Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-11-28
COOPERATIVE RETAILING
The Great Scheme of the South
Dakota Farmers Alliance,
The Order Copies After brigham Young :
Old Plan Goods VIII Only bc Sold to
Members 1t Is "a Great Plan
May Win and May Not.

and plans of the much-talkcd OF and
lonR-promiscd Farmers alliance coop
erativc store scheme bids fair to mate
rialize into an active business concern
in this state for "A time at least Geo.
Crosse. the president of the Alliance
company. has been in this city the past
few days with Edward Carter. one of
the leading men at the head Offices of
the concern from New York city, for
the purpose Of establishing branch in
this city, there being one store i'll oper-
alton in Aberdeen and one projected
for Huron. In an interview Mr.. Crosse
says that it is the aim Of the organiza-
tion which is known as the National
Union company, to buy out a
merchant in every trade center of
Importance and stock him up with
everything that farmer will need
and make the merchant the manager
of the concern. MIR Crosc alleges that
the company has secured options on
forty-onc business concerns through
out this state and that the scheme is
being rapidly pushed ahead all over
the country. lie alleges as advantages
TO the alliance that this concern viii
have the business ability and expert
ence of some of the shrcwdcst men in
the nation at its back. and that there
will be plenty Of capital TO meet any
emergency, and as the business will be
pushed only the smallest prices will
prevail. In return for the small profits
the alliance will give the organization
its whole and exclusive patronage.
Mr.. Crosse further alleged that it
was the intention of this organ
ization to follow closely the
rules adopted by the famous coop
crativc stores in London, England
The net profits of the business are to
be divided between those who put in
the cash, those who patronize the con-
Germ and the manager of the branch.
Mr.. CrOee also rcciteS the fact that the
business will be conductcdo on Il strictly
cash basis; that this scheme has been
on foot for "A year, and that co-opcrat-
I've alliance stores are now in success
ful operation in seven different states.
The alliance folks expect and cont
IDENTIFY predict HAT this new concern
will rcvolutiOniZc the business Of the
country, claiming that it will be as
successful ns the LondCl, England.
stores, and the Zion cooperative stores
in Utah. But this is not the way it
is looked at by one Of Mitchcll's best
merchants. lie says ii the same man
ner of success follows the organization
of this company as aid that of the alli-
ance elevator company. the alliance pur
chasing agency, the alliance insurance
company, the business men have
naught to fear, for the failures of these
alliance concerns are too fresh in the
public mind. IT is to be remembered,
in this connection he says further that
the Zion cooperative stores in Utah
are successful for the reason that the
good cost nothing. being given to the
Mormon church as tithe and in conse-
quence the business can be conducted
at an immense profit. And in the case
of the London, England, cooperative
stores the great density of population
where the entire business is under the
eyes of competent managers makes
success possibility. These stores
were started number Of years ago for
the purpose of furnishing nbe rs
with genuine moderate priced goods,
the cheapness being attained by care
full and economical management and
contentment with small profits. There
are thirty Of these cooperative stores
carrying on an immense trade,
the largest concern being the Army
and navy cooperative stores and the
civil service supply stores The latter
concern consists of shareholders who
pay 81. % the first year and one-half
that sum subsequent years The ass0-
citation now employs l.l1O persons who
receive salaries amounting in all to
S50000o annually. The cost of the
string, paper and straw used in pack
ing goods for customers amounts to
500 600 year and upwards of Sl3O, 900
is spent annually for drays and book
ing. The sales in lssS reached the
enormous sum of -, 500, 600, the net
profit being about 2j4 per cent. The
articles sold comprise groceries, Wines
spirits, provisions, tobacco, clothing,
books, stationery, fancy goods, drugs
and watches No goods are sold TO any
but members. The sales of the army
and navy cooperative store reach
higher mark still, being Sl3, 100000.
This company, now extending its !
work in this state is the same company
or closely allied to the one that has |
been creating somewhat of a breeze in |
the southeastern states. In the south |
ern and southeastern states the alii- |
ance soon after its formation went !
into similar commercial enterprise
and established stores Of its own. Two !
years ago :he jute trade trust raised the |
prices OF bagging and binding twine |
and the alliance went to work to down |
the trust. The business of the jute |
trust was in consequence severely |
hurt, and in order to knock off this un- |
healthy competition the trust quietly |
went to work and by organizing the !
National Union company secured con-
troll of the works of the alliance com |
pany and now the farmers arc in rs !
bad shape as ever The head organi- |
zation in this case is the same one, ut |
least no distinction can be made by an !
examination of the company's officers !
and headquartcrs