Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-08-10
THE LABOR EXCHANGE.


ideas about it are confused and uncer-
tain. The labor exchange is a serious
reality. New branches are being or
gained right along all over the coun-
try, and they are meeting with good
success.
What is the labor exchange?
The labor exchange is system of
doing business without money. The
panic and the gold standard and our
approaching dollar called forth the in
genuity of men to devise some way to
get along without money and the labor
exchange is the result.
The labor exchange is really store
where the trade is done by barter, and
that is all. You bring your goods to
the store or labor exchange, if you've
mind to call it such, and get some
other goods in return. If you bring
more goods than you trade for you get
due-bill for goods. You see that this
is really nothing more than what most
of the country stores have been doing
for years. There is nothing new about
| the method. But it is the co-opera-
tive feature first among the individuals
that compose the local exchange, and
also among the different exchanges
throughout the country that is sup
posed to constitute the strength of the
movement. It is, in fact, cooperative
storekeeping by the producers. It is
pointed out, as an argument in favor
of the exchange, that Individual own
ership of creameries has not been a
success, while cooperative creameries
have. It remains to be seen, if the
present apparent success is permanent
or simply temporary, due to it's nov
city Cooperative stores have most
ly proved failure in the past, but it
is possible that the common people
have progressed so far in intelligence
and civilization that bookkeeping on
the cooperative plan is now practi-
cable.
If the labor exchange can be extern
sively established it will immensely
lessen the demand for money in ordi-
nary business affairs. The checks of
the labor exchange would act in the
same way as the checks of the clear
ing houses. In fact, it is really an ex-
tension of the clearing house system
of bankers to ordinary business.
Cooperative creameries are teaching
farmers a practical lesson in business
methods, and it is not unlikely that we
shall soon have cooperative mills and
stores and factories of different kinds.
A hundred years ago farmer made
his own clothing and shoes. and many
of his agricultural implements. He
cannot do that today-not individu-
ally. He must attend to one, or, at
most, a few lines of farming, sell his
surplus product and buy his supplies
for money. This modern system of
turning everything into money is what
has made money the gigantic power it
is. And between the upper milestone
of dear money and the neither mill
stone of exorbitant middle-men and
transportation charges the farmer is
ground to pieces. :. ..5.~,.. ~~..
From this dilemma the farmer has
only one outlet. He must establish CO.
operative factories to make his, goods
right in his own neighborhood, coop
erative plants to make his product into
the most finished product as, articles
for export, and, if necess airy, establish
cooperative business concerns to do
the exchange without money. He must
make himself, as far as possible, indie
pendent Of the o-called monopolies Of
money "a ilroad ids, etc. The labor ex-
change CHI is simpl an effort ID that
Idirectio ION. &.
EPoLlcY OF THE PoPuLlsTs. AS q
ART Z
rs The two and their rep
resentative organs are very ubilant