The searchlight., 1912-10-18
Society to Be Organized to Re.
Iieve Pressure of High Prices.
VIII Buy All Supplies From Producer,
and They VIII 30 Handled at
Minimum Cost-Has 1000
Members.

Boston.-Even the fellows through
whose hands flow each year millions
In good. hard cash feel the pinch OF
mounting prices. Like the rest. they
have contemplated with disgust and
chagrin the bill of the butcher. the
grocer and the other dealers Id house
hold necessities and have grown tired
OF its constantly growing proportions
They have not been content, however,
to sit still under the burden; they have
decided that the time has come to do
something and the Cooperative So
ciety of Bank Men is the result IL Is.
generally speaking. a plan to bring
back the so-called so cent dollar to
something like its face value.
The new organization, which was IN
corporated recently under the laws OF
Massachusetts with capital of $751;
900, will start with a membership OF
1000 and will eventually take In a
membership In excess of 1000. Pri-
marily II was founded for the benefit
of those who are connected with banks
and kindred financial institutions, but
its scope may be extended a little to
take In others who may prove satisfac-
tory to the original members.
On the whole, the association pre-
fers to do business with the producer.
and has already made arrangements
to that end I'm a number of lines. II
has been figured that at the outset a
large amount may be saved by cutting
on the small profits which accrue to a
number OF agencies before goods reach
the average retailer.
In the beginning. the society will
endeavor TO confine itself to a staple
line of goods which may be turned
over quickly SO that the capital may
not be tied up for any long period.
These staples will. naturally, embrace
meat and groceries. but will not be
confined exclusively TO them. As the
demand arises. wide variety OF ar
ticles for household and general use
will be added. While the nature OF all
the merchandise has not been decided
upon, II is sure TO have a wide enough
range to satisfy the calls from Gus
TONERS. There are possibilities In
many fields OF retail trade. For in.
stance. II has even been suggested that
the younger members might be sup
piled with some sort OF sporting goods
and might be able to cut down expend'
htures on such semi-luxuries as golf
and tennis balls.
A sizeabie economy. OF course. will
be effected In the selling as well as
She buying end. The society has no
idea OF starting anything like a gen
eral store. but will maintain a distrib-
ating station at some point convent.
lent to the financial district Here the
goods will be stored not with an in
tent TO display. but for easy ana rapid
handling.
One element which Will be insisted
hpon will be the handling OF only such
goods as give reasonable assurance OF
b qui turnover" The society will
avoid nom the start those things
/ which are famiiiarly known In the re
tail trade as "stickers" The stock
of merchandise must be cleaned uI
rapidly aud new stock bought Moth
3ng that will lie ON the shelves non
season TO season will be Included IA
the list OF articles In which the cor
poration proposes TO deal All good,
Will be sold al a safe margin OF prom
so that II viii be impossible for tn,
society TO be caught Ia even tenn
porary difficulties.
curiously enough. two men IN th'
financial district were working ou
plans for some sort of concerted effor
among their fellow employees 10
some time past Frank w. Chase OF tn,
United States subtreasury had beel
making an Investigation into CO opera
tive methods Of buying and had beel
interesting his friends In the advant
ages of the scheme. At the same tim,
Charles E. Mott OF the New Englant
Trust company had been perfectins /,
similar plan Neither had at the out
set any conception that his ideal