The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-08-11
GRANGE DEPARTMENT
Facts for Farmers.
What the National Grange Recommends
Cooperation.

lowing E65OIullOL
Having examined the details of the
plan of cooperative societies of Great
Britain as presented by their deputation
to the United States, properly known as
the Rochdale plan, and its wonderful sue
cess, we heartily recommend 1t to the
careful consideration of our State and
subordinate Oranges, and to the mem
bers of our Order, and advise such ac-
ton on the part of the Executive Com
mittees of the several States as may be
necessary to the organization and opera
ton of such cooperative associations
within our Order. "
This important resolution is likely to
be robbed Of part Of its effect by the
fact that very few people know anything
about the " Rochdale plan of co-Opera-
ton. We supply the want by printing
the following full and interesting sketch
of the original cooperative organization
of Rochdale, the Equitable Pioneers So
clety, from advance sheets Of THE Prim
er of Political Economy, by Alfred B.
Mason and John j. Labor.
In 1912 twenty-eight weavers formed
this company. They were so poor that
they could pay into the capital fund only
4 cents apiece per week. 1t took them
two wears to accumulate a capital of $40.
On a December evening in 1914, " Toad
Lane, a dingy little street in Rochdale,
was crowded with hOoting rabble, gath
cred to see the opening of the g weavers
shop. When the shutters of the room
the Society had hired were taken down,
the ieering crowd screamed with laugh
ter at the sight of the almost empty
shelves within. For a long time the
twenty-eight weaver5 were the only GUS
toners. They could not afford to hire a
clerk, so they took turns in keeping
store in the evenings. 1t was shut du-
ring the day. The scanty stock of gro
ceries was soon sold. The proceeds
bought larger stock. This went, and
the next, and the next, and so on. BY
buying their goods from the producers,
they got them so cheaply that they could
sell them below the usual prices, pay all
the store expenses, and declare a small
dividend on the capital. In 1915 their
capital fund was 500. Their member
ship was "A. Soon they rented larger
room and hired manager. In 1916
they began to sell meat in 1S47, dry
goods; in 1852, boots, shoes and cloth
ing. IT. 1852 they opened wholesale
department. This cooperative store is
managed by persons they employ, but it
does not interfere with their work.
The main building of the Society is
now the most conspicuous structure In
Rochdale. Its top floor is plain, com
Portable hall, whore the monthly meetings
of members are held, lectures delivered,
and parties given. On the floor below
are the reading-room and the library.
The latter has about 10, 600 volumes.
There are eleven branch reading-rooms in
the town. The Society maintains schools
for its members and their children. 1t
has a collection of scientific instruments
which it loans for 2 or cents an evening
to members who wish them for their own
instruction or for the entertainment of
their friends. The two lower floors OF
the building are divided into the differ
ent stores the Society owns, and the
basement is devoted to packing and stor
ape There are branch stores in different
parts of the town,-among them eleven
butcher shops and thirteen groceries.
The Society manufactures tobacco, and
has invested some of its spare funds In
corn. cotton, and wooden mills. These
are properly examples of productive CO.
operation, however, so that we will not
discuss them here. In December, 1871,
the Society began to build homes for its
members. 1t now sells them coal. AL
most from the beginning it has been their
savings bank, receiving deposits at any
time, and paying interest upon them;
Mr.. George Jacob Holyoake, an Eng
lsh journalist, scholar, and co-operator,
has written " History Of Cooperation
in Roehdale. We quote this passage
from it:
"These crowds of humble working
men, who never knew before when they
put good food in their mouths, whose
every dinner was adulterated, whose
shoes let in the water moment too soon,
whose new coats shone with devils
dust and whose wives wore calicoes that
would not wash, now buy in the market
like millionaiaes, and, as far as pureness
of food goes, live like lords. They are
weaving their own stuffs, making their
own shoes, sewing their own garments
grinding their own corn. They buy the
purest sugar and the best tea, and grind
their own coffee. They slaughter their
own cattle, and the finest beasts of the
land waddle down the streets of Rochdale
for thea consumption of thnnelweavers
and cobblers, x & The teetotalers of
Rochdale acknowledge that the Store has
made more sober men since it commenced
than all their efforts have been able to
make in the same time. Husbands who
never knew what it was to be out of debt,
and poor wives who, during forty years,
never had siXpense uncondemned in their
pockets, now possess little stores of mon
ey, sufficient TO build them cottages, and
60 every week into their market, with
money jingling in their pockets And in
that market there is no distrust and no |
deception there is no adulteration and |
no second prices. The whole atmosphere |
is honest.
The official report of the Society for
the three months ending June 10, 1873, |
at $50, 985. This enormous business has |
been built up and is now controlled by |
men who work for daily or weekly wages. |
The Equitable Pioneers Society is or
ganized in this way: Anybody who is APP
proved by majority of the Executive |
Committee, and of the members, can
Join the Society. He must subscribe for
FIVE shares of So each, pay an admis-
sion fee of % cents, and pay 8 cents
week until his FIVE shares are all paid for.
The money received in this way is the
share-capital of the Society. There is
also loan-capital, formed by deposits by
members. Interest is paid on these de-
posts, and they can be withdrawn at any
time. While the Society has them, it
uses them to extend its business. They