The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-11-24

coal mines.ln that state for the same
| reason exercise an adverse influence on
wages; because being producers as well
as lahorsrs, they will sell at auy price
rather than not sell at ell, and in dull
times they Interfere with the work OF
other miners In the same district and
compel them to work at lower wages or
not at all. In addition to these co-opVra-
tive concerns, there are companies and
building and loan associations which are
purely cooperative and very successful.
DIVIDENDS PAID BY SOME STORES
Here are the successful cooperative
stores in the United States and the diyi-
dend on purchases paid by each in the
last year: Lewiston Society, Lewiston,
Me-, 5 per cent; Lisbon Falls Assooia
ton, Lisbon Falls, Me-, 10 per cent;
Farmers and Mechanics Exchange,
Brattleboro, Vt. per cent; Arlington
Beverly Association, Beverly, Mass.
per cent; Cambridge Society, Cambridge.
Mass, 10 per cent; Cooperative store
Company, Silver Lake, Mass, 5.5 per
cent; First Swedish Cooperative Store
Company, Quinaigamond, Mass. 10 per
cent; German Cooperative Association,
Lawrence. Mass, per cent; Hamden
|
3 per cent; Harvard Society, Cambridge,
Mass, per cent; Industrial Assooia-
tion, New Bedford, Mass, per cent;
K. of l.. Boot and Shoe Association,
Worcester, Macs, 10 per soent; Lawrence
Reputable Society, Lawrence. Mass.
der cent; Lowell Association, Lowell,
Mass, 1915 per cent; Plymouth Rock
Company. Plymouth, Mass, per scent;
erside Association, Maynard. Mass,
s. per cent; West Warren Association,
West Warren. Mass, 5 per cent; Wood
lawn Association, Pawtueket:, X. l., rs
per cont; Trenton Society, Trenton N.
j., s per cent; jamestown Supply Com
many, jamestown. N. Y. 6.6 eper cent;
Ishpeming. Mioh., per cent; Alliance
Association, Green, Kan.,-; Patrons
A ssociation, Cadmus, Kan, per cent;
Wakefield Alliance Association, Wake
field, Kan, 2 per cent; Poplar Associa-
ton, Poplar, Cal. :; Santa Paula As
Socialists Store and Productive Associa-
ton, Los Angeles, CAL. z per cent.
The average rate of dividend in twenty
| New England stores run on the Rochdae
plan, therefore, was 6.Sfpsr cent, and in
thirteen outside New England was 3.5
per cent. This is much below the Eng
lish average of profits owing in part to
the greater excess of retail over whole
sale price abroad and partly to the great
er cost OF conducting cooperative store
here. The wages paid in the cooperative
stores of this country are almost double
the wages paid in the stores of England.
DISCOUNTS FOR PURCHASERS.
The mem bership of cooperative stores
in the. United States is only about l6, 800.
In England it is reckoned one-sixth Of
the population paronizes the cooperative
stores. The greatest Of the cooperative
stores IN England are inathe largeaoenters
of population. many in London. Here
the attempt to establish cooperative
stores has been successul chiefly in
industrial communities, and not at al. in
large cities.
A few of the American cooperative
societies procure for their members at
neig boring stores discounts on the
goods they purchase. This is the plan
pursued by q great many of the sO-called
, kochdale societies which flourish in
large cities. There are two in this city.
Any one can become n member on pay
ment OF small annual fee. and every
member on presentation of his member
ship card at certain stores can obtain a
!, discount on all goods purchased there.
This applies to dry goods, groceries, jew
elry and all the necessities and Iuxuries
of life. This is on the principle OF
throwing trade TO certain sborokeepers In
Wholesale quantities.
In the same way the farmers all over
r the country have combined for the pur-
{ chase of supplies at wholesale prices.
. Many are combined under the Patrons Of
Husbandry, known as the grange. This
. organization, now thirty years old, has
275, 900 members. and through purohas
ing agents these obtain goods at whole
sale prices, to be divided among the
( members in small quantities, as ordered.
: In Ohio 1t is reported the members Of
f the grange save from IS to S3 per cent or
9 implem ents. seeds, fertilizers and on per
, sonal supplies.
The Patrons of Industry, an organiza
8 ton which covers only the northern
states west of New England. fills thu
same field, and the Farmers Allianc,
i does the same business In the south ant
t southwest The latest scheme is thu
idea of man named DeBernadi at In
, dependence, Mo. He is establishing
3 "labor exchanges" A mem Der may de
> posit with the exchange any product O.
s labor and receive a certificate calling fol
Its Wholesale value, which he may us'
i, in purchasing from the exchange AM
J other product of labor at retail price
r The profits now are used to extend thu
! movement, hut 1t is intended that am
f surplus shall belong to the mem bars.
GEORGE GRANTHAM Balm.