Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-05-06
CONGRESS GETS
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tors and artisans for their services by
members on commission basis.
The operation of the agricultural So
cieties has been especially successful in
southern France The French govern
ment has given encouragement to these
societies by furnishing expert advice,
grantin gsubventions and permitting
long-term loans by agricultural credit
associations. The general buying is
done principally through district unions.
High-grade farm machinery, sue has is
beyond the reach of many individual
members, is purchased from the surplus
or is loaned gratuitously or upon the
payment of nominal fees. ,|Ggy
Government employees are to large
extent organized into cooperative So
cieties. Many of the associations are
affiliated with labor unions that restrict
their membership to persons engaged in
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 opera
tives, including printing and engraving,
building, plumbing, tailroing, weaving,
tanning, carpentering, paper hanging,
the making of pasteboard boxes and the
making of metallic furniture. -. -
The consular reports state that the
French cooperative societies usually
sell at prices which are neither higher
nor lower than those of private stores,
and that they have tendency to keep
prices Throughout te district were they
are located down to fair level as we'll
as to enhance the purity and quality of
the goods. The degree of reduction in
the cost of living is almost wholly con-
tingent upon the capabilit~ and the al
truism of the management of the re-
spective districts.
In Belgium, the consular reports
state, a large proportion of the co-ope-
alive societies sell at prices lower than
those OF the regular markets, allowing
only members to purchase, and have
only nominal profits to distribute. Many
societies guarantee 6 per cent dividend
on all purchases and distribute all re-
naming profits to various funds for in
surance, pensions, strike relief, indemni-
ties for injuries and the like. The con-
sular reports state that the virtual BE-
ginning of the general cooperative
movement in Belgium is said to have
been due to the growth of the various
socialistic and labor parties in 1880 and
the years following. The socialistic so
cieties are reported to have no affilia-
ton with the international COOPERATIVE |
alliance. The development of many of
the agricultural cooperative, societies |
has been aided very greatly by the cler-
ical party, the league of church. socie-
ties, comprising 480 associations. !
In The Netherlands the cooperative
movement has had its largest growth
since 1890 The associations include do
mestic supplies, agricultural supplies,
farmers loan banks and
savings banks. A cash basis is strictly
The annual dividends. re-
turned to the purchasers average be-
tween and 10 per cent. Arrangements
are made with dentists, doctors and
merchants who sell goods which the so
ciety does not handle, to give the soci-
ETY. commission on business done with
it members.
In Denmark sales are confined to
members of the cooperative societies
unless the latter wish to subject them
selves to taxation. The joint associa-
ton Of Danish operative societies op-
crates numerous factories and ware
houses throughout Denmark. At pres
ent the average dividends range from
5 per cent to IL per cent. The state
ment is made in the consular reports
that the prices charged by private deal
ere are kent down ~ : :. r.