The Van Buren press., 1875-10-19

NO.. 2S

:
store. conducted ON the Rochdale plan. and
ALL With scarcely an exception. are In hour-
ishtng condition. These stores use 4 large
amount OF American produce. and by union
OF Grangers and Co-operators the demand
will vastly increase. II the Patrons OF Hus-
bandry would organize stores on the same
plan. they could be supplied with all English
goods In exchange for their cotton. grain
pork. and other products, which would be
great advantage.
To assist In this matter we give the leading
details OF the Rochdale plan, which will BIZ
seen to be a. simple as 1t Il eAicaclous Most
OF the richest societies commenced busines.
on less than $500. Say twsnty men subscribed
for two shares. Or each put IN 80; they then
rent-d store and en-, ploy ed clerk, and pur.
chased so much tea and coffee. sugar. -four.
and other necessary articles, which they sell
at the same price a. other grocery men in the
district only being careful to get pure articles.
Each person IL supplied with book contain
ing the rules OF the society, which are very
ssceip. for the @ .moant Of af stock subscribed.
| any person can join BY paying 25c.. and say
on capital until the full share Of % has been
paid up. The clerk Is supplied with tin and
copper checks, corresponding with the enin
In use. Now, all being ready for business. =
man. woman, or child, member or non mem
Der. goes to the stsrc to purchase. II they
purchase but 5 cents worth. tin check q
! given. showing that they hase spent cents,
20 with dollar or any other amount UP to
35 II they spend % ut one time copper
check 10 given. which shows that they have
spent five dollars; or when live dollars have
been spent In small suns, the tin tickets are
exchanged for one copper or e5 ticket. These
tickets are taken care Of until the end OF the
quarter. when they are taken tn the stere and
the whole salss are reckoned up and the prof
Its divided pro rata among the purchasers;
non-members, however, are only allowed halt
what members receive. The net profits ars
divided AZ follows; lst-5 per cent Is paid on
the paid-up share capital; next ~ to 5 per
cent Is devoted to educational purposes. usu-
ally spent In lectures, reading rooms. librares,
&C.; after this there usually remains frsm 10
to Is per cent on the sales which 10 paid ON
purchases to members. AID half a much tn
non-members. sometimes . portion 10 set
aside ~ = sinking or reserve fund. The menu
bers who have paid up can take their profits
out, or let them lie to accumulate toward the
purchase Of other shares. but those who only
paid % cents must leave their share OF the
prahts toward the payment of the share. ~
that II there has been declared dividend of
| icc and they have spent but 81. there has
new been paid 4Oc. toward the share. Or if they
have spent In the store during the quarter but
e32. the dividend on purchases make = little
over the amount Of = full share Of $5. 1t u
thus that cut OF the profits which would 9th.
erwtse 70 to middlsmen. large snns are built
up. and In time the societies become rich. The
business Is managed by committees ot the So
| eiety vhs. and not the clerk, decide what
shall be purchased and sold.
This Is but small matter yet ii Ia upon
such small beginnings that the powerful CO.
operative societies of England have been
built up. This plan has been found much su-
perior to that Of purchasing at wholesale and
dividing ths price among the members. Eve
rything is sold for cash, those societies whe
have given credit have nearly all failed.
Ascapital aud membership increase. they
add to the grocery Dry-gssds, Hard y are.
Boot and Shoe, Tailoring. make Investments
In manufacturing and other enterprises. The
wealth Of the body 10 now great. and oil accn-
mulated BY little savings These are the peo-
pie " ho are now able to inangnrste the grand
scheme for developing international COM
merce. They will purchase their own ships,
and soon control the vast trade between Eng
land and the Mississippt Valley. The mills
| and manMfdct0rics are conducted in q sfmildr
| tcdy. and are numerous and constantly 1rotcin0.
" the Gransers will opsn stores OH the same
plan. they can be supplied direct with all Brit
ish manufactures. and At the same time collect
from their members, for shipment to England.
all the staples aud produce used BY their
English brethren, which their accumulated
profits will afford them every facility for do
ing. We submit the case for their serious
consideration.
We have forwarded to the Master or Secre.
tary Of the National and each OF the State
Grangers copy of pamphlet BY Walter Morr;.
son. ESQ., late NJ. +. for Plymouth and copy
Of the general rules used by the English CO.
operators. for the guidance Of any Grange
who may drsire to adopt the Rochdsle plan,
also balance sheet cf the Rochdals Society.
which will explain the details OF their work.