Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-07-04
COOPERATION IN BELGIUM.

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ls their salvation. and they are COM
stanty making experiments in that
field. not successfully in every instance.
apparently. but always with the gain
Of some knowledge some experience.
that win aid them in the realization Of
the IDEAL
And the idea Is slowly spreading. II
IS safe 10 say that at the present time
the great MASSES are prepared for what
ultimately must come, TO the extent
that with the right leaders and with
a practical system, free from the visions
and dreams Of charlatans. thousands Of
intelligent men and women would step
out Of the ranks Of society as at pres
ent organized, and take up, with faith
and enthusiasm. the cause Of universal
brotherhood But where IS the system?
And where are the men and women TO
lead the rest with assured success?
These reflections are suggested by
notable article In the July number Of
The Cosmopolitan, by Vance Thomp-
son. on Organized Thrift" The au-
thor describes a cooperative society IN
Belgium, which has had a remarkably
successful career for twenty years It's
origin It's mode Of operations, and its
achievements are object lessons. that
should not be lost upon the present gem
Grafton.
The society dates from 1872 That was
a hard year IN Europe The price OF
bread was high, and the laboring classes
were compelled 10 pay enormous taxes
for war purposes The question Of |
daily bread became one Of great i'm
portance Then a little group Of men |
came together as the Free Bakers"
They bought their grain OF the farm |
ers, sent 10 to the milI, and produced the
bread, and distributed it among the
members at cost price. The society did
not number 20, but Il grew, and its
operations were extended IN numerous
directions. Now there are ten thousand
members, and the society supplies them
and their families with the necessaries
Of life as cheaply as possible; Il provides
for them against Illness and old age;
gives instruction TO the children, and
amusements to old and young.
The name Of this association IS
"Voorult" Anyone desiring membership
pays an entrance fee Of S. This is
added to the working capital Of the so
clety To start with there was $1,000.
Goods were bought for this and sold TO
the members at a much lower price
than tn could be had for at any other
retail shop, the saving averaging fifteen
per cent The profit was divided among
the members every six months in pro-
portion 10 the amount purchased. When
q member dies his interest IN the society
IS paid back TO the heirs, unless these
prefer TO retain the membership. The
society Is controlled by five directors s
Each Is elected for five years. and the
erms Of Office are 80 arranged that one
lirector IS voted Ia every year. /
The working capital Of the society q
s now 100000. II owns a large depart y
nent store, seven grocery shops, four
pharmacies. O large bakery with nu- q
nerous branch shops. a coal yard; a u
printing office; a library with reading 2
ooms. q large har for concerts and \
meetings. q shoe factory; a clothing /
lctory, educational clubs and cafes.
What it has done In the way Of dis
rbuting bread is but an illustration
I what Il is doing I'm every direction
n 1851 the Vooruit distributed TO It's 3
lcmbers 2,ll4 pounds Of bread a week. u
t a cost Of S-5 cents a pound In p
,S9 il gave out 10000 pounds a week al
20 cents a pound In 1889 100000
ounds were sold weekly az cents a d
ound Bread was at that time selling q
J Client at about twice these prices. q
et, the society made a profit which ~
as distributed every six months TO the :
lstomers. d
This Is practical cooperation. II Is I.
Ieal socialism It Is, moreover. the Il
Dirit OF the religion which the civilized b
orld profess TO believe in Tempo v
n affairs may seem to have no bearing =
h spiritual matters, II We look no far q
Ter than 10 the surface Of things. but q
le fact is that they are intimately q
a great portion Of the Mo- e
lic law, given under the immediate ! y
lldance Of Jehovah is composed Of :
relative TO the social. o
oliucal and business relations Of the y
aople. That was their education =
Heir training, into life Of high moral
nd spiritual excellence. In the same
ay. when the Gospel OF Jesus was ac, "
'pted In It's power one effect was 10 Y
inmate the dividing line between o.
ch and poor. and not until that pow n
: was waning, did that lire again be, al
,me marked; FOR Justin Martyr. IN ~
be second century, could stiu boast. n.
his Apology: we who valued money g.
ld gain above AN things. now cast p
hat We have in common. and distrib, w
.e 10 every man according TO HE >,
'cessities." one Of the distinguishing "a
atures Of the city Of Enoch. whose m
fginator walked with God" was ne .s
United Order and the ultimate aim al
the Gospel Is TO establish that uni
.rsal brotherhood which presupposes
hon and harmony in all things, TEN.
'ral and spiritual
That union and cooperation are pos. ~
bic on a small scale has been proved M