The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-04-17
COOPERATION DEFENDED.


A Populist Farmer Replies to Another
COrrespOndent-Let the Debate Go
On.
To the Editor:
In the issue Of March q VIM. M. Dellcs
takes strong exceptions to some of the fig
ures in my article on cooperation in the
issue of March 13, and intimates that 1
have applied to the present time the retail
profits made 20 years ago. There is nothing
said in that article about prices
20 years ago, and Mr.. D. can
tion viz. to deceive the readers of the pa
per-
l referred to prices five years ago, and
said that as the retail profits were then 80
per cent. and as the prices of goods had not
declined since that time as much as the
price of labor and cost of production, it is
fair presumption that the profits are as
great now as then. If the retailer is not
selling at as high rate as then the jobber
or manufacturer must be making more and
whoever makes it, the consumer has to
pay it anyway. so that the point l made
is as strong ever. The retail prices Of
groceries here are as high on most articles
that I have purchased during the past two
years as they were five years ago. Dry
goods and clothing are some cheaper, but
have not declined equal to the decline in
cost of production. There may be cases of
sharp competition where few articles will
be sold down to nearly cost for short
time, but this is an exception to the gen
eral rule. Mr. D. would have us believe
Il at all business is now being done for
fun; that there is no profit in selling goods,
! and those in trade are carrying on the
business merely from force of habit and
not for profit; but will any one be deceived
by such nonsense. With merchants unions
to regulate the, retail prices, and great
trusts and combines to control and eStab-
lsh prices in all lines of manufactures, for
the very purpose of destroying, finally, all
competition. How idle and foolish 1t lis
for any one to claim that all this organiza-
ton is being accomplished among business
men for the purpose of destroying all pro-
fits and running their business II MI
Delles and the people of Burchville can
buy goods there at prices that eliminate
the profits to dealers, they are more favor
ably situated than most of us. -
However. to settle the point beyond ques-
ton, 1 will request Mr.. Delles, and allepar-
ties who may feel interested, to procure
late Commercial Reporter and get eata-
logues from manufacturers of farm machln-
cry and implements and other KINDS OF
goods, and compare the prices to ]oDbers
with the prices now paid by the consum-
ers, then figure the percentages OF profits
carefully and you can then judge VINO
lies on this, point. That merchants are
failing is no sign that there is noepFofit
on the goods, as some are always falffng.
The cause. more generally is the lack or
loss of custom. When five merchants 10
&c tro6
support two, three of them will nave to
close out or fail eventually.
The object in making the figures as large
as they would bear in the former article
was to draw attention to the subject, and
to provoke discussion of the question by
the enemies OF cooperation, as this WOuld
be means of getting the subject up before
the people and create some thought The
latter point has been gained in bringing Mr.
Delles to his feet and l presume he thinks
that he has knocked the subject of CO
operation for mutual benefit "sky high in
his section. Let me suggest to him that
the system of equitable cooperation is
supported and ADVOCATED by great ana
good men-men who have long ago forgot
ten more than he will ever be capable of
knowing. 4...- -.,- 7..w
Cooperative business can be started on
much smaller scale with less capital than
is indicated in my former article, but as
nearly all business is now being concen-
trated in great combinations, it would be
better policy for farmers and laboring men
also to organize on large scale, and do a
large business from the start, and thus Sc
cure the final object much sooner than
would be the case if started on small
scale. That it can be organized with capt.
tai enough to begin on large scale, is no
doubt true, Notwithstanding the objections
of it's enemies; but it will require education
in it's principles to prepare the way. The
education can be attained, for it is not a
hard task or will not be, when the people
once see the necessity of it.
How were nearly a million voters turned
from the old paraies to the reform party
at the last election? Simply by education.
A good deal less educational work will be
needed to induce the producers to accept
the cooperative system when they learn
the fact that it is going to improve their
financial condition and add to their gains.
To give an instance of cooperative work
starting with limited capital, / will cite the
Rochdale Equitable Pioneers, which began
business with % members and capital of
$40. In the year 1890 this society had
worked UP to membership of over IL 900,
with % branch stores besides the central
wholesale store, and did business amount
ing to over s1,3O0.O00, and made profits of
>240, 0G0. The men who started this bust
ness were poor. with nothing but their labor
for capital From this they laid by PEN
MES and dimes till $40 was accumulated.
Our farmers have homes and farms, to-
gether with teams, cattle, machinery and
tools-all evidences of wealth, while the
Rochdale Pioneers had nothing Of the Kind
that they could call their own. Yet we
are brazenly told that the farmers of Min
nesota are too poor, too ignorant, to start
in the work! We know that the produc-
ing class is poor in comparison to the bust
ness class and affirm that their poverty is
the result, primarily, of the fact that they
have been and are now donating One-half
of the product of their toll to make the
fortunes of business men. The bankers,
transportation companies merchants, man.
ufacturerS, coal barOnS, money lOanerS, all
have to be supported in silks and fine linen,
and fortunes donated to them out of the
proceeds of the producers who labor for a
living. To turn this tide of profit from it's
present course, and add it to the gains of
the producing class thus improving their
financial condition, is the surest, the easiest
and the best way out to absolute indie
pendence for the masses, Mr.. DIS judg-
ment to the contrary notwithstanding. Self
help is the best of all help, and this will be
self-help from start to finish. 1t is indie
pendent of the rise and fall of any and all
policitcal parties, and as far above and SUI
periOr to political action the brightest
monday sun is superior to the darkest
midnight.
That the study of this questionable adop-
ton of the system and operation of the
business-will in the least interfere with or
detract from the work of political reform,
| deny emphatically. I have probably been
supporting the Peoples party as long and
as faithfully as Mr.. Deles has, and 1 ex-
pect to stay by it as long as it stands