Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-26
A SUCCESSFUL COOPERATION,

The association of workingmen to carry
on their own industrial enterprises has
long been recognized as presenting in the
abstract an ideal solution of the labor
problem. Where the workmen are their
own employers there can be no disputes
about wages; where they operate by their
own capital the common interest of capi.
tai and labor is beyond question.
The practical results of this solution de-
pends largely, of course, on the business
conduct of the cooperative or corporate
enterprise. Many cases in which such
projects have failed, for lack of efficient
or honest management, are cited as proof
that industrial cooperation is impractical
bic, but this argument forgets that very
large proportion of failures for enterprises
on the ordinary plan of organization can
also be found. 1t also is liable to be over
set when we find an enterprise in which
the workmen are their own capitalists
achieving marked success. Such an eX-
ample is described at length by the
Christian Union, and the statements con-
cerning it are well worth pondering.
The enterprise in question was started
by number of Swedes in Rockford, iii.
Sixteen years ago they were workmen in
furniture factory, and as an offset to a
sharp reduction of wages they determined
to start factory of their own. Twenty
five of them put in $1,000 of capital. They
seem to have recognized that corporate Or
ganization is ideal cooperation SO long as
it is honestly managed, and the result has
proved their wisdom. After sixteen years
their single factory has grown to twelve.
Eighteen. hundred men are employed in
the works, OF whom all but ninety are
shareholders in the enterprise. The profits
last year were $3.50, 900 and like amount
saved by the men from their wages was
put into the concern as increased capital.
The workingmen as rule own their own
homes. The workingmen take their SONS
into the factories to teach them the trade,
and the apprentices receive a graded
bonus for three years.
1t is rather mortifying to our nationality
to have the members of this successful
concern explain thatit success, compared
with other cooperative failures, is due to
the good faith of the Swedes with each
other, while, if an enterprise pays among
Americans, they at once commence trying
to freeze each other out 1t is beyond
question that greed and distrust would be
fatal qualities to any such enterprise; and
it is equally certain that, with honest con-
duct, the plan of making workingmen
their own employers is the most complete
solution of the LABOR problem. In such a
concern each hand is interested in doing
good work, and thus contributing to the
prosperity of the concern. Habits of
economy and thrift are inculcated; and
every sacrifice to ensure the success of the
plan lays up something for the future, in
stead of being wasted, as is the case in so
many strikes.
The corporation as it was intended to
work furnishes the ideal form of organi-
zation for such enterprises. The corpo-
rate record also shows how utterly the
legitimate and ideal purpose of that
method of organization can be perverted
and abused to enrich the few at the cost
of the many.