El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-08-06

COOPERATIVE stores come and 60 some succeed ana
some do not. In this their experience is much Ike
ordinary businesses run the usual plan The cooperative
store system has gained strong foothold in England and
some other countries There said to be several thousand
cooperative stores the United States but so Tar they 90
not seem to have assumed anything like the relative IN
portance that such institutions have achieved in England
The promoters Of cooperative stores say that these en-
tsrpres rarely succeed II they Try to stand alone TO Sue
csed thew must link up with other cooperative retail stores,
establish cooperative wholesale stores and agencies ana
If possible 20 into the manufacturing field. The underlying
AZ anv individuals as possible are enlisted. They put
I'D $50 OF 500 apiece as initial capital organize and elect
board Of managers which employs the active operating
executives All the original stockholders and organizers
are expected do all their buying at the cooperative store
SO far as their needs can De supplied
If there any profits percent IS PAD as interest On
the stock cpitai; the balance Is distributed to the Gus
toners Of the store IL proportion to their relative pur-
ohsses In some stores these Dividends allowed only
to stockholders in others there restriction to the
pubis participation in the dividends purchases and
everybody IS welcome to trade at the store and eligible to
the rebate OF dividend at the recurring distribution PERIOD
theory is that the cooperative stores can be con
Quoted more economically than ordinary private business IN
nes that profits in distribution II not reduced
gross at least returned 70 the custoes as 1eDa
that more direct connection is established between producer
and consumer and that waseful duplication and wasefu
7bils he Cooperative store in the form that
being adopted various places modelled after the English
system the Mormons IN Urah and al other mormon sete
snts have long used the system and used It successfully
1t works especially well isolated communities where
through the community cooperation it becomes possible to
carry larger and more varied stocks than would De hAey
under private ownership and active competition
In the management Of the cooperative stores eacn
shareholder has but vote, and It IS the lneion %
avoid large holdings concentration Of shares All deal
iugs are cash basis -
There have been found to be two chief difficulties In
practice For thing, the difficulty Of obtaining capaoe
and trained managers great It IS N any private
business and success depends largely the special abilities
Of the particular II charge Of particular store EoI
another thing coopeTstors do not always cooperate ana
many people after trial. viii fail into the old habit Of
trading where they please regardless Of their small share
holding IN the cooperative store Few cooperative stores
qrow SO large that they embrace all the vareo CON-
odities which people nowadays demand Convenience IS
often potent force IN directing peoples buying
habits, than mere price.
he cooperative stores rarely affect the business Of other
stores in the community, especially If the city be large
They develop some new lines of trade and some lew Gus
toners leave other stores to trade with the one IN winch
thew have definite personal interest But on the whole
the effect of the cooperative stores is hardly notice
sble than the effect of the establishing Of and
moderately capitalized store under private OWNERSHIP
The fact Is only comparatively small proportion OF
the peoue are endowed with special abilities managers
OF ssesen in commercial and industrial lines. Those who
are so endowed commonly ind their place. either as d.
rturs of business Of their OWL vel pad employees
Of others The commercial field IN America IS vide open
There Is nothing to prevent any group Of men from
engaging IN any line Of business small OF large scale
Associations are voluntary commercial patronage is Tolun-
tarv There are no special privileges to be had Those who
succeed succeed and those who fail fail and in most cases
the reasons are to be found IN the personality Of the n
vidual rather than IN any set Of conditions OUTSIDE tne
Individual
All stores are cooperative sense, they are sue
oessu That is to say the customers purchasers have
good deal to say how the store shall be and as
prices and profits successful store keeper must care
uv study the desires OF his patrons He must offer them
what thew want OF they VIII trade elsewhere he must
ote them prices that attract then and appeal 70 them
IS fair OF they VIII trade elsewhere He must give them