New-York tribune., 1880-10-31
MIR HUGHESANp COOPERATION
,,p, DINO THE ENGLISH WORKINGMAN.

|
| WORLD.
! Tn me Ed{tOr OF The Tribune.
SIR: Thomas Hughes is chiefly known IN thiS
| countrv as n charming author, an instructive 'ec-
turcr and an able politician. Most people, however
ho 90 LITTLE ac1uantance with him as co0perator'
although he will undoubtedly say in MS forthcoin-
ing lecture in this city on that subject that u IL u
| qucstion which has never been absent from n'7
thoughts for the last thirty years OF MS me- anu
that the part taken by him in promoting the grow"
of cooperation is that portion OF his mes WORK Vi
which he IS most proud
Since the idea that in cooperative action les the
solution of great and pressing social problems nas
taken strong hold upon the minds OF many people
it is desirable that they should be made 'nor-
oughly acquainted with the services OF so
able an advocate of the cooperative move
ment as is Thomas Hughes The material
for the following sketch has been furnished
by persons who have been his friends and co-work-
ers from the beginning of his interest IN this cause
to the present day-E. vansittart Neale, General
Secretary of the Central Cooperative Board OF Great
Britain, and John Roebuck, of New-Iork.
II his interest in this subject did not originate in
the influence of the late Rev. Professor +. d. Mau-
rice 1t AZ least took its characteristic shape from
the views Of that remarkable man, the nature OF
which is indicated by the name taken by the band
Of disciples who followed him in this effort" Chris
tian Socialists Among those who adopted tins
name with blr. Hughes and Professor Maurice were
the late Canon Kingsley, whose books, Alton
Locker especially bear testimony to his interest IN
this vital subject; Lord Goderich. now Marquis de
Grey and Ripon, well known in this country as the
High Commissioner for the settlement OF the Ala
bama Claims and the present Goyernor-GeneraI OF
India, who. under all his dlgnitios, has ever been
true and helpful friend to the working classes oil MS
native land: John Malcolm Ludlow, the present
Registrar of Friendly Societies, an earnest ana te-
long friend of cooperation; Edward Yanstiart
Nealc, the present secretary OF the Central Co
operative Board Of Great Britain, and others more
or less known in connection with the promotion Of
movements and legislation intended to benefit the
working classes.
TIE SPIRIT or TIE TlM9.
The epoch when these men assumed this title
must be borne in mind by any one who would form
Just estimate of the character of those who, like
Mr Hughes. were 10, afraid to ASSUME it. II WIS
in 1919, shortly after the revolution which d.
pryed Louis PHILIPPE Of lis throne; when TIE
spectre Of the Social Democratic Il pubic was
frightening Europe from its propuety; when the
streets Of Paris had been newly Geluged with blood
in the insurrec;ion that ended the Presidency of
LamartIne, and when Louis Blanc. who's, book on
the organization o. labor WAS commonly considered
to have contributed largely to this saHgIiuary
catastrophe was an exile IN England; II was in
such a time that these Christian Socialists pIb-
lished a series of tracts TO which 3ir hughes was
contributor, wherein they maintained: That NJ.
LOUIS Bauc was substantially right in trac ng III
evils of society to the predominant influence Of the
spirit of competition; that he was substantially
r-t in his notion Of the true remedy for this evil,
namely the formc ton OF associations OF producers.
who should carry on work upon the opposite prin-
cIplo Of a mutual agreement for the equitable ap-
portioument of its results among all concerned
whether as workers capitalists; that his error
consisted IN his seeking to obtain by political means
what could be Obtained only by tho volun-
tary union of men practically influenced by
the spirit OF Christianity; that the true
salvation Of society must be sought IN such
unions for the objects contemplated by W. Louis
Blancp
This teaching, which was Systematically con-
tinucd for about two years, principally through
tie medium Of a weekly PAPER called The Christian
Socialist was remarkable for the popularity that,
though ayowedly founded upon the universally ac
cepted doctrine as to the person OF Christ, it was
entirely free from the eXclusiyeness generally
found 10 be connected with that conception. No
profession of faith was required either from the
tion with the Union of Promoters of Working
mem, Associations" grouned around Mr. Maurice.
or from those promoters themselves. Willingness
to mite in the common work and such
absence of any antagouIsm to Christianity
As was implied in readiness TO work
for the cause of association with
q body calling itself Christian were the sole qlalif-
cations for participation in schcme which deserved
a better fate than actually befell it. For 1t was
brought to an end through lack Of responses to its
appeals, either from the richer classes which it
sought to interest in assisting the to raise
their position, from the masses to be raised and
through the commercial failure, not wonderful
under such circumstances, of the wOrkingmens
societies set up in connection with it.
Reference should here be made to another line of
work which the same body OF men strengthened by
the cooperation of other thoughtful EnglIshmen
who believed that they owed duty to their less
fortunate countrymenl entered upon at this time a
work suggested to them, and its necessity pressed
upon them by their experience rs promoters of work
ingmen's associations. This was the affording
the means for higher degree of education than
had hitherto been within the reach of the wages |
receiving class. The scheme 10 bring this about
took substantial form IN 1854 by the establish
ment in London of the Workngnen's College. Ii
was hoped that those who had become interested in
cooperative production would avail themselves of
the Tor the Cul-
tlvation OF their mental and moral faculties I'm |
this again they perhaps disappointed The |
college has been aud Is a success, but the men who
entered II were not largely those who had partic
pated in cooperative effort. However, one working
association. at least, sprang from the colegethai
of the " London Working Gilders land has been
carried on pr0sperousy.
MR. HUGHES AND THE wORKINGMENs COLLEGE, |
Mr.. Hughes has continued for the quarter of
q century of the existence of the Working
mems College to give it his best help and
effort and on the death of Professor Maurice. its
revercd first principal, he succeeded HIM in that |
office 1t may with truth be said that in form or
place has the minor truth of the cooperative princ
pie been better exempiied than in the London
Workingmcns College. where teacher and studept |
have We'd with each other IN mutual and conti,,