The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-09-19

shirts. nantes, underclothing. cor
sets, millinery hosiery. silesas, color
ed cotton goods, pants. ladies' under
wear, eardigans furniture, brushes,
general hardware. bedsteads, wire
mattresses, mats, etc.
They have their buying representa-
tiYes in New York and Montreal and
other centers. They supply about
everything in the necessities of life
and many comforts of common use.
The wholesale society is made up of
memberships from the retail societies
in proportion to the number of indi
vidual consumers belonging to the re-
tail society. We believe that the 10
cal retail society agrees to take out
one s. share in the wholesale for each
member The retail societies buy
from the wholesale society, receiving
dividends on purchases, which make
their purchases below the prices of
the ordinary manufacturer and whole
saler. But the retail society is at per
feet liberty to buy anywhere it chooses
and does not purchase from the
wholesale society except as quality
and price of merchandise make it adj
vantageous to do so.
The business of the wholesale coop
erative society is managed by 80 direc-
tors, elected by the local societies.
These directors give their entire time
at salary of $3.50 per annum.
1t is almost unthinkable for the
average American business man 20
consider a proposition of this kind
where 80 men coming up from the
ranks of ordinary consumers by popu
lar election are conducting an enor-
nous business more economically
than the large establishments Of
trade in England can conduct it and
giving their best efforts entirely for
the motive of rendering good service
and securing a comfortable salary
with the honor that goes with a pub
lie service efficiently performed,
We should judge from what we learn
that these directors, working with
these motives, are more devoted to
their business than the ordinary type
of man. They have that loyalty, in
terest and self-sacrifice which is
shown by many professors and teach
ers in colleges and schools. Their
efficiency cannot be challenged.
There are few mercantile establish
.ments in the world that are doin6 as
Wholesale Society in Manchester, Eng
land where we find a merchandising
establishment of this size, we
find usually a large borrowing capa1i
ty we'll used, but the Cooperative
Wholesale society of Manchester, Ems
land, does not borrow. 1t pays cash
for what it buys and loans money. Its
working capital comes through It's
membership and the loan accou9ts
which consist mostly of dividends on
purchases and interest that has been
allowed to remain as an Investment.
The capital and loan account has
grown year after year and with She
healthy and efficient conduct of the
business makes a steady flow of
money. equal, and oftentimes in e&-
cess, of the needs of the business.
This brief account of the co-opera-
tive buying in England must make a
vital impression on the mind of The
average American consumer who is
constantly confronted with the aggra-
waiting problem of the high cost of liz
ing. 1t would seem the most reason
able and natural thing that the United
states should follow what has beer
successfully done in England for the
past 40 years, for the reason that it ID
founded on the best principles of eff
cheney, thrift and public welfare, but
there are obstacles to overcome in the
establishment of this cooperative sys-
TEN of buying and those obstacles lie
in the prevailing greed of the average
business man. We are sorry to admit
that the motive often exists in every
business community of getting money
rapidly at any cost and retiring az
any expense that may come to those
WHO follow after. Success in this
country is more and more measured
by money and the power of spending
money and less by public service ren-
dered and this is distinct difference
between our civilization and that of
England and we are distinct suffer-
ers from our motive of human life.
The great opportunities for making
money have been in banking, MANI
featuring and merchandising and
these vocotions have attracted I'M
duly from the population of the cOun-
try and oyercrowded and overmer-
chandsed our large towns and cities
and have depleted the agricultural
population, swelling the profits of
manufacturing and merchandising and
increasing the general cost of living.
Any influence which tends to turn
the tide in the other. directions will be