The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-13
THE COOPERATION FAD.

Cooperation was at one time regarded
as the panacea for all adversely. The OBJ
jet was TO abolish all profits. or 10 limit
them TO the co-operators. and to do away
with the middieman. IL took a bitter ex-
perience and the loss of savings to many
worthy men 10 convince them that the
best plan In business is for the shoe
maker TO stick to his last" The idea is
not quite exploded yet-that producers can
deal with most advantage direct with the
consumers. Two state newspapers have
within a week discussed the question and
arrived at Numerically opposite con-
illusions.
The MarysviIle Globe says:
THE petering out of the cooperative
store idea Is an indication OF returning
prosperity. During the late depression
theories OF how TO better conditions were
plentiful. One of these theories was the
cooperative plan; simply cooperate and
the problem was solved. Normal
conditions again prevail. and the husband
man and merchant are each attending TO
their own knitting. having no desire to
make their business family affair."
The expression. during the late de-
preston" is exceedingly comforting, but
still more so is the fact that newspapers
like the Globe have the intelligence and
the courage manifested by the editorial
quoted from.
The Sidney Sentinel, on the >ther hand.
says:
Here is the plan which can be put in
operation within thirty days: You pro-
duce a pair of shoes for which you ask
s.. l wish to buy them. but have 10
legal tender. / offer you a due bill for
your shoes and agree to pay you in flour
when my crop is harvested. You need the
-four and of course accept my note for
the shoes"
This is the favorite idea of the Popu-
list. He gets his shoes now and gives his
note for them to he paid when his crop
is harvested or "his ship comes home"
The proposition never comes from the man
who has the shoes. but always from the
man who wants TO give the note.
The Sentinel proposes to extend the
system, however. 1t continues:
"You have difficulty in paying your
taxes. because the government DEGREES
that they shall be paid with gold or money
redeemable with that commodity. If you
could pay with butter. eggs. wheat, beef,
hides, hay. timber or your labor you would
experience no difficulty i'm paying your
taxes or supplying your wants.
Suppose that butter were taken in pay
ment for taxes. would the city treasurer
have to put up a refrigerator to keep it in
until somebody would take it? He would
need not only that, but egg boxes. a ium-
her yard a wheat bin. a place To store
hides and a haystack. The Sentinel adds
that the co-operators would adorn their
homes with books and works Of art. Per-
haps tho treasurer would be expected to
keep these on hand. and pass them out in
exchange for butter and eggs.
The experience Of most producers is that
they usually get the worst of 1t when
they attempt 10 barter even at the local
stores. and the truck system has proved
in practice so fun OF evils that it is in
most states prohibited by law
The farmer or any other producer. and
tho laborer whose time and toll are his
capital. always fare best when they get
in exchange for their products a good
substantial piece Of money which is al
ways worth leo cents on the dollar In any
store. at any time. in any place.