The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-28
Lesson From Siberia
Farmers of Darkest Russia
Practice More Progressive
and Enlightened Meth
DDS Than Amer
leans.

New York, Dec. 22.-Cooperative
combinations of both producers and
consumers have reached a high stage
of development in Siberia. There are
cooperative consumers societies, bank
ing organizations, and farming and
producing combinations, and even a
Union of Siberian Cooperative I'm
ions.
This advance in the cooperative
movement in both Russia and Siberia
is so significant as to indictae that it
NAV become a dominant factor during
the period of Russian reconstruction,
according to information received
here by the American-Russian Cham
Der of Commerce from its represen-
tatives in Vladivostok.
The Union of Siberian Cooperative
| Unions represents S,262 cooperative
consumers stores with a total capital
of 100000 rubles. It has agencies
in Petrograd, Moscow, Sanarkand,
Harbin, and Vladivostok. Besides
supplying its own members with
merchandise which it purchases
on their account, this union is develop
| ing industrial enterprises for its mem
bers and includes factories for the
manufacture of wool, leather, soap,
flour, and candy. It is developing its
own fisheries on the Amur and Oh
rivers, and operating steamers and
barges.
The extent to which this union has
developed is indicated by the fact
that in 1916 it handled merchandise
worth 3,5G0,000 rubles. In 1917 the
turnover of merchandise was worth
43,000,000 rubles. During the first
| four months of 1918 its turnover of
business was 23,o0O,O0O rubles. These
figures include only the operation OF
the central union and do not comprise
the turnover of the various local Co
operative societies composing the un-
ion. Another important combination
is the Union Of Siberian Creamery
Associa tions. This is both a produc-
ers and a consumers organization. 1t
controls 1,410 creamery associations,
and operates 1,167 cooperative stores.
This association, according to the ln-
Formation received here. has played
an important part in the development
of the diary and provision business
II western Siberia. It is estimated
that its members produced SO per
cent Of the 100000 tons Of butter
which annually were produced in ST.
IBERIA before the war. It's business has
grown from 100000 rubles In 1907
to 160000,0e0 rubles in 1917. This
organization controls in addition to
creameries, several steam -four mills,
two printing establishments, and
rope and soap factories, and estab-
lishments for repairing agricultural
machinery, dairy machinery, ana
similar equipment.
The Union of Siberian Banking AS
sociations consists of % banking un-
ions made up of 1900 loan and saw
ings associations. It plans to act as
purchasing agent for local cooper
taive societies in obtaining farming
implements for the peasants. This
banking association is reported to be
especially interested in the develop
ment of business relations with the
United States
1t is pointed out by the American
Russian Chamber Of Commerce that
American business interests should
| be interested in the development OF
the cooperative movement in Russia
and in developing close relationships
with these important economic and
/, commercial organizations"