The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-22
COOPERATION AT R0CIIDALE
NOW A FEW room LANCASHIRE WEiT-
ERS BUJLT UP 4 FORTUNE
Twopence n wcek-The Little SHOP in Toad
Inne-Whnt II has Gr"wn to In o3
Years Last Years Fronts, Sx5s.44O.


have not usually been very successful in most
places. and especially in the United States. Fail
urc has been so nearly the uniform rule that
most people have come to look upon coOpera-
ton as a kind of crazy speculation. But they
are not failures everywhere. In London and in
the south Of England generally. they have not
usually turned out well but even in London
there are II few bright exceptions to this rule.
But in the northern counties Of England-par
ticuarly in Lancashire and Yorkshrc-and in
many OF tho southern counties Of Scotland, CO.
operation nourishes wonderfully, and in these
districts failure Is rare. The fame OF the old
Rochdalo Society is almost world wide. IL has
been in existence over thirty-thrcc and a half
years and through good times and hard times
alike its prosperity has been uniform. and 1t
has almost every year steadily gained in men,
bcrship and financial strength. have just re-
turned from visit TO Rochdale. where spent
four days examining tho history and working
Of this admirable society and believe many
Americans would be glad to know something
definite about ii.
In the latter part Of 1si3. a number Of poor
weavcrs who were out q work and nearly out
Of money. held a meeting to see whether they
could not devise some plan by which they might
make their way Of life a little less difficult
They had a plenty OF projects but oil OF them
required money. and this they had not. How
ever. they came to wise conclusion They
settled upon plan OF cooperation. and agreed
TO contribute the magnificent sum OF twopcnce
each per week toward raising capital fund.
That amount did not promise great results but
IL was not an insignificant sum To- them. While
the fund was growing they agreed 10 work and
wait. The work Of collecting the money was
taken in turn. and every Sunday some one OF
| bo n no truIraI thp rpun1 q nearly
twenty miles on foot. and received at each
house twopence. Tho weekly collection fire.
| quently did not amount to sl.25. Presently they
| increased the weekly payment to threcpence.
| Toward the close Of 1874. they had managed to
collect about $40. and on this sum they began
business. They numbered only % members.
| The basement story Of building in Toad
lane had been leased. and they had
to spend a good part Of their money
for fixtures. While they were collecting
their fund, they had talked much about the
enterprise. and all Rochdao was smiling at
what they chose TO consider rather good Joke
| than anything else. Finally they took down
the shutters. and Toad lane was all in n litter al
the immense stock displayed. II consisted
solely of oatmeal. butter. sugar. and -four. and
the entire stock was not worth moro than s7j
all the rest Of their capital had been used in
getting ready for business. They opened only
two or three times a week, and then only for {
few hours. But the OVID Viewers shop. a.
II was contemptuously called In Lancashire dia
lect was n live enterprise, and was not TO b'
laughed down. The originators had Learned
what little they knew in the hard school of al
versity. and their struggles with poverty has
taught them that honesty and confidence II
each other must be the foundation Of thei
scheme They trusted in each other. and an lei
| .uf.. In N.tf m "a II
A. time wore on their numbers increased
their sales grew larger: the store had 70 10
open more frequently and Tor longer time
AMI their quarters had to be enlarged In
The entire building In which they had started
At the close of lsiJ-their FIRST tull wear husi
ness-thcy had a members their capi'al stosl
was s9Oj the sales amounted TO 1880 Tor u
year and the profit. were $40, OF nearly SID
Tor each member. The result was, not grand
hut II showed progress: At the end OF 1870 IN
: Rochdalc Cooperative Society had taken goo
position fnanrially. and people had stolpc
laughing and sneering ut them. 1hey thc
had Coo members: their capital stock wa
III AS: the business OF the year amounted I
! SIS Sos and the profits wore SliO0 n abou
s5S5 H. ca n member equivalent 10 illly tw
weeks work az that time With very litle cN
ccltion their advance has been at lust anot
! that rat. ever since. and there has never been
: | back ward step. Tho enterprise nus now al
I | tanned vast proportions; having many l'pnr
b work 81 stores in Tie town II Eo,hdale i,sel
10 | and IN numerous villages in circuit OH ten /.
ii'ocn miies around II; ANY s,n slg,.r'e1
j town 81 Ro.hA1le has about 10000 p'oll". >
g thc c,osn Of 1877 the society ngmn"r"d ~
, members; the capital stock was s!iIl 90 ~
u sales of the year were in amount 81 jjs.Il an
!, tie profits amounted T. the HANDSOME sum
y s2jS 2iu. A. present, the secretary informs IL
y the membership Is above loWO.
IA At first the store sold only the most ahso y
= nece-saries Of life. but the number 81 arti'!
e rapidly grew until their business was lare
enough 10 make the grocery department. OF !
- self dry goods another department; bopts al
meat another. Al first their basement story
:, Toad lane WAS more than enough i"r IN,
< wants. Now no less thAn xix nourishing q
y rartnenis are in sight OF cach other III thhi "
u mediate neighhorhood. In 1850 mashihce
~ central building was erected conslstht OF io
v stories Thor il not u moro imposing bus
- ness block in the town. The lower part - occ
II ped 10y salosrooms and tho Other stories,
.dr library. reading room onees haL a., IN !,
re- business Of the society In that street. Ihr
a other buildings close by arr used for the bakin
butchering. and tailoring departments.
n: Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society" 7
II ali, there are fourteen different reading room
y ali well supplied with daily and weekly new
81 papers. periodicals, monthles, and quArterll'
u social reform. Each has reference libra
". and these reierenee liorali"s qgHrfgiaiie oN
al reading room with quite n thousand Nouw
81, for reference. TO be used in the room only,
81 all bonring the impression Of having been
OF lrried 10y competent persons. This is the m
er complete general reading room ] have c'
'"y seen. For special subjects there are no dp'
of many better, hut ~ its kind considcrthls ma
". 10 match. The room Is large md well light
AT and tho furniture the best to bc had. Not
~ penny. however. has boen wasted IN mere Il
- play. The reading rooms are open every
iSt sundays included, from A. VI. Ill "a =. ".
Az circulating library Of more than l2uuO wen
at lected books il also located in the central bui
II ing. The circulating library, and all the ne
tr- rooms with their reference libraries, are irr'
Is, members. Clnsscs are also held, and compNt
od teachers employed for the study Of the dlller
IT, arts and sciences and some OF the lanEuag
lot For a few Of these studies small fees
charged, but the educational advantages .
" valuable, and the cost is little moro than i
an what il would he elsewhere. The educati9
IN fund amounts to about 50 900 year, No I'll
ne dends are paid to members on purchases al
! II this fund has had its regular percentage.
70 There nrc also several other societies, VII
lld are to q large extent wards OF the main socl'
m but the accounts are kept distinct. and the tu
DO OF these societies. SO far Ms held by the man
are ciety, ara only Investments oil surplus nhp
the upon which dividends are received Two
~ these are the ltOehdale Corn Mill society
mt. tho Rochdnle Cooperative Manufacturing -
We ETY. The Corn Mill Socety-nlso coopcrati'
IL, was started in 1850, and in 1877 did II bush
our amounting 10 81 26O 225, with prom OF 500
ns. Many members OF the main society are
cry members of these others, Tho society also
dly nishes its members with all the essentlaladN
4a.tNH a.al