The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1921-05-13

ise,. or drift back to bondage and
perish.
On the other hand cooperation
cannot live by idealism alone. Even
march to a promised land must
be undertaken in order. Moses would
have lacked much power from God
if he had not been a most eff
cicnt organizer, skilled in all knowi-
edge of the Egyptians, Pharoah
would have put up with the loss of
good many children of Israel if
he could have retained Moses. Let
us hold in respect that sober knowl-
edge of men and things which equips
the business men. And more than
this, let us ever beware of any en-
thusiasm, any idealism, however
magnificent, which scores the cool
sense of means and ends. No doubt
it is superb to lift our ideas like
rockets, and shower hopes in golden
rain; but the persistent fire in a
boiler is more valuable, as per-
sistent light before a shrine is more
poetic.
The business of cooperation is
an extension of the business of the
home. 1t is a business of mu-
! tual interest 1t is business
which accumuates the capital that
! is power, and accumulates it for our
/ common human good. 1t is an or
ganization for supplying ourselves
that, properly conducted, can never
fail, but always will be sure be-
cause we create our own certain
market. 1t is a business which is
all the more profitable because,
paradoXically, instead of profit, its
aim is consumption and use. 1t is
jolly business, because both social
and sure. And so all sorts of
people find in it a guide to prac-
teal economies, a guide as cheerful
as a picture-book, instead of one
as dull as grocer's price-list.
Upon its business side the CO.
operative movement is a college of
commerce, college whose doors
stand always open, college in
which the only fee is service.
We say to the system that is
called capitalism: "Under your rule
each is for himself, serving an
others turn only by accident. In
your world one element alone is
master, the element of capital. La
Dor is crushed and the claims of
the community are ignored. While
the providence of God, the heritage
of civilization, the the labors of
Motherhood and the life Of man
kind over the new world and old
are creating the wealth of the world.
your system grants the mastery of
the wealth only to few. To you
all the world is a mint, and all
the fruits are metal, to be coined
into capital and so monopolized. But
in our system cooperation is our
end and purpose. We get on by
working more successfully together.
Your thoughts are for the spur of
competition, but our regard is for
the horse, which is the horse of
cooperation, harnessed not to the
chariots of capital but to the car
of the common good. With US labor
is the honored servant, and it is
the lifeless thing capital which is
the drudge for the lowest rate of
pay. Organizing skill and special
ability we recognize specially, as
they serve our societies.; but, with
US, the body is always more than
any one of its members, even
though that member be the brain
therefore, whatever surplus arises
from the common efforts of all, we
divide among all in the manner
which has proved itself the fairest.
For with us none is the absolute
master, but as each is for all so
are all for each"