The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-05-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
ON THE COST OF LIVING
Results Of Investigation of Co
Operative Societies Abroad
Sent to Congress.
ARE PROVING A SUCCESS
Conditions in France, Belgium, the
Netherlands and Denmark Are
outIined-Groceries, Doc
tors, Dentists Supplied.

-lH.HA r..L I
Washington, May President Taft
today sent to congress the second In
stallment of the reports of consular
officers on cooperation and the cost
of living which are the result Of the
investigation he some lime ago directed
should be made The countries m
cluded in this installment are France,
Belgium, The Netherlands and Den
mark. The reports are accompanied
by a letter from Huntington Wilson,,
acting secretary of state.
1t appears from the information coll
lected, the acting secretary says, that
the rising cost of living has directed
attention to and augmented the mem
bership of the cooperative societies
more especially in France and Belgium.
The French cooperative ASSOCIATIONS
are in the main arranged upon the
same system as those in the United
! Kingdom. The tendency is toward
small societies n the great majority
of the associations represent groceries
| and bakeries. Tho most successful dis
tr1but1ve societies are in the
turing cities of northeastern and cen
trail France. Among these societies re-
lief funds are administered and in
surance against illness and forced nom
employment is supplied. Arrangements
are made with dentists, doctors, and
artisans for their services by members
on a commission basis.
France Encourages Societies.
THE operation of the agricultural
societies has been especially successful
in southern France. The French gov
eminent has given encouragement to
these societies by furnishing expert
advice, granting subventions, n per-
uniting long term loans by agricul-
tural credit associations. The general
trict unions. High grade farm ms
chinery such as is beyond the reach
of many individual members is pur-
chased from the SURPRISES or Is loaned
gratuitously or upon h payment OF
nominal fees.
Government employees are to a large
] extent organized into cooperative So
I ~cieties. Many of the associations are
affiliated with b unions that re-
strict their membership to persons en-
gagged in a given occupation.
In regard to industrial cooperative
production it appears that plants
owned and operated by the operatives
are not uncommon in France. In
Lyons, for example. the enterprise Is
conducted by societies composed OF
their own operatives, including print
ing and engraving. building, plumbing,
tailoring. weaving, tanning, carpenter
ing, paperhanging, the making OF
pasteboard boxes and the making of
metallic furniture.
The consular reports state that the
! tIcnCl cooperative SOClSllSS Usually
sell at prices which are neither high
err nor lower than those of private
stores and that they have a tendency
to keep prices throughout the district
where they are located down to a fair
level as well as to enhance the purity
and quality of the goods. The degree
of reduction in the cost of living is
almost wholly contingent upon the cap
ability and the altruism CT the man
agement of the respective districts.
Belgium Societies Cut Prices.
In Belgium, the consular reports
state. a large proportion of the CO.
operative societies sell at prices lower
h those of the regular markets, al
lowing only members to purchase, and
ave only minimal profits to distribute.
Many societies guarantee a 6 per cent
dividend on all purchases and dis
tribute all remaining profits to various
funds for insurance, pensions, strike
relief, indemnities for injuries and the
like. The %nsul reports state that
the virtual beginning of the general
cooperative movement in Belgium is
said to have been due to the growth OF
the various socialistic and labor par
ties in 1880 and the years follow
ing. The socialistic societies are re-
ported TO nave no affliation with the
international Cooperative alliance
The development of many of the agri-
cultural cooperative societies has beer
dlueu very greatly ny lle CLERICAL par
ty, the league of church societies COM
prisjng $50 associations.
In The Netherlands the cooperative
movement has had its largest growth
since 1890. The associations include do
mestic supplies, agricultural supplies
creameries, farmers loan banks and
savings banks. A cash basis is strict
ly maintained. The annual dividends
returned to the purchasers average be-
tween 8 and 10 per cent. Arrangements
are made with dentists. doctors and
merchants who sell goods which the
society does not handle, to give the
society a commission on business done
with its members.
In Denmark sales are confined tc
members Of the cooperative societies
unless the latter wish to subject them
selves to taxation. The joint associa-
ton of Danish cooperative societies
operates numerous factories and ware
houses throughout Denmark. At pres.
ent the average dividends range from
5 to ~ per cent. The statement is
made in the consular reports that the
prices charged by private dealers are
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