The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-01-05


have resulted. Why is this the case?
Simply because if one man cannotscom-
pete with capital by his labor neither
can one branch of industry compete,
because capital will crush the life out
Of any class of tradesmen that attempts
to stand alone and aloof from the other
trades. To succeed, the tradesmen
must have the backing" To succeed
In cooperative industry the market
must be ready, and each customer
must be interested with the workers.
There must be an interest in the affair
yes, a selfish interest-and we must
spell business " with a capital B. No
sentimentality, sympathy, or friend
ship is here appealed to. Nothing but
pure selfshnesS- selfishness that com
pels every man to love his neighbor as
himself because it pays to do so.
AN ILLUSTRATION.
AS stated in the above paragraph,
no class of mechanics can succeed with
out the backing" if I may use the
expression. Suppose 500 shoemakers
should com bine to make shoes, and
cooperate for business. The capitalists
would combine against them. The 500
shOemakers could not wait to build up
trade. They would starve before
they found their customers, and even
Alliance farmers would not pay them
80 for pair of shoes if the capitalists
could sell the same make of shoes for
81 so Self interest always rules, all
sentiment to the contrary. But sup
pose instead of 500 shOemakers, the
500 men were composed of shoemakers,
hatters, timers, tailors, printers,
plumbers, cabinetmakers, etc, all
in I111
their articles in a store connected
Herewith, the one class would support
the other. There need be but a proper
tion of shOemakers, (say ten), and the
ten shOemakers would have 49O c1Ist0-
nlers to begin with, and they would
also be purchasers, hence the hatters
and others. would also have 400 custO-
mers. In other words, they will only
have to sell over and above that which
they consume themselves.
A cooperative store would not only
sell the articles made, but could supply
groceries, and everything else, thus
giving a profit both in selling and in
buying.
CAPITAL REQUIRED.
AS mentioned before, it is well
known that thousands of people pay S.
per month in building associations, for
ten years, only to own a home, and
they are not free from wages slavery
Ga slavery just as oppressive as chattel
slavery Now, if 500 men will con-
tribute S. per month for only two
years, they will have q cash capital of
$50, 600 to begin with, or they may
begin when only portion of the capi-
tai has been paid. give the above
| by way of illustration. OF course the
capital required is a matter demand
ing consideration according to circum-
stances.
MANAGEMENT.
The management should be in the
| hands of board of directors. Each
stockholder should have only one share
of stock, but it is not out of place to
allow those desiring to assist, to hold
! twenty shares, with the prOviso that
all extra shares may bePurchased at
any time, beginning with the highest
number held by any one, until reduced
to one share. Above all, never vote on
stock. Each stOckholder should have
one vote.
Interest at the rate of six per cent.
per annum should be paid on all capi-
tai owned by the stockholders.
All who work should receive wages,
just the same as if working for any
employer. Those not employed will of
course receive the interest on their in
vestment. All who by goods from
the store will receive their share of the
profits of the store on their purchases,
as under the ROchdale system.
DIVISION OF PROFITS.
If, after all expenses have been paid,
| which includes interest, wages, salaries,
etc, and profit is made, it is paid out
| by declaring a dividend on 1CdgeS-nOt
on stock If one man has worked two
DAYS and another only one day, the
man performing twice as much work
receives twice as much dividend, be-
cause he has really produced more
| This rewards industry and checks idle
ness hence the industrious man need
give himself no concern because some
other man is lazy, as he viii receive
all that he earns.
WHOLESALE OPERATIONS
If retail, or local co operative associa
tiOns are formed in the different towns
or communities they can combine to
gether to sell and purchase by whole
sale. In fact, the system can extend
over a whole State, or several States,
and no capital on earth could then face
it. or stand in its path. Not only would
there be a combination of capital and
labor (the capital owned by the laborer)
but the customers would be at each
door, interested customers, bound by
self interest and self preservation. !
supposed 500 men, each contributing
1920 capital in two years, or $50, 900.
Now let 20 associations, of like mum
Der. combine, and the united capital is
81, 200, ,OOO Put those men at work,
and at $500 a year wages for each, the
capital invested in the shape of labor,
annually, will be Sc, ,OOO,OO Let every
county in North Carolina have but one
association only, and the capital will
be enormous. This, too, for only be-
ginning.