The Republican journal., 1886-04-15
Industrial Cooperation.

Bureau, cooperation in its distributvc form is
suggested rs offering some relief to consumers;
but he says, cooperative distribution is only
half measure because this method is effective
for consumers only, while as to the producers,
As such, they are not materially benefited.
What is known as industrial eopartnershp,
sharing and cmbodyng all the vitality there is
in the principle of corporations oilers practi-
cal way of producing goods on basis at once
just to capital and to labor and one which
brings out the best moral elements of both.
This SYSTEM hc says, has been tried in many in
stances. and nearly always with success.
The weakness of co-opcrative distribution
when cooperative production is left out, comes
from the fact that the laborer living from his
cooperative store can live cheaper and there
fore can afford to worI, cheaper, and as he cUn
work cheaper he therefore n,uSt work cheaper.
Under competition the ''iron law of wages" re-
quire> that the wagc-worker shall only receive
an average living, and any principle that will
reduce his cost of living will be Immediately
followed by a reduction of wages. Therefore
the cooperative store alone is only momel-
tary relief tur those taking part in it, and by
the consequent Reduction of wages, it makes
times still harder for those outside. Mr..
Wright may we'll call this only half meas
urc.' What he says of cooperative distrbu-
ton is equally true of cooperative production,
for either alone is only half measure. one
enables them to live cheaper and therefore they
must work or produce cheaper; and the other
enables them to produce cheaper and therefore
they must live cheaper, Thus we see that the
principles separated operate hut little better
than choice of evils. 1t is very much like the
choice of all food and no rest, or all rest and no
food, propose 10 show i'll series Of articles
how cooperative production and cooperative
consumption or distribution can be combined
for The benefit of a concerned, in what Mr..
Wright recommends ~ 'inou>trial coIartner-
ship"
am not Going 10 recommend the establish
mcnt of an Industrial Co-opcratiyc Colony ON
the cheap lands of the far west, fora good thing
j. a> good in the state of Maine as elsewhere.
A treec,>, dead level, dry prairie with only one
river. sluggish and muddy nj that, within rail
road communication, is not sufficiently attrac-
tive for grand enterprise; especially to those
ppln III IHt picturesque 2fdll't- NinNNOlHt state
Of Maine. where nature i, represented in all lis
extreme, and in abundance. lt> hill, and Wales,
mountains and streams. it, dense forests, open
plains, handsome Groves and deep >hrubbery,
the wild, the fierce and often glorious energy
of lis winters, preceding the mild beauty of its
summers, with its myriad of habhImg brooks
of power and beauty, it~ streams, rivers, lakes
and the great ocean of grandeur, utility and at
fractions combined, make the state Of Maine
the hand>omest state in tn. Union. shall
therefore locate my industrial roIHrtH,r = Hjp or
cooperative colony in the ~'ate tf AluIg, and
proceed on the 4rounl that il "a cannot ~uvtrcd
here it is worthless c>yWhort
Maine has some difficulties to contend with,
but as the seat OF Il cooperative colony, these
difficulties urt more than u.l~ct when compared
with the west. We are nearer Europe and the
li>hiug industries. We have both railroad and
water. communication with most uf thn >tat,,
lt .
"iH' '''' imam" N'"''N NAVY ''' '''''"'" "'"H'
We are nearer The @rtat industrial cculcr~ from
which to uurrhn., rav material and return
u, -
l""''"''N' we "''o 'n' "''>' ""'''' '"' '"'H
have most coal. ours i, here and only needs
10 b. uncovered. Ey,r, miner mIl,1 admit that
w move " l""'H W ''.' ''''''' ~ ''''' ''''''
ltN inc il ON both >iit~ of the state II il r,u>UH-