The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-01
COOPERATION A SUCCESS
1t Is So With the Civil Seviee Supply
Association, Limited, in
England.
H. First Demonstration of Utility
Was on the Price Of
Some Tea.
Now 1t Attends to Everything for It's Mem
bers, Including the Houses They
Live in. '" -

The experiments in cooperation which
have been made by the government clerks
in Washington have been good enough in
thor way, but it has always been a wonder
to mo that they were not carried further
and modelled more upon the eminently sat
isfactory system in vogue in England, says
Aate Fields Washington.
About q quarter of Il century ago the
"Clvil Service supply Association, Limited
was organized there. The expressed object
' OF the undertaking was to enable member
to supply themselves at wholesale prices
{ with food, clothing and articles of use and
ornament for the household.
4 Tho story goes that a caddy of tea pur-
( chased by a club of tea-loversi in the employ
of the government was the first investment
which turned deliberately in that direction.
The price of one pound of tea to each MEM
ber OF the club WIS found to he SO sna | that
tlls fact quickly became communicated to
many outside of the little circle. From this
box OF tea the Civil Service Supply associa-
ton took its start, and the corporation HIS
now become ono of the most powerful i'll all
England. Only members of the civil sar-
vice are admitted, AM every branch of tie
service, the war office, the foreign office.
the rosteflice, tho custom house, the
museum, and so on, is represented.
The varions departments of the business
are conducted under the names of firms,
who arc responsible to a government head.
For example, there is the firm of John
Baker d Co., in High street, keusineton.
This branch occupies 40 less than thirty
stores, covering an entire block, and all
constituting one vast building, wherein is
conducted Il tremendous business. From
the cellar to the highest story 1000 clerks
statesmen and saleawomcn are employed,
iii addition to a small army of mechanics
and laborers of both sexes.
Divided as TO occupation these people arc
bookkeepers, drivers, posters, carpenters,
plumbers, butchers, grocers, tallorS, dress
makers and the like. Their compensation
is at the full union rate, the association
max ng the point never to contend with
what the working classes consider their
rights. The association, being itself an
lmmense trades union. claims that by go
doing it gets the best workmen and accord
ingl, the best work.
Every emplove. no matter what may Le
his gage, whether the conmonbst porter or
the highest paid clerk. is required to rapport
for work daily at $3.50 in the morning and
continue until 6:39 in tho evening. but is
also allowed a vacation of three weeks in
every year.
IN natnrahys t~nrouEnout the year the
stores close ut 2 O'Clock. giving the em-
ployes the remainder of tho day to enjoy
themselves as their inclinations may die.
tate. 1t is stated that during tho last
Christmas holidays, Notwithstanding an
unusual increase IN trade, there were no
extra hours of work.
In tho top of the Baker house two stories
are set apart az lodgings for the employees,
more than 800 being accommodated there.
The rooms are comfortably furnished. The
rents charged for those apartments IRE in
eredibly small, considering the locality and