Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-11

- 49,.
lne Noopes0tlVe MloveIucuSe
nv rnRnRpIc ]. uASKN.
49,, 1-------.S. I
tcpecni Cofsssponoonee OF lns AfSusJ-
New York, Dec. S.-R you are thinking OF
establishing cooperative store, bakery, laun-
drv. d.,rv restaurant ar .nv othsr cooparatiye
ente,nriss' - ~ many neonle ~ dodnr these
'd.v. ccrciIe. the pcrheA.le .vstsm
Th,s =. -. .dvt.s ~ ~ Coecer.tiv. I.asna
NJ. Ann.,ics hsre <hoss rhisf ohtect n fhs
nro,ncescr - m. .ocrsr.t,v~ vrovs,.e,t 4, thts
courtrv a. ths csntrs 49, fsdsrst,on of Amerf-
ran. cnonerative societiee. the Ieaeue IL n con-
stant comm1nicstion Win hundreds Of coo6-
eratiye enterprisea in ali narts Of the United
afstes, - that tlis savira n hassd mot an Al
strsct theorv INIT On fsctnel ohservation and
exuerience. In IT. opinion. the Rochedal0 sys-
tsm q ~ snlv form Of cooperstive venture
vhieh stande 4 chance to survfve
4 Evsry year, according to . member Of the
league. dozens Of cooperatiye enterprises rise
ma brilliant torches On the uath Of proeress.
only TO veyer. xrov dim and finally to BE- ex-
tinSuished by 1 chilly douche Of disapproval.
They are usIaiIy created around 4 central PER-
Sonslity, who does al OF the planning and or
xaniSing ana they flourish Just a long q that
personality manages to keep the good will and
the whole cooperative business collapsss with
him.,
Immsdiately this calamity occurs coopera-
ton II discredited. 1 Everybody becomes con-
WINGED that Americans are simply not built for
cooperation, and anyone else suggesting CO.
operative society II regarded with plying con-
tempt. In reality the failure 10 mot due to the
people, but to the systems they use
According to the Rochedale plan, each mem
Der Of . cooperative society IL permitted to
have only one vote, regardless Of the amount
Of capital he may contribute. As capitalist,
however, he receives from the proceeds Of the
enterprise the minimum current rate Of inter-
est on his investment In addition to this, the
surplus savings or profits are returned as divi-
bends and divided among the members in pro
portion to the patronage Of each Business is
done on q strictly cash basis, with an extra
charge for delivery service, Goods are sold #
the current market price-not at cost. Regu-
lar meetings Of the society are called to study
the principles and aims of cooperation, with
view to expansion into larger felds-namely,
the wholesale and manufacturing fields Fed
Grafton with the nearest cooperative societies
q also urged with the ultimate purpose Of ma.
tional and world cooperation.
These are the esseutial features of the
UochedAle system but the Cooperatfve Leasue
Of America can tell you . great deal more
about It II you care to write to It, It has q
long list Of pamphlets and circulars CONCERN
Ing cooperative enterprises which will be Of
great assistance to the would-be coopsrativss
One Of the most important factors in start
ing q Cooperative society, according to the
league, 10 starting right. Great caution must
be exercised 20 a. not to choose the wrong
members. Not that the league has any clair
vcyant methods up ito sleeve, but it suggests
that the first dozen members should not DO
chosen in public meeting, where great prom.
ises are apt to be lightly given, but in the
seclusion Of their own homes where they can
think the proposition over calmly and decide
whether or not they care to risk their money.
The time is now ripe for q Widespread CO.
operative movement in this country. Fur
many years cooperation has been checked by
many factors-by the spirit Of individualism
which prevailed as 1t can prevail only In q
nation where there ID plenty Of room. and nv
the presence OF frontiers to which the popula-
ton could Zee from poverty. Then came
period OF vigorous Connection amonr nrivsta
tradesmer. chain stores and noverfni mnnooo-
lies, all Of which tended to obstruct coonerativa
enternrise. II was tha nav immi~rsrt elernsnt
from Europe which rave tho arst impetus to
the cooperative movement here. and Il IL this
element which still holds sosne Of the frst
prizes Of cooperative achievement the arm