The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-03-25
FROM OBeRuN.
OBERLIN, o., March Is, 1871


70 the Editor of The WoRKEsMAEs ADVOCATE
The greatest bonanza yet discovered was
found in Oberlin, and all above the sod.
No picks, powder, water, ETC., necessary.
We can all get rich at home. They are
rich who possess all the necessaries and
comforts Of life, obtainable through the
labor of their own hands and powers,
without trespass upon the rights Of others
Our Cooperative Store Association is a
success without a parallel, 50 far as we
know. Opened for trade Feb. "a. 1874,
WITH a capital Of S42O in hand, $50 Of
which se invested ut once in fixtures, leay-
ing but $40 in hand to work with. X Had J.
poor stard for business, dark, dreary and
contracted. Removed once, and after
run of eighteen weeks-to July l, 1874
declared and paid dividend Of AZ per
cent. on capital stock Total dividends on
capital stock in two years, less eight weeks,
l42 per cent, paid quarterly to stockhold-
ers We reduced prices materially the
first term from what they had been Had
we sold the same amount Of goods at the
scale Of prices prevailing at the period,
our profits for the eighteen weeks would
have been somewhere between 90 and 100
per cent. undoubtedly. We concluded BY
figuring that at the close Of the sixth quar-
ter or term our store had conferred ben
eft, directly and indirectly, upon this place
and the region around, Of S25, 900, at the
least; but the people are so demoralized OF
bumfoodled as not to be excited on the
subject-this being due to the influence
our college, built upon usury, council hall,
churches, banks, merchants and papers,
exercise-all giving our store the cold
shoulder, and as much additional opposition
as they can and dare. If these influences
all went for 1t, this people would go, or
attempt to 90, on all fours, or upon their
hands, with feet in the air, we are under
such excellent discipline All that is false
in community sympathizes and sustains
each other-that is, co-operates Our
storekeeper or agent was little bit Of an
Englishman, a mere boy in stature, and
cultivated community, with its three Col
leges, or FIVE, if we include Council Hall
and our Conservatory Of Music, and with
official associates Lnfriendly, OF such as
were in sympathy with their surroundings,
almost or quite TO man, from the outset
The almighty dollar and reputation, stand
ing in community, was before cooperation,
or the good of the masses. it is believed,
with the best one among them all; conse
auently, the entire burden rested on the
shoulders of our little merchant, and he
partially disabled, by opposition aud tor
want Of sympathy on the part of his asso-
ciates. If he had been permitted or en-
| couraged and assisted to execute all his
plans, stockholders would have realized
100 per cent. per annum at present prices,
ard the Lord knows how much more By
adding the coal and lumber trade, which
our agent was quite anxious to do for US.
and had time and money sufficient for il,
another large amount could have been
added to our receipts. He concluded the
coal trade alone would pay our running
expenses, amounting at present to some
81, 800 per annum; then there would have
been the entire profits on lumber and all
other trade to be divided among stock.
holders.
| Peradventure the matter is not done
with yet; there is too much in it. There
has been a child among them taking notes,
for the benefit Of the public, provided
Oberlin decides or consents to be no further
benefited. We got few reports of our
success through the New York Tribune
and they were noted, az numerous commu
nications testify. Our last report but one
to them has not appeared, to our knowl
edge. No one as yet has said, perhaps, q
more damaging thing against the competi
tive system Sf trade than the founder D
the New York Tribune, tO-wit that NO
more than a tithe-1 in 10-of those en-
gagged in trade are needed therein, ol
words to that effect The failure Of som,
81 per cent Of this vast army of supernu
meraries of the producing classes forces on
vast sums, in addition to what they draw
through profits.
Next to usury on money. there is m
greater curse to humanity than this usur,
on goods, or the competitive system il
trade 1t costs the people billions Of dol
lars annually, besides eursing them in in
!, Vulnerable other ways We know notEin
absolutely that can be urged in its favor
as compared with the cooperative system
II its friends have anything to utter in il
favor, We hope they will utter it. L.