St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-03


ures now become confessedly imperative.
The excessive individualism of the past
most give way before the healthier and
hopefuller spirit of brotherhood. which
brings with it a socially regeneratiye power.
COOPERATIVE DISTRIBUTION.
Its History Abroad and i'm America
The system.
The last legislature of Massachusetts,.
says the Boston Herald, ordered the chief
of the bureau of the statistics of labor to
prepare and publish for distribution a pam
phlet descriptive of the history, methods
and present condition of cooperative distri-
button in Great Britain, and gave him the
sum of 81, 500 with which TO pay his bills.
The resolve upon which this work was I'M
dertaken was one introduced by Represent
alive Henry NJ. Cross of NewburypOrt 1t
called for facts and not argument Before
proceeding to history of the cooperative
movement the pamphlet of some 112 pages
which the Massachusetts labor bureau now
issues defines cooperation. AS proposed
by its early advocates the system contem-
plated social transformation. introducing
into the operations Of industry and
trade, that is, into the operations of
production and distribution, such principles
as would overcome the evils that attend
competition. 1t aimed to reconstruct So
ciety upon the comlnunistic basis. its motto
being Each for all and all for each, " rather
than the too common one of Every man
for himself" Imdividualsm is deemed con-
trary to the general good, and it sought to
substitute for indivdualism some system of
joint endeavor through which the laborer.
the capitalist and the consumer should be
brought into relations of mutual help rather
than those of rivalry. But competition
still fiourishes, and the cooperation of the
present, which is successful and here to be
considered, relates to the distribution rather
than the production of goods. Mr.. Holy
oake, the historian of cooperation, says:
Corporation, in the social sense of the
word is new power of industry, consti-
tuted by the equitable combination of
worker, capitalist and consumer, and new
means of commercial morality, by which
honesty is rendered productive. 1t is the
concert of many for comprising advantages
impossible to be reached by one, i'm order
that the gain may be fairly shared by all
concerned i'm its attainment"
THE HISTORY OF COOPERATION.
ST Simon and Fourier and Robert Dale
Owen, as well as William Thompson and
others, are in this report credited with
early attempts at cooperation took various
forms. 1t seemed, Col. Wright SAYS, as il
those interested. intoxicated with the hope
of brighter world than that with which
they were unhappily familiar, We're ready
TO accept any scheme, no matter how wild
or ill-digested, that had in it the promise of
improvement. The enthusiasm with
which these schemes We're embraced af-
forded in most instances a striking contrast
to the failure which finally overlook them.
But the discussion of the general subject i'm
congresses and through the press widely
disseminated cooperative views. Most of
the enterprises suggested were based upon
the communistic plan. The central idea
around which clustered the cooperative ex-
periments projected by leaders of the
movement was in those days the re-casting
of society upon a basis of community
of united interests. But, as Mr.. Holy
oake has pointed out, ''these dreams
were postponed on the part of many, and
We're regarded as separate objects by more,
and not regarded at all by the majority of
co-operators. who had formed stores and
established numerous manufacturing sOcie-
ties for the mutual advantage of the mem
bers." The report then presents table of
cooperative societies nov existing which
were established before 1874. Most of the
early stores, for various reasons, did not
succeed. But the idea gained ground and
new notions were to it added New re-
formers came along like Louis Blanc.
Next came Rochdale. The story of the
work accomplished by the twenty-eight
weavers, who. with their S. apiece united
their little capital in 1874. and have since
become famous as pioneers, is known the
world over.
IN THIS COUNTRY
distributiye cooperation has been tried
upon various plans. notably under the pat
70 mage of the Sovereigns of industry, Pat
rons of Husbandry, Knights of Labor and
similar organizations. Being in most in
stances incidental only to the main purpose
of such orders. the fate of these distributive
stores has usually been determined by the
success or failure of the primary objects of
the organization. In Texas a cooperative
wholesale society and about $50 retail stores
are in existence in connection with the order
of Patrons of Husbandry. Isolated expert
mentS. not successful, have been made in
New York city and in Brooklyn. The Ar
lington Cooperative association at Law
renee, Mass, however, furnishes an exam
pie of successful American distributive CO.
operation on substantially the Roch-
dale plan. The association is limited
to employees of the Arlington mills. In this
feature of limitation the plan of the
English stores is not adhered to, as men,
bership in the latter is not restricted. Of
ficers are elected annually, consisting of a
secretary, treasurer and ten directors one
OF whom is chosen president by the board,
and regular quarterly meetings are held.
The manager of the store is selected by the
directors, and Is at present thoroughly
competent person trained in the principles
OF distributive cooperation in England.
The administration of the society is similar
to that of the English societies which we
have described. Three members of the
board of directors constitute an advisory
committee. whose duty 1t is to consult with
the manager as TO purchases of stock, and
to approve all Oils before they are paid.
The treasurer Is placed under bonds. The
manager is held responsible for the correct
accounting of stock in trade, makes a daily
report of sales and accounts TO the treas
urer and is also under bonds. Mem