Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-14
RISE IN COST oF
LIVING GENERAL
(continued from FIrst Page.l

I N1O1ulucQ ETOul ElIsl Fd8tst
o. the sales was Rxa.oo and the net
profits fIs5.cce In ises the number Of
societies was slightly in excess Of 1000.
with q membership Of ITO. 900 The value
Of sales was eIl3ooo.ooo and the net
profits were sl0.9sI.0o.
More Co-Operatiye Societies Formed.
| II Is noted that the increased registra-
I tlon Of cooperative societies In recent
years Is probably due to the impetus
given to the organization Of cooperative
agricultural societies through the parent
agricultural organization society. The
cooperative agricultural societies are
aided BY the parent society in negotiation
with railway companies, government de-
partments and business houses They
are organized in much the same manner
as distributive societies. Supplies OF all
kinds are purchased jointly at wholesale.
Farm produce Is graded and distributed
through means OF depots maintained In
nclghboring towns and through selling
agents Markets are visited by agents
who inform the members as to the quail
fly and price Of produce.
The Cooperative Union. located at
Manchester. has contributed greatly TO
the formation and growth of cooperative
societies generally. The objects Of the
union are a diffusion Of information In
regard to tho movement and the as
sistance OF individual societies. II MAIN
tains committees on education. joint prop
uganda, legislation. exhibitions. trades
unionlsm. credit training and legal de-
fense.
The development Of cooperation in the
United Kingdom Is continuing at a fair
rate. although not so rapidly as In
the earlier years. The growth thus far
has been confined to the wage laborihs
classes. A study OF the movement By
localities shows that cooperation has
flour.shed mainly In the industrial and
manufacturing districts An example OF
the growth individual societies and the
manner In which their activities have
expanded is found in the account given
of a cooperative society located at Leeds
which was founded in isH for the pri-
mary purpose OF securing cheaper flour. |
British cooperation is affiliated with |
the international COOPERATIVE Alliance. |
which comprises the leading cooperative |
In the continental countries |
Of Europe. and holds international con-
crosses triennially.
Retailer. Oppose Cooperation.
Opposition on the part Of non-co-opera-
alive tradesmen Is now decidedly less In
tense than in the earlier stages OF the
the consular officers report,
but widespread antagonism still exists
omong British shopkeepers and criticism
Ia constant and searching. The claim Is
made by opposing interests that cooper
alive trading cannot compete with legit-
innate retail trading and In support OF I
this contention figures are given Of gro
GERS prices and OF cooperative society
prices OF various food products In which |
the grocers' figures are less than those
Of the cooperative societies. II Is noted |
in reference to criticism Of this char
acttr that the cooperative societies do /
not undertake 10 sell at lower than cur
rent prices, their aim being to give the
purchaser the benefit claimed for CO.
operative purchasers by returning II in
the form Of dividend. The estimate Is
made that for the United Kingdom as
whole the dividends would average not far
from per cent OF the purchase price
paid By the cooperative purchasers. The
critics OF the cooperative movement al
lege that these dividends are obtained
by sacrificing the purity and excellence
Of the merchandise furnished or by an
actual raising Of prices to compensate
for the amount Of the dividends. The
majority OF the consular reports seem
to infer that the dividends paid by pur-
members do measure roughly q
real reduction in the prices Of the COM
rnodities bought.
Cooperative Insurance.
An analysis OF the reports OF the con-
sular officers on cooperative societies
and similar associations In the United
was made by the Bureau Of
Trade Relations OF the Department Of
state and Is transmitted with the full
text OF the reports. This reviews the
as whole and gives many in
ierestlng details. Among other activities,
many Of the societies undertake TO insure
either their cooperative property or the
property or lives Of their members against
various contingencies. In other instances
they simply act as agents for established
Insurance organisations. Some organi-
cations have q plan whereby members
are insured automatically to the amount
Df their average annual purchases dur
ng the three years preceding death. thus
setting up an additional income induce
meut for trading at the societies stores.
A reserve fund is maintained by nearly
all the societies. The fund Is provided
for by the segregation Of a low per-
n 90 AZ h. 4