The labor world., 1898-02-12

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the cooperative commonwealth envel.
oped in the armor of brotherhood, able
to maintain itself against all the hosts
of capitalism.
The movement that is here outlined
has advanced far enough to suggest
several ideas that were unheard of a
half dozen years ago. One of these is the
practical disappearance of the idea OF
legal tender; another the abolition OF
rent, interest and profits in the ordin-
ary sense, and consequently the indus
trialization of both the idle rich and the
unemployed poor.
| We all un lerstand that our ordinary
cooperative stock companies are rank
failures; few begin to understand that
the English, or Rochdale system as is
more properly called, is almost always
a SUCCESS. The labor exchange, as an
improvement thereon, has been univer-
sally go. and when we get tired of being
victimized by capital we have only to
turn to the logical development of CO.
operative societies-the cooperative
commemorative adequate relief and
the highest embodiment of associated
effort. -.5E
All history does not record a complete
victory of the people over the influence
of combined wealth. Wealth has been
defeated, but it has always found some
new road to accomplish it's ends.
Our salvation depends upon wrestling
the destinies of the country out Of the
hands of the wealthy class. AS said,
no possible relief can come from politi-
cal methods until we build up major
| ity sentiment-and such sentiment is
not possible so long as the machinery
for molding public opinion is all in the
hands of the enemy. An army engaged
upon a long and weary campaign must
look after lis. commissary department.
Co. operation is needed to furnish our
unemployed with the means of provid
ing their own supplies. Trades union
ism is threatened more from this army
of unemployed than from anything
else. Individually we cannot employ
ourselves small manufacturer is
going to the wall-he is helpless. Our
socialistic friends say government own
ership of the machines" But while
waiting for the majority to agree with
us, one half will starve and half the re-
mainder will sell their votes for present
subsistence; while by cooperation those
that know enough, at least, can protect
themselves and live to preach reform
until the time is ripe for successful po-
litical revolution.
F. D. Culver told about his observa-
ton in the Mennonite communities OF
South Dakota, which are conducted on
co operative basis with the hest re-
suits from financial point Of view.
| Don A. Palmer thought the only sue
tessful communities were those bound
together by common religious belief,
To this Mr.. Culver replied that it was
mainly the economic benefits that kept
the Mennonite societies together; and in
this he was corroborated by Findley.
who had lived many years in proximity
to these peculiar people and had OBJ
served that where the cooperative
features were absent the younger gener.
alton was rapidly breaking away from
their church associations. There was
no PARTICULAR religion, he said, connected
with the Rochdale system.
J.W. Richardson had lived at Roch.
dale and his father for thirty years was
actively connected with the enterprise.
He had with him the annual report for
1895, from which he read a few statis-
tics that showed the enormous growth
Of the system and, it's great prosperity
during period when other English in
dustr1es were suffering decline.
The discussion became general about
this time and the objectors begal to get
their breath. Donald McLay wanted
to know how the Rochdale system
would benefit the unemployed? Mr..
Twomey wanted to know where men
would get the cash to buy with? Louis
Dworschak inquired how these enter
prises could compete with capitalism?
Mr.. Thiel attached the colony idea. He
characterized the going off into separ-
ate corner OF the globe as cowardly and
said that it would result, from their ex-
clusiveness, in degenerate race. Mr..
Nixon brought in the single tax and
ascribed all the ills which we were try
ing to get away from to monopoly in
land. w. D. Gordon wanted to know if
by cooperation we could compete with
concerns selling goods at half price? E..
E. Beebe wanted to know what would
become of the individual in business
and the labor that he employed, and
there were quite number of other in.
quiries along the same lines. -
The friends of co operation made a
| oooa h1nff at ho1dinp their own To the