The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1897-01-16
1--we QUESTIONS.
A Series OF Articles Contributed by
Advanced Thinkers.
ILLUSTRATIONS OF PROFIT SHARING.
pY n. o. NELSON.

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ILLUSTRATIONS OF PROFIT SHARING.
III n. O. NELSON.
Three years ago Emile Levasseur Of
Paris, the eminent professor, economist
and writer on economic subjects, visited
Leclaire. He made 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 is
far more unsteady and the number of
unemployed very much greater. If the
comparison was made between the aver.
age income year in and year out of the
entire number of workers in FrHrro and
the United States, the difference be-
tween the two would be greatly reduced.
He also falls into the error of taking his
basis from the wages of the highly paid
mechanical trades. His average of So. OF
per day cannot include the total of shoe
workers, clothing makers, laborers and
the great mass of manufacturing in
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. 1t
started 10 or 10 years ago at Crystal
palace, in the outskirts of London. 1t
has grown year by year until now it is
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 much
more even temperature than that of the
United States. Splendid beds Of flowers
in front yards and pot flowers i'll the
windows are almost universally found
in cities of moderate size and villages.
The display of flowers at the festival is
something wonderful. Then there is
music. including chorus Of more than
5, 900 voices. The festival lasts several
days Speeches are made by eminent
men and by prominent cooperative
leaders. The great success of this CEN
trail festival has encouraged the prov
inces, and now the Scottish co-operators
have theirs, and also the various subdis-
tricts of England and Scotland.
The United States census bureau has
tabulated recorded debts Of all sorts in
the United States The bonded debt of
railroads, street railroads, telephone
companies, telegraph companies, pri-
vate water companies, gas companies,
electric light and power companies and
other transportation companies amounts
to So, 200, 000,00 The mortgages on
farms amount to 50, 200, 900, 900 and on
city property to SO, 900, 900, The
United States, state, county, city and
school debts amount to So, OF, 900, 900,
loans on crop liens $3.50, 900, 900, bank
loans 50, or, 000,0 900. A reasonable es.
innate Of bank deposits, mercantile
debts, retail store accounts and other
personal debts would carry the total
debts Of the United States, public and
private, to probably $50, 600, 600,
or an average of 50. to each house
hold of five persons. 1t is easy to see
from these figures how panics and de-
pressions arise, and the question is nat
urally raised whether credit is bless
ing or curse.
The st. Louis cooperative store is
showing a steady and healthy growth
in membership and in sales. Within the
past IL months the sales have doubled,
A regular dividend of 6 per cent Oh
members purchases and 3 per cent OIL
nonmembers' is paid An excellently
equipped bakery has just been acquired.
The managers and workers are all CO.
operators and will share in the loss, il
there be any, and in the profits when il
gets on profit making basis The va
rious breads made will be of strictly
pure and honest sort. The loaves arr
wrapped in specially prepared paper tt
keep them clean and fresh. The man
ager of the bakery, Mr. Joseph Parvin
is thoroughgoing co-operator in prae
tice and theory. He has been cooper
alive business manager, and has writer
much on the subject.
The Oldham Cooperative society o.
England has recently celebrated thu
opening of new bakery, new slaugh
ter house and other buildings. Each o.
these plants is extensive and fitted NJ
in the most complete manner with mod
ern appliances. The bakery building in
cludes II stalls for the teams The 50
ciety has H., 1888 members Its sale
last year amounted to 81 $40, 900, yield
ing net profit after paying interest OF
capital of $2lS, 000 1t paid out in divi
dends to purchasers S193,50O. Oldham