Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1890-12-01

COOPERATIVE STORES.
Some Points - In How They Are Run N
the Retail Basis In England.

some fOlnIB - NJ hOW Aucy HAO AsuAs -
the Retail Basis In England.
For a great number Of years have
been engaged in q business which neces-
stated my calling upon cooperative
stores, and l believe l am right in saying
there is not town Of industry in Eng
land Il might also include Scotland and
Wales) that cannot boast Of its retail
grocery cooperative store. The rapid
strides made by these retail stores IL
simply extraordinary, Of course greatly
to the loss of the private tradesmen.
In the colliery districts the stores tprl
vate tradesmen's business places are
called shops) do all the trade. or at all
events all that is worth doing know
stores that have only been in existence
two years that can boast of their 5000
members, and this in n thinly populated
colliery district. These members buy,
all they require from their own cooper
alive. NO it may easily be imagined what
an amount of trade they do Each mem
Der is supposed to deposit when he enters
the store ~ much M his monthly grocery
bill will amount to. and except in very
exceptional cases they are not accepted
as members unless they arr i'll il posi- ton
to make this deposit This secures the
cooperative from any losses from bad
debts. and at the same time secures
them the best class Of people as mem
beers. the less respectable having the PR
vate tradesinan to fall hack ulon-a very
poor outlook for him
Tie majority of the co operative stores
are worked very economically. and to u
worSingman are great advantage over
the private trader mean by 'advant-
age" that they are cheaper. and besides
they give him an idea Of saving he would
otherwise never have At the end Of
every quarter the stock il taken. and
after certain amount has been added
to reserve fund all the profit the store
has made during the quarter il returned
to the members in the shape Ut divi-
dend. So supposing member has dur
ing the quarter bought goods to the
amount of $3.50 (Which Is. believe. the
average amount member spends) he
eitker draws his dividend or leaves 1t in
the store, and it is put ont ut the best
procurable safe interest
Several Of the stores have been con
nected with lately have declared divi-
dend Of 20 per cent. discount; 30 that
man doing the trade ] have mentioned
above as the average would find himself
possessed of $24 The majority Of the
members leave their dividend lying. and
of course it accumulates. and quickly,
so that in few years they have very
handsome little balance.
When | landed in New York n few
weeks ago inquired and WAS surprised
TO hear there were no cooperative stores
in the States. The wholesale co-Opera
tive stores in Manchester and Newcastle.
which were only organized II few years
ago, own steamers and publish a paper
solely devoted to their interests. They
have just completed flour mill on the
Tyueside that has working capacity of
$4,000 bags per week. The wholesale
stores do no business with the private
trader. They confine their trade solely
to retail co-operatives. and all the flour
this new mill makes will be- consumed
upon Tyneside by the retail places !
may add that am surprised that coun-
try like America. with all its advan-
tages. cannot boast of n retail cO-Opera
tive society.-R. Caygill in New York
w .r,d