The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-22
THURSDAY, JANUARY ~, 1903.
EFFICIENCY THROUGH COOPERATION

Although the saying has become trite that this is an
age Of organization and consolidation the fact
home to us with special force when observe the
d1tions as they develop in own midst.
In turning to the report of the public examiner for
example note that the Twin Cities possess fewer
banks and kindred financial institutions today than they
did twenty years ago; and yet the volume of banking
capital Of deposits and loans has multiplied many fold
and the volume of Twin City bank cearngs has rolled
up from less than $2ooooo,ooo twenty years ago. to
something like $780, 900 in 1902.
Turning to the census chapter manufactures,
note that the number of Minneapolis manufacturing
adjustments has decreased from 2723 in 1890 to 1868 in
at the time that capital invested has in
creased by $I5oooooo, while the hands employed have
increased from 237o3 266o8 and the value of the
utactured product from $82,oooooo to $I1o,ooo,ooo
The number Of lumber and -four mills Of the leading
Hour and lumber manufacturing in the country
shows apparent increase since twenty years ago. while
the lumber grew from less than 200 feet in
1880 to nearly 6oo,oooooo in 1900 and the flour output
advanced from 100000 barrels in 1880 over 10000
IN Three companies now conduct fourhfths of
the flour milling of Minneapolis, and in lumber the
sodaon of interests has been similar in kind if not in
degree while wages have shown steady advance and the
number of wOrkmen multiplied until the two industries
give employment to 5000 skilled wOrkmen who receive
perhaps the highest wages paid in milling in the world
In Northwestern raroading there has been the same
trend; the increased transportation facilities being
brought about by cooperation of traffic systems instead
of by multiplication of companies Small companies
have become great and efficient in the handling of the
cOuntrys business by consolidation and cooperation
The 500, which in itself is the consolidation of
half dozen small lines, has become transcontnental
line by cooperation with the Canadian Pacific The Min
neapols St Louis has become important traffic fac
tor in the development of the Northwest by consolda
ton with the Illinois Central. The Burlington Cedar
Rapids Northern has become efficient Transports
ton agent through consolidation with the Rock Island
The Omaha and the Northwestern are important fac
tors IN the national traffic of the country through their
relations with the general Vanderbilt system The Great
Northern and the Northern Pacific extend their traffic re-
atlos to the provision markets Of Kansas CITY and Chi
cago the cotton market of St Louis and to the coal
heds OF Illinois through cooperation with the Burlington
Even among the churches newspapers, educational
institutions theaters and various social institutions the
trend OF the time toward cooperation and consoida
ton Among the church Of America we shall doubt
less see the greatest progress toward consolidation in
the next twenty years. Certainly when there are II
different Methodist denominations in this country u DIFF
erent Baptist sects, Presbyterian bodies 10 different
Lutheran bodies Adventist sects Mennonite sects
and even denominations each of the Friends Plymouth
Brethren and Dunkards, there is ample room for CO.
operation and consolidation of church effort in the d
rect1on Of economy, efficiency and influence uDon hu
nanity.