Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-05-06
CONGRESS GETS
Continued From Page One.)

engagements are made with dentists, doc
! tors and artisans for their services by
| members on a commission basis.
The operation of the agricultural So
| cleties 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.
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
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 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 a 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 1880. The associations include do
nestle 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 8 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 cooperative 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
ers are kept down.