The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 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, tho
Netherlands and Denmark Are
OutIined-Groceries, Doc
tors, Dentists Supplied.

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 time ago directed
should be made. The countries in
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 col
lected, the acting secretary says, that
the rising cost of living has directed
attention to n augmented the mem
berShip of the cooperative societies
more especially in France and Belgium.
The French cooperative associations
are in the main arrange upon the
same system as those in the United
Kingdom. The tendency is toward
small societies and the great majority
of the associations represent groceries
and bakeries. The most successful dis
tributive 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 4 commission basis.
France Encourages Societies.
Tive operation Of the agricultural
societies has been especially successful
in southern France. The French gov
ha given encouragement to
these societies by furnishing expert
advice, granting ~subventions, and per-
hitting long term loans by agricul-
tural credit associations. The general
buying is done principally through dis
trict unions. High grade farm ma
chinery such as is beyond the reach
of many individual members Is pur-
chased from the SURPRISES or is loaned
g~ratuitously OF upon the payment OF
nominal fees.
Government employees are to a large
extent organized into cooperative So
~cieties. Many of the associations are
affiliated with labor 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 ~ societies composed OF
their own operatives, including print
tailoring, weaving, tanning, carpenter
ing, paperhanging, 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 high
er 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 of 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
than those of the regular markets, al
lowing only members to purchase, and
have 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 consular 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 have no a%ffliation with the
International Cooperative alliance.
Inc ucNelOpHlen VI many Oh the dSTl-
cultural cooperative societies has been
aided very greatly by the clerical par
ty, the league Of church societies COM
prising $50 associations.
In The Netherlands the cooperative
movement has had it's largest growth
since 1890. The associations include do
nestle supplies, agricultural supplies,
creameries, farmers loan banks and
savings banks. A cash basis is strict
" 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 it's 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 cooperative societies
operates numerous factories and ware
houses throughout Denmark. At pres
ent the average dividends range from
5 to IL per cent. The statement Is
made in the consular reports that the
prices charged by private dealers are
kept down.