Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-24
CO.ODeratiOn,

The July Century contains a number Of arti~
Giles and editorials on the labor question, From
a brief paper on Cooperation" by Theo L. De
Winnie, the wel-knOwn printer, we quote as
follows: THE greatest obstacle to the success
OF manufacturing corporations of journeymen
is their imperfect knowledge of the expenses of
business and of the smallness OF the profit made
from each workman. To illustrate. A factory
tina. employs one hundred workmen and pays
a net profit OF $4,000 year does a thriving
business. Few Journeymen can see that this
profit oil $4,000 Il year. if paid to them. would
give each only about two dollars more a week
The average workman is not content with the
risk and responsibility OF u co-partner for so
small a return.
iormity Oh wages. with slight regard to condi-
lions OF business or to the unequal production
OF different workmen. The spirit of the CO.
operative method is the reimbursement of the
returns Of labor in true proportion with the
pronts OF the business and the true production
OF each co-operaior: The two policies are in
direct opposition. Men vino have been educated
TO believe IN the wisdom of the first policy will
not cheeriuIiy accept the second. TO many CO.
operation would be a disappointment, II every
factory were organized under the co-operat ion
method there would be great inequality in the
earnings OF men in different factories. In
some shops men would receive large diyi-
dendS; in others, equally good and perhaps
better workmen would get nothing. In other
shops good workmen, as well as poor, might be
deblted on their weekly wages with the
losses OF an Improbable year. That there
might be more OF the latter than the former
CLASS Is plaln enough 10 any one who has
suited the statistics OF manufacturing indus
tries. Few succeed where many fail The dis
content of a superior workman who has been so
unfortunate as to work in a shop that ha, made
no profits, when he contrasted his scant earn
inSs with the liberal returns made to another
workman, perhaps his inferior In skill, vino hid
been engaged in "a lucrative business, would
soon make him rebel at the apparent Injustice
OF the cooperative method.
Misunderstanding corporations formed by
employers of established responsibility witt,
their ioremen anu leading workmen, who have
"a proper knowledge OF the expenses OF conduct
ing business and iuii trust in their EMPLOYERS
sigacity, have been OF advantage to the COOP
orators. 80 lar as know these are the Oni
ones that have been successful. They would be
more numerous II employers could be assured
that the Journey men who wish to be CO.
operators would take all the duties AS we'll as
the privileges OF the new position.
"a Cautious employer fears to propose CO.
operation when he considers the prejudices
against unequal pay and the peculiar notions
about rights and duties which are held bv
many lourneymen. Men who base their claim
Ior iuli wages, not so much on their efficiency
as producers, AS on the prescriptive rig hts they
nave earned, or fancy they have earned by
serving apprenticeship, mem bershin in -
trade societ y--nen who habitually eyade the
more disagreeabie duties OF their business.
never doing more than is required OF them
cannot DE desired as good Ipers In any coon
erative enterprise. They may hinder i, more
as partners than as journey men. They cannot
nelpIt
The largest part OF the worlds work is now
done, as III Das been Tor fixed wages. That
may he freely admitted; but with ali its evils
the preference OF the great army of the EN-.
pioyed Is for fixed wages, the content when
comes from present security and full release
nom ali risk and responsibility. When a
large share vi the employed will accept their
far share Oil responsibility, one may begin ex-
peritneuts OF cooperation with more hope OF
success.
This time should not be far of. Recent
events must have shown TO thinking mechan-
les what Cooperation in trades unions can do
and W hat IL can do III the matter of wages 4
year or two more OF experience may be needed
10 complete the demonstration, anu prove that
the strength vi any association, whether IL be \
trades union or cooperative family, is not i'm
proportion 10 The number. but the quality of its
InenbershIp-not In its large balance In bank
nor In its prescriptive rights, in its ability
10 get slits or loans, but in the skill efficiency
and fair dealing oil its individual members
Inc thoughtful workman must see that there
are rewards for labor which no society can gel
for hiin-rewards To be earned by the discharge
OF duties which he must DO himself: that IL is
better Tor him to be expert and active at his
trade, trying TO do more rather than less than
is required oi him, making himself more and
more useful TO his employer and to society
than IL Is TO lean on any association for sun.
port or protection. 1t will be from the ranks Of
these men, AMI these men only that the sue
cessiul cooperative societies Of the future viii