The Helena independent., 1894-11-17

was n pront for the year OF l32 This
was In 1916, Ina isfG f72 was divided In
1897, laO and since then the ltOchdnlo
society has gone on increasing In mem-
bcrHhip, capital, ana turnover, until,
IN 1894, u W Nv a position 10 vote 1000
% a hospital 10 celebrate ~ jubilee.
From 1874 onward humorous towns and
villages In the north of England fol-
lowed the example ~ the people Of
Rocbdhlo and established cooperative
stores. ana nH they succeeded In their
entefprlaea they went Into new lines,
AZ ilrHt business was confined to gro
ccrics, Butchers shops were next
added, and later on the societies
brnnched out into dry goods, shoes, tall
orlng and furniture. until now " ia pos
Hlble 10 buy all the ordinary requisites
of life at the stores OF existing soci-
etics
Until early In the sixties, the man
ayers Of each co-opeThtiYc store bought
goods at wholesale IN what they re-
gardcd aH the best market, ana there
was no national organization In which
the societies were affiliated. In 1854 the
principle Of cooperation was applied
10 Wholesale buying. The Cooperative
Wholesale society was established, and
since then most Of the societies have
done their buying through this concern,
chester and depots In all the large
towns. This society wns fully organ
ICED In 1863 In that year its turnover
amounted 10 fl20. $50. for 1898 the Hnles
amounted to more than ~, 500 900, and
now more than 900 societies. with S25.-
600 members, have subscribed 10 It's cap
ital. In 1874 the Rochdalc wcavers
were able 10 carry the purchases for
their store In "A whcclbarrow. Last
year the Cooperative Wholesale So
clety had fleet OF seven ocean-gOlng
steamers ~ It's own exclusively used IN
bringing home It's purchases from
abroad. The socletys agents are estnb-
lishcd In every country which has pro-
duco 10 sell. and In the case OF dried
fruits and similar goods Il often buys
up the produce of AN island or OF an
entire frult-growing district. Among
British buyers II does the largest trade
OF all In the produce ~ the world.
Although the cooperative societies
have become 80 numerous, and the vol
umc OF their trade In now so large. thera
has been practically no change In the
simple details OF organization and con-
stitution adopted by the Rochdalc
pioneers fifty years ago. Now, as IN
| 1874, 10 become member Of the CO.
operative society IL Is only necessary to
subscribe II To the society's share capi-
tai This sum, 50 invested, gives the
shareholder voice in the management
OF the society, and entities him To di-
Vidend based on the amount OF his pur-
chases at the store. The management
| IL I'm the hands OF a committee elected
annually by the members, and To this
committee is intrusted all responsible
| ity. It appoints the paid manager and
the statesmen. elects delegates TO the
Wholesale society's meetings and gen.
orally acts for a cooperative society as
| a board OF directors does for "a joint
stock association.
IL Is open to any one 10 make pur-
chases at the stores. Prices are the
| same to members and non-members,
and there is absolutely no credit. Trade
at the cooperative stores differs from
! trade at ordinary stores In this. that
| for every penny spent at the co-Opera-
/ tive stores checks are given to pur-
| chasers. Al the end OF the quarter
dividend is declared at so much In the
pound on the purchases. Members then
hand In their checks and either draw
| the dividend or allow IL 10 accrue to
their credit. In the latter case interest
is paid on the money, usually at the
rate of per cent, with limit. how
ever, on the sum which can be placed
TO the credit of any one member. Thus,
II the dividend is at the rate OF half a
crown on the pound. a family whose
/ trading for the quarter amounted TO tl2
| will have 30 shillings standing TO their
| credit. Non-members receive a diVi-
| dend on their purchases, but not at the
| same rate as members. Usually there
| is difference OF about 25 per cent in
the dividends payable TO members and
non-members.