III
St. Paus Cathedral tells OF its architect and more than
many monuments, since it is one that men OF many
nations viii see daily.
write History OF Cooperation in England and as Tar
as can of its development elsewhere. In the United
States there many who at the near beginning
of the thing here and who might send me some niorm
ton IL they knew OF my intent
NV object is to write an account OF the origin and
growth OF cooperaonof the literature which fostered
It, and of the persons who aided IT, To thus end seek
as is betting such an undertaking. the cooperative aid
of all informed persons both in England and America;
SAYING to them any books pamphlets, rules, pacards
papers, letters having reference to the early or outo
the-way history OF the cooperative movement VIII be
glad TO hear of to buy to borrow 1t will serve me to
be told of books which have referred to the subect-of
articles i'll reviews about it, OF letters of persons OF re-
pute who have in various periodicals written upon IT, of
sermons preached against 1t, and what On anything
notable or rememberable was said-recOecons OF early
meetings Of any Will be at the trouble TO write out
particulars, many or few. or in any way, names
of persons who took part in founding the early
stores, or who identified with cooperation
as promoters managers, committeeman advocates,
lecturers or in any distingushabe way mixed up with
it, i'm any pace-anecdOtes of such persons, or remarks
or speeches theirs, particulars OF what ultimately
became of them references dates Of letters or articles
in old newspapers in fine, any imaginable kind of
relevant information will be welcome TO me. Moreover
venture 10 trust that NO one who may do me the
service of sending me any information will assume that
may know what they know. want to be sure that
know it, trust that one Will thDkSthatsome one
else has given me the information. as the result Of
such supposiOn will prevent me knowing many things
OF interest
Beside intending to chronicle the origin and progress
of the cooperative movement, my object is TO record
whatever particulars of interest could be certain Of
about the persons who made the movement II is not
enough to treat Of cooperation merely as bale OF
cotton and discourse OF It's fneness texture and value
in the market MY desire is to give account OF the
subsequent fabric, its pattern aud color, and how it
washed and wore.
NY hope is that no one will fear that he will poster
with suggestions want be pestered, and pray that
win be afraid shall be perplexed or confused by
many cOunseOTs1a lam prepared to take the risk Of
all that and shall count it good fortune to be favored
with multudinOus advisers. OF course intend to take
my own wifu way in the end but my desire is to take
it with my eyes open, knowing all that can be known of
the subject il hand. The purposes OF dis Of
contrarioy OF IDEAS and their minds carried away in
the whirlwind OF many opinions. The whrlwind at
least such mild wbrlwinds have in these days
ought not to be fatal TO historian whose real danger
is that he may parayze his readers by tameDess, or Kill
them by monOtOny. There are persons know who
have a wefounded terror Of making suggestions We
have had Ministers State in England who looked upon
a man with an idea a personal enemy; and am not
that it is safe for persons with notions" In their
minds to go about certain Of parliamentary depart
ments believe know people with "crochets
than any other and they the most entertaining
which is sadly in want of it, Cooperative "notiOns"
will be thankfully received" by the undersigned.
1t was said OF David Hume that his History OF En-
gland" would have been accurate it was inmtaby
written had he not been fat and difficult to set personally
in motOn and in consequence instead OF getting up to
reach the volume the end of his soa he invented the
fact he wanted. am not fat and am resilient
Americana so that If any book or fact gets near me
may be depended on TO get at it,
While sitting at the Bolton Cooperative Congress- last
year, and seeing with the minds eye the old familiar
faces fitting, as it weTe around the Hal-the faces
which have gone BamfOrd expresses IT, through the
pass OF DEATH" and greet us no mOre-waching the
vacant places (which growing more numerous every
COngres those who bore the heat and burden OF the
upregarded day OF COoperaOn-whOse buoyant. cheer
ing voices we shall hear again-whose treless
energy have forever ceased TO knOwI desired more
than heretofore 10 write history OF that new power
of industry which will grow mightier year by year,
before the night cOmeth TO me when no man can work
Yours very sincerely, GEORGE JACOB HOLYOAkE.
No. 20 Cockspurs st. Pail Mall London, JAM "a, 1873.