Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-02-12

w wv kohethi bthSnhtiOn OF INDUSTRY. Men
are fortunate II they get any work, at reduc.
cd prices at that. How then can they man.
nge to livep There Is but one way, and that
Is by increasing the purchase power Of mon
cy. so that the little they now have may 70
as FAR MS the larger sums they have been used
to; hopeless undertaking, II might seem,
Tor men without capital and with no influ-
ence In financial circles; but so II did not
seem to the working men of New England,
spurrcd on by that most efficient sharpcner
OF tho wits, necessity. The problem was to
make two dollars buy rs much rs three,
prices remaining the same. glance at the
conditions Of trade will suffice to make plain
the efficiency Of the means adopted. During
tho Hush times, before the collapse of 1873,
money WAS plentiful, business brisk, and
profits large. Cons equently the r,,co Of mid.
dlemen multiplied enormously. Between
the miller and the mechanic, the price ola
barrel of flour increased fifty per cent or
more by passing through half dozen hands,
each charging roundy Tor the nominal and,
for the most part uncalled-for service rem
! dered. In like manner, the cost Of nearly
every other article of food and clothing was
similarly advanced. With high wages and
plenty Of work, the consumer was able to
pay the extra charges; but when the easy
times were past, his lessened wages left
small margin for the support Of go-betwoens.
The machinery of trade had become 80 cum
brous and costly that II was burden rather
than a convenience. Its excrescences had
to be cut away and this the working men of
the East have set out to do, holding it suici-
dial rs we'll rs foolish to pay half dozen
large profits on each article they buy, when
| they can be served us well for u single small
arvnuce on primo cost. For example: A
hundred laborers want each n barrel of -four
| BY going to the retail grocer they can get
snch an article as they desire Mt tho rate Of
ten or twelve dollars barrel. On tho other
hand by clubbing their funds and buying n
car load Mt the mill, the same grades of -four
cain be got for seven or eight dollars II bar
rel, transportation and delivery included.
SO likewise with nearly every other standard
article; by jumping the needless middlemen
and buying for cash ut first hand, tho pur-
chasing power of wages may be Immensely
augmented, without doing injustice to any
| one.
II is but II short and natural step from
temporary combinations for mutual benefit
to permanent organization, This step has
been taken; and under the somewhat grand
Eloquent title of "Soveroigns of Industry"
tho new organization is drawing together the
working men OF the Eastern States with n
rapidity rivaling the development of the
Grange throughout the West.
Thus far the Sovereigns have stuck to their
original idea Of mutual helpfulness in sup
plying the necessares of life to the members
of their several councils. 1t is to be hoped
that they will continue to do so. avoiding
strenuosly the political folles of the grang-
ers. 1t would be apty il the power which
tho order is capable of vie ldlng for the eco
nomical advancement of the great army of
manual and mechanical workers of the
country should not be developed to tho utter
most, us 1t can only be by the most stringent
repression of demagogues and party schem.
ers.
arious plans of operation are adopted by
different councils, according to the number
Of members, their place of residence,
and the local advantages for buying. The
chief object being to make the most of the
money they have to spend, with the least
Inconvenience OF risk, it is common prac-
tice to avail themselves Of the machinery of
trade already established in their neighbor-
hood, taking care however, to pay no exorb-
liant profits. An arrangement is made with
one or more dealers in each department to
| eka Ia nj Ia, ;.e Al.
hands in consideration of a special discount
on regular retail prices, II concession which
tho favored dealers can well afford to make
IN return for an assured cash custom, with
out the cost Of advertising or other OUTLAWS
for attracting customers. Every three months
the council receives the bids of dealers de-
string its trade, and elects those which offer
tho greatest inducements, all things consd-
cred. Tickets of membership are then Issu-
ed, the exhibition of which entities the bear
err to the stipulated discount on all goods
purchased during the ensuing quarter. In all
cases the council takes pains to secure trade
circulars and lists of wholesale prices cur
rent, from which to estimate the business of
the charges Of their local dealers. If the
members can do better by ordering their
supplies from the producer or the wholesale
dealer. the local dealers lose their trade al
together.
In many cases large dealers undertake to
Ill the orders of councils at a slight advance
on wholesale rates, delivering to the appoint
eel purchasing agents the articles in separate
parcels rs required by the members. thus
enabling the mechanics OF the most out Of
the way village to command us favorable
terms rs the market will afford. When the
purchases are considerable and toerably
regular, it has been found y very satisfactory
way to hire cheap store room. and appoint
one OF the members stOrekeeper for the
council, to distribute the purchases rs called
for. on certain evenings in the week. At the
regular monthly meetings, the members
elect the amounts OF the articles required
which are purchased in bulk, and OF course
on more favorable terms than in separate
parcels. by this plan, most of the advantage
os Of cooperative stores ARE secured, with
none of the risks.
In several states, il has been found advan.
tageous xperimentally, Mt least) to mass
the trade OF the order, or u great portion of
it, by appointing general purchasing agent,
through whom the supplies for the council
are ordered, the superior advantages of such
buyer more than ofIsetting the cost of the
N pcreasod machinery.
An idea of the rapid sprea ofthe organi-
eaton may be- gained by the rate Mt which
tho order has grown In Connecticut The
first council, with seven members. was organ
lied February 90, 1874. In May state
council met, with membership OF twelve
hundred by August, this number was more
than doubled; and at meeting of Decem-
Der 8, forty-seven councils. with member
ship of over five thousand, were represented