The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-27

operation have not been generally fully
apprehended, but chiefly that the sys-
TEN which makes cooperation feasible
has not been erasped and adopted in all
its details, and modified thus to conform
to the laws and usages of this country.
Within three months Parke Goodwin,
Joseph w. Drexel, Rev. DR.. Edward
Beecher, Rev. Robert Collyer, E W.
Crowell, Frederick Law Olmstead, e. v.
Smalley, Felix Adler, John Gledhill, ].
2. Crawford, Rev. DIR. E, H. Chaplin, W.
FL. Sage, and other prominent residents
of Brooklyn and New York, believing
that the time had arrived for introducing
into this country the system of CONNER
cial cooperation which has proved so sue
cessful abroad, united in a call for a
meeting at Municipal Hall, Madison
avenue, New York, and issued invita-
tions to one hundred or more prominent
persons to be present The meeting was
held, proved successful, and resulted in
the appointment of committee to draft
model bylaws for the government of CO.
operative societies.
The Committee at once set to work,
and after frequent, protracted and care
full deliberations formed two sets of by
laws, one for a wholesale cooperative
society and the other for retail coop
erative society. In this work they were
materially assisted by Mr.. John Gled-
hill, the resident buyer in New York Of
| the English cooperative societies.
From this point the work is being
carried forward In this city, for in
stance, after repeated meetings, an or
ganization was on last Saturday evening
effected under the name of the Bedford
Cooperative Society, the capital being
fixed at $4,000, or one thousand shares
of $50 each, ten per cent. payable upon
subscription, and the balance in monthly
installments of 81 on each share. Any
one may purchase at the store.
The objects Of the society are:
l. ITO supply its members and others
with articles of household and personal
use that are unadulterated and of good
quality.
2. "To reduce the cost Of living to the
members by buying for cash at whole
sale, selling for cash at retail, and divid-
ing the profits thus realized among
the members in proportion as they have
contributed to the production of the
same by their capital, labor and Gus
tom."
The prospectus saws: "A member
ship Of 1000 is desired, but the Society
will organize for business as soon as 500
or more persons have subscribed for
shares" ". 4-t
At the meeting of Saturday evening
nearly one-tenth of the stock was taken.
More would have been taken but tor
the desire of the promoters of the move
ment to have the stock distributed as
widely as possible.
understand that in' New York City
similar measures are on foot, end that as
soon as sufficient number of retail CO.
operative stores are established to war;
rant it, a great wholesale cooperative
store will be established in that city, for
the supplying of the retail stores. The
men taking hold are persons of CONNER
cial and social distinction, who are
actuated bv desire to benefit the masses.
Goods will be sold at current retail
prices, so that the only discrimination
against ordinary stores, will be in the
quality of the goods sold and the division
of whatever profits may accrue.
The Bedford Society will begin with
groceries, provisions and meats aud when
practicable will add boots and shoes,
coal, dry goods,&c to the commodities
A gentleman who ought to be pasted
in such matters informed me a day or
two ago that plan was on foot in New
York to erect new building for the Ma
tional Academy of Design; that the
building would be constructed in sections
and that when completed its gallery
would hold 5000 pictures. l have not
had opportunity to verify the statement
and simply give it for what it is worth.
CRAs.