The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-02-10
LIVE QUESTIONS.
A Series of Articles Contributed by
Advanced Thinkers.
ILLUSTRATIONS OF PROFIT SHARING.

ILLUSTRATIONS OF PROFIT SHARING.
BY n. o. NELSON.
Three years ago Emile Levasseur Of
Paris, the eminent professor, economist
and writer on economic subjects, visited
Leclaire. He made a general tour Of
the United States especially with q
view to investigating the conditions Of
the American workingmen. He has
written much on the subject since his
return to Paris. In paper published
in The Yale Review for August, on the
STANDARD Of Living Of American Work.
ingmen, he arrives at the conclusion
that the average rate of wages in this
country is about double the French rate
The cost Of food is about two-thirds, OF
clothing about equal, and Of rent consid-
erably higher, with more and better
room. He finds the American standard
Of living much higher and also more
wasteful. He overlooks two important
factors-while the American rate Of
wages is much higher, employment il
far more unsteady and the number Of
unemployed very much greater. II the
comparison was made between the aver
age income year in and year out Of the
entire number of workers in France and
the United States, the difference be.
tween the two would be greatly reduced.
He also falls into the error Of taking hit
basis from the wages Of the highly paid
mechanical trades His average Of %. Oh
per day cannot include the total Of shot
workers, clothing makers, laborers snd
the great mass Of manufacturing ir
which wages are not held up by unions
One of the most interesting side
shows Of the English cooperative move
ment is the annual flower festival 1
started 10 or 10 years ago at Crysta
palace, in the outskirts of London. I
has grown year by year until now it i
made the occasion for grand gathering
of co.operators from all over the British
island. The attendance numbers hun
dreds Of thousands The English climate
is especially adapted to the cultivation
of flowers, being moist and Of mucl
more even temperature than that of tn,
United States. Splendid beds of flower
in front yards and pot flowers in th,
windows are almost universally foun(
in cities of moderate size and villages
The display of flowers at the festival i
something wonderful. Then there j
music. including chorus of more thai
5, 600 voices. The festival lasts severa
days. Speeches are made by emineu
men and by prominent co-operativ,
leaders. The great success of this cen
tral festival has encouraged the prov
inoes, and now the Scottish co-operator
have theirs, and also the various subdis
tricts of England and Scotland.
The United States census bureau ha
tabulated recorded debts of all sorts il
the United States. The bonded debt o
railroads, street railroads, telephon
companies, telegraph companies, pri
vate water companies, gas companies
electric light and power companies ant
other transportation companies amount
to Sc, 200, 900, 900. The mortgages Oh
farms amount to 81. 200, 900, 900 and Oh
city property to $3.50, 900, 900. Th
United States, state, county, city ant
school debts amount to 50, ,027, 900, 900
loans on crop liens $3.50, 900, 900, banl
loans $8, OF, 900, 900. A reasonable es
innate Of bank deposits, mercantil
debts, retail store accounts and othe
personal debts would carry the tota
debts Of the United States. public ont
private, to probably $50, 900, 900, 600
or an average Of $2,140 to each house
hold Of five persons. 1t is easy to Sc
from these figures how panics and de
pressioDs arise, and the question is nat
urally raised whether credit is bless
ing or curse.
The st. Louis cooperative store j
showing a steady and healthy growt
in membership and in sales Within th
past IL months the sales have doubled
A regular dividend Of per cent O.
members purchases and 8 per cent O
nonmeLl bers' is paid. An excellent
equipped bakery has just been acquired
The managers and workers are all &C
operators and will share in the loss,
there be any, and in the profits when
gets on profit making basis. The VI
rious breads made will be Of strict
pure and honest sort. The loaves al
wrapped in specially prepared paper {
keep them clean and fresh. The mar
ager Of the bakery, Mr. Joseph Parvil
is a thoroughgoing co-operator in praC
tice and theory. He has been cooper
ative business manager, and has write
muoh on the suhiect.