Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-06

conducted means business with Il low
operating cost per dollar sales. and this
Is where the national chain store has
the edge" on the local cooperative
| association. The same point applies
IN lesser degree to the big privately
owned store. By doing business on a
bigger scale than the Coop IL can
40 business cheaper. Another point liz
the matter OF II manager Running IL
business efficiently calls FOR Unborn
talent and the man with such talent
IN nigh degree is more likely in this
country to be running his own business
than somebody clsc's
In word. private enterprise gen
orally beats out cooperative enter
prise in the United States because
when put to il, private enterprise will
hustle around. take advantage OF every
eNpedicnt in the way OF big capitaliza-
ton and combinations and end by de-
liSerinS the goods at "A lower cost Mr.
.. u. Humphrey. investigator in market
business practice for the Department
OF Agriculture makes the same Doint
IN Ns.broadcr way when he SAYS that
lsN 8St1pcra tive store lea is on tho
YlSoicsSk2l succeeding IN tho United
IsSt3 LEE MEMusc the pressure Of necessity
Fif 'Ho1a4bthind it. In other words our
,StAiie.A local and national. arc Civ
iYS JSssPyeqty fair value for our money.
even Whfn the profits Of the latter
nave been distributed 10 it's members
IN Eubpe. private retail enterprise
cannot do this. aud hence tho co-opcra-
tive plan nourishcs
The cooperative store may he sue
ccssful and beneficial IN individual in
stances in this country IL is alwoys
q valuable weapon in the hand. OF tic
consumer. IN case he believes that 10
IS being oNcr"harGcd. The establish
mont of a cooperative store is often
!" Saiutafy lesson Ia merchants <,yho
Try I" raise prices. Once established
il is 81 sort Of balance wheel for local
business. and may do much good in an
ihdircct WAY In some Instances. II
does direct good and earns real money
for its members
'rhrivc~ In Mining lawns,
IN analysis OF successful co-npora-
nv" stores that they thrive where
IN som" Suisc 81 other there is pres
sur" OF necessity. In many mining
towns. AND other places where many
men ar" engaged fo, practically All
th"ir time At som" ono Kind OF labor
IN" cooperative store has proved q
MESSING In such ease YOU have a
population made up largely az one
Kind "f people. using tho same Mind of
ROOD and clothes aud other articles
rms ono store can supply them with
out putting IN too elaborate q stock
Moreover such town rs given over
NFs"IH 10 the particular industry ana
prices mas hc regulated for the mon
~ thai industry without regard for the
"utsid" public. The mon have little
leisure: they have 10 Z" L" III. nearest
Store. Tho private retailer is likely Ia
TAX" adNintaE. ~ this combination or
conditions To raise prices. tn. same
conditions mako i, possible to run /.
r"-"pcratiN" store, aud many such are
being run successfully
On tn" vthcr hand. IN 4 hir ci,y there
ate g thousand elements in the popu-
l"tlon I" L." considered. tho r.taije, IL
deferred from exploiting one element
ny IN" rear Of alternating. tho other rla.
m"htS. lhcr. is room for biz: invest
m"nts. Private competition is keen
" result YOU have a private enter
prise $" big and efficient that the CO.
operatiN" store has hard Shedding
Co'cp"ratiN" stores sometimes flour
.sh whcr. other special clements arc
favorable. y large community Of peo-
pl' ~ q single nationality viii some
times hc held together In trading at
their own cooperative store by tn. ties
Of race. even though they gam nothing
hi doing 50. The N"~.r...,. - the Wcst
run cooperative stores successful
scores ~ towns, Il" patin tage holding
together through friendship and "A COM
mon belief
ON the whole however. the result Of
tho investigation just completed shows
be successful in spccia, instances. am,
useful ~ a weapon in tho hands ~ thu
consumer =, al times III" timc has not
vet como when IL is u practical and
necessary feature in the retail system,
~ ia" United states