The Morning herald., 1876-12-14
CoNsUMPrIvE COOPERATION.


Cooperative shops or unions for the
purpose Of production, havesbeen thus far
failures. Cooperative stores for the distri-
button or sale of goods have been, on the
contrary, when we'll managed, usually sue
cessful. We present to our readers few
thoughts and facts upon what is termed
consumptive cooperation, that is, the sup
plying Of the wages class with the neces-
sariss Of life through agencies established
and supported by themselves.
By productive cooperation, workmen
seek to increase their income.
By distributive or consumptive oo-ope-
ration, they seek to expend their incomes
to better advantage. They no longer seek
to divide among themselves the profits Of
manufacture, but the profits Of retail and
perhaps of Wholesale trade
The advantages Of this species of co.
operation are:
First the division among the co-opera-
tors Of the ordinary net profits Of theretail
trade.
Second: the saving of all expenses in
the line of advertising, whether in the way
Of printing and bill posting, or of the dec.
Grafton Of stores, with gliding and fres-
Going, with costly counters, shelves, and
show cases, with plate glass windows and
elaborate lighting apparatus, or of high
rents paid on account Of superior location.
The aggregate saving on these accounts is
very large. The "union" store may be on
back street, with the simplest arrange
ments, yet the associates will be certain to
20 to it for their supplies, without invita-
tion through newspapers or posters.
Third: great reduction in the expen.
ses Of handling and dealing out goods.
The retail trader must be prepared at all
times to serve the public, and he does not
dare to greatly delay one while serving
another, lest he should drive custom to a
rival shop. He is therefore obliged to be
At an expense for clerks and porters far
exceeding what would be required were the
trade Of the day somewhat more concen-
trated.
Fourth saving, Of vast amount, in
the abolition Of the credit system, involving
as that does the keeping of books, the ren.
dering of accounts, and much solicitation
Of payment, and, secondly, very consid-
cradle percentage Of loss by bad debts.
Fifth: security, 80 far as possible with
human agencies, against the frauds in
weight and measure and in the adultera-
tion Of goods, which are perpetrated ex.
tensively under the system of retail trade,
the poorest customers being generally those
who suffer most.
Thedificulties Of "consumptive" are fewer
and less severe than those of productive
To handle and sell goods is
q much less serious business than to pro-
duce them. When once marketed, the
contingencies of production are past, the
quality Of the goods is already determin-
ed, and in the great majority Of cases, only
moderate care is required to prevent de-
terioration. Then again, the profits of
retail trade are relatively higher, for the
capital and skill required, than the profits
Of manufacture and hence there is more
to be gained by total or even partial sue
cess.
Finally and chiefly, the "destination" Of
the goods is already practically provided
for; the members are certain to take off
what is bought, if only ordinary discretion
is used waste and loss are therefore re.
duced to the minimum.
There are, therefore, powerful reasons
in the nature Of the case, for the success Of
consumptive cooperation. The facts bear
out the prognostication although even this
form of association has had many disap-
pointments and often come to grief, not
always from causes easily to be detsrmin.
I'd. "Co.operation," says Mr.. Holyoake,
of the movement in England,
is the most unaccountable thing that is
found amongst the working classes. No.
body can tell under what conditions it
will arise. Why it flourishes, when it does,
md why it does not flourish when it
'hould, are alike inexpIicable. The latest
statistics attainable show 746 cooperative
'ocieties existing in England and Wales.
The total share capital reaches G2,7S4,.
700. The money taken for goods sold
Turing the year 1873 was ELL $4,000, |