Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-03-22

which ought to have been, and
which, with the exercise Of even =
moderate degree of craftsmanship,
could nave been disposed OF months
ago.
COOPERATIVE MERCHANDISING
Following a meeting held on Fri
day evening for that purpose there
has been Organized in Grand Forks "a
cooperative association for the pur-
pose OF conducting a retail mercan-
tile business in the city. The aasocia-
ton has been organized. by a group
of wage workers, of whom some
forty were present at the meeting
where plans were discussed. The
basic plan of the organisation isN de-
clared to be that Of the famous r ochA
dale plan. but some other features
are added to bring it more into con-
formity with modern business condi-
tons. a.. a
AS The Herald understands the
plan. it is truly cooperative, lii that
the ownership and management of
the is vested entirely in the
members who r expected to be the
principal customers, and who are
merely { lsnizinx a business concern
ofrtheir own, to operate in theft own
way-and for their own benedt.
That principle .isg sound and logical,
and any plan framed in accordance
with it, is not to tbe confused with, the
numerous c which masquer-
AIDE under the name .'co-operative''
when, in fact, they are nothing Of
the sort. An example of this latter
class sis the Consumers Stores com
pany, the funds for which were sub
scrihed by the great body Of custom
ers, or patrons, who had no VOICE
whatever in the management Of the
enterprise. The Grand Forks enter
prise ID organized. on the basis Of L.
climate cooperation.
Thousands of cooperative enter
prisAs have been established. Many
OF them have obtained a very salts
factory Of success, and are
performing - useful service. Manx
others have failed. The experience of
a great many years has shown that
rock On which the new concern of
this character izs mos likely to be
wrecked is that Of improper manage
nent.
Cooperative buying may be carried
on by a few people in a few staple
lines quite 'advantageously with the
minimum Of management. II the
persons interested choose to take the
trouble to meet when necessary, to
pool their orders, and then to have
the goods distributed al one time,
the cash expense OF, conducting the
business need not be great, and no
remarkable skill Is needed for the
conduct OF the buadneA But where
the purpose is to conduct q general
retail business, in which a varied
stock must be carried, to be distrib-
nted in small lots as.individnal needs
arise. We have--a mercantile bssaneB
whose management requires.si and
experience no less than the conduct
Of any. private sbsaneas.
Many co-operatiye trqubles have
arisen .throush laek OF recognition OF
|thisAfact In tho nature Of thtne. n
y not possible for the members to
nke care Of the detalls az manage
nent for themselves. They have
other occupations which demsnd
their attention And the >invaefmert
OF each tndivsdual< 10 90 snail that
there-is notsfor HIM the. xme +ineent-.
i've that there.is for the man whose
entire funds are.invezted in 1. hssioesa
70 kesD IN tosch with it and see that
It y honestly and capably manaeed.
Beeause of.this 1t has happened on
NUMEROUS occasions that the man
agenaent Of the cooperative enter
prise has fallen to q wiro
Wss inezperienced And inconfbefent
and who has FILTERED away the fund.
OF his eAD'oysr1, Q who vas
lseotndrel. and hiss simply stolen.
their money ana made away with ii.
AAoeiations whoae members have
rscognised this danger fully, and Who
have taken proper steps to avoid it
haves IN = 1arge s~psrcsntase q eases.
nade very Ati3aetoey sueceu. It q
to ~ hoped that this wills bel III rec-
ord q the GFAnd Forks association.
The 80 4 ~ expsft1esnt. bst Il 4
l3egittnaate sons. 90. ~ far - II are
Uniformed, y 4 5begun Oh sSoend Z
lscissttAe 49, i that ~ entfra con-
4txuS q thetf Islalffs:issl III .ths hsnds 81
ishssInsrh1es fs thanasslveMI II TIE de-
lfa5ka 81 ira MIR 80 Zs&-rIrE.