The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1874-02-14
COOPERATIVE STORES.

During the last few weeks We have re
ceived a score of letters from different
sections Of the country, requesting as to
give our views on the Lest means Of estab-
fishing and conducting Cooperative Gro
Gerry and Provision Stores For the pur
pose Of satisfying such Of our correspon-
dents who have received no reply, and tor
the benefit Of those who may be III need Of
such information, We publish in this week 5
ADVOCATE a copy Of a constitution similar
in character to those adopted in several
sections of the country, though it is by no
means a perfect one.
Among the more important points to be
discussed in framing such a constitution lis,
shall each shareholder have but one vote,
no matter how many shares he may hold,
or shall each share he entitled to a vote II
And by the way, there is something 10 be
said Oh both sides of this question On
the other hand, it is held by some that
where q single vote is allowed, no mat
ter how many shares party may
possess, workingman will not risk ten.
fifteen, or twenty in the enterprise, because
such system places within the power Of
clique or dissatisfied few, the power To over
rule and out-vote those who have hundreds
of dollars at stake, when they may have
but ten while on the other hand it is
contended that when the shares count by
votes it enables outside parties 10 monopo-
lie and destroy its character as co-opera-
tive institution
Now, it is well to consider the respective
merits of these statements, and act with
true deliberation In some localities and
under certain circumstances, we believe
either plan may be adopted with safety
in one case by limiting the number of
shares to be held by any party, aud in the
other by defining the status of those who
may and those who may not become menu
bers for, in nine cases out Of ten, the hon
esty of purpose, business capacity, the
surroundings, nature Of the proposed enter
prise, and the confidence entertained toward
each other, decides its success or failure
The great drawback to the success Of CO.
operative enterprises in the past has been
lmpdtience Of Results. We have known
instances where members have withdrawn
and organizations been disrupted, because
a dividend of five per cent was not declared
at the second quarterly meeting. Now
what would be thought Of class Of stock
holders, belonging TO q newly organ zed
company claimoring for a dividend be-
fore the wheels Of the machinery were
well in motion, and that machinery. too,
conducted by men Of the highest business
talent and experience And yet this has
been the position taken BY q number Of
those who, by such action, have destroyed
the cooperative institution to which they
unfortunately belonged, and then pointed
to its failure as an evidence that the pro-
ject is a fraud.
Our advice to our friends, who contem-
plate establishing cooperation grocery or
provision stores IL, do nothing rashly -dis-
cuss the question in all its bearings
count the cost before you embark in the
enterprise; remember that it is better to
have q hundred stockholders who have
paid $40, than twenty-five who have paid
$40 select a No. l man to superintend
the business throw prejudices, favorite-
ism and jealousy TO the dogs make upyou
mind in advance to make it success cut
down expenses even to penny, and instead
of looking f,r quarterly dividends Of Eve
or six per cent. secure your groceries at
actual cost, plus the outlay required to
meet the necessary expenses Of the estab-
ishment, and as sure as to-morrows sun
will rise, q store conducted on such princi-
Piles will never demonstrate that co-opera-
ton Is failure. II
THE Labor TvibWRs insists that the