The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-09-05
Is6o-oPERlrroN A FAILURE :


from a friend the neghborhocd Of
Montpelier VT, a ID shall BE- glad to hear
the views Of our coerespondents in reply /:
"~ts Co-opera6 pn failure in America I,
WHY'S il, that while cooperative assoc ntions
vi NJ kipds, manu- pcturing and ftrAimg,
thnte in Germany, mce andtireat BAtain.
they have with few q Ieprions prove h Ailures
on tbs side Of the At htic' havd a tleory
Of Py own N regd h to this m kttet. but
wouh Ike 70 see son thW from y Dur pen on
this subject
kerel y
Inc question as8eCbsy our correspond
ent, whom We KIND 10 be sincere and
consistent friend f cooperative enter
prises, is one which has often presented it.
self to our own lind. Aud while We do
not profess TO he BILE to show the causes
ef failure in crerI instance, circumstances
altering cases, We give below the result II
our deliberations, believing that they will
prove Of interest T. the general reader
~ One Of the me bt prominent causes Of
4 failure doubtless Arises from the lack If err
ec,itire dbIhty, aNi the ,FAt N q practical
tno,riedge Of bus ness de't is among those
| who assume theit management. And this
unfortunately, is "a defect hhich experience
/ often long ami painful one-alone can
rectify In Greet BRITAIN especially. M ost
Of the large co operative establishments,
such as those Of Messra Crossley and
Briggs, are supervised by men OF first class
executive ability; those Hho have been
educated, SO to speak, ia the school Of
trade, and who are thus necessarily con
versant with the minuti,e and routine Of
business. In A nerica, With unfortunately
few exception4 lamentable ignorance
has been evinced by those connected with
similar ente-prises While it is to be re-
GREETED that such has been the case, it GER
tainly ought not to be a matter of surprise
Ii connot be expected that men who have
had little or no practical experience
whose field Of operations have been con
| fined to the work bench ~ the forge, eau
successfully compete with those who have
made the laws Of trade the study Of life
time. Ii ought, however, 10 furnish a
warning to those intending to embark ia
Operative enterprises, to avoid the
4uicksands upon which SO many have been
wrecked.
Lack II confidence has also exercised a
powerful influence in securing this result.
While it IS not our intention, in the pres
ent article. to give at any length the reason
irhy. it Is nevertheless true that a great
difference exists between the British and
American MECHANIC TO tn disparagement
II the latters IN TINS respect National
character dou btless has a great deal to do
with the results be this Is it may. where
implicit faith ~ the integrity, ability and
success ot the enterprise aud those con
nected with it, is lacking, II IS sheer i'm
possibility for success to crown their efforts
Suspicion, the most contagious Of diseases.
enervates every stroke and benumbs every
faculty Our own experience furnishes a
Uuulp6E bl lnSlHltts hiitAG NitiH tdtAlh- IA -
destroyed the prospects and usefulness Of
some of The most fiourishIng and prumis
ing cooperative institutions W the conn
try.
Iopatie,,cc y Results, is another fruitful
cause Of failure, and here again the Ameri-
can character appears to disadvantage when
compared to that Of his European competi-
tor temporary failure, which time and
experience An cotfD, Inst,ad n prompt
ing t. renewed action. l. t"o often ad-
luced and accepted as an evidence that ~
is lost The representations 81 the eroak-
er triumphs Discouragrment and disco
( luton follows. and another example l.
added to the long catalogue of unnecessary
[ failures, to be used in the future by the
enemies Of cooperation, as an evidence
h that it Is an iuusory and rmPracticable
I scheme
! Purchasing from the Mlddiemas instead
Of purchasing direct from the importer or
thereby fostc-'ng the very
evil they should aim to destroy, has also
been productive Df great injury to co-oPera-
tive enterprises. A far better way. where a
sufficient capital cannot be raised to carry
on a Cooperative institution without re-
sorting TO such means, or where the trade
Of the locality Will not warrant its establish
ment, is for the operatives to club together
and purchase their winter supplies At trst
cost, thereby saving rent, fuel. expenses Of
store keeper. etc. A feeling Of confidence
can thus be established, and the benefits
of cooperation illustrated in manner
which cannot fail to prodace the most ben
eficial results.
The last, though by no means the least,
important cause Of failure t. which We shall
now refer is, that occasioned by Lack q
Capital This want has been productive OF
several evils, viz compelling associations
to make their purchases on credit, which
is always the dearest way to buy, prevent
ing them from availing themselves Of any
bargains offered in the market, and forcing
them to the suicidal system Of purchasing
in driblets from the middlemen.
In the foregoing we have simply glanced
at few Of the more ptuminentPhases Of
the subject. As before stated, we shall be
glad to hear the views and experience Of
!