The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1939-12-27
COOPERATIVE
HIGHLIGHTS
OF 1899
BY WALLACE ]. CAMPBELL
Assistant Secretary, Cooperative
League of the U. S. A.
{ Federated Press)

lr 6ueTdLeu fT6SSJ
The American consumer co-opera-
tive movement can list 1899 as its
greatest year of progress. By the
end of the year more than 100000
consumers were members of co-opera-
tives doing total annual business
estimated at s6OO,OO0,0O0.
Among the accomplishments of the
year are several important steps into
production; the expansion Of co-opera-
tive activities from farm to general
household supplies; an increased par
ticipation Of union labor people in
cooperative activities; and vicious
nationwide attack on the cooperative
movement, giving evidence of the fact
that private profit business is now
taking the cooperative movement Sc
riously.
Among the new factories and other
production units now being built or
planned for the next few months are:
l. A s75O,OOO petroleum refinery at
Phillipsburg, Kan
2. A $250,0O0 refinery at Regina,
Sask.
8. An oil topping and cracking plant
at Mt. Vernon, Ind
4. Flour mills at Auburn, Ind, and
Outlook, Sask.
5. Feed mills at Mannheim, Pa, and
Superior, Wis.
6. Commercial fertilizer factories
and mixing plants at Baltimore, In
dianapolis, Alliance, and Maunee, O.,
Cooperative distribution of groc-
cries found its greatest growth in
eastern cities when the Eastern Co.
operative Wholesale, serving 200 CO.
operatives from Maine to Maryland,
surpassed the $1,OO0,000 mark for the
first time.
An unusual development in this
field was the creation of Coop chain
of grocery stores in southern Mime
sofa and Wisconsin which combine
the efficiency of chain store operation
with local ownership, democratic con-
troll, and distribution of savings to
members American grocery Co-ops
adopted a uniform label and pioneered
in government ABC grade labelling of
commodities.
Distribution of farm supplies, field
in which Co-ops are strongest, con-
tiAuCu " 6lOWs AC L al LII vi Ooit <hN-
estimated Coop pur-
chases at s440,O0O,O00, one eighth of
all U. S. farm supply purchases.
Cooperative insurance companies
handling fire, automobile and life in
5urance showed increases of from Is
to 27% for the year.
Continuing its series of farm-labor
and cooperative conferences, the Co
operative League of the u. S. A. ar
ranged institutes at Racine and Akron
Turing the year and planned similar
Institutes in Kansas City and Califor-
MIA for early in 1910.
The ALL and CLIO, at their annual
renewed their indorse-
nents of the cooperative movement
rs an effective means of meeting the
costs Of living. The U. S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
hat consumer co-operatives were
more numerous and more stable than
ever before.
Reassuring evidence of the fact that |
are an important part of |
American life has come in a con-
.erted national attack by private pro-
1t insurance organizations. Insurance |
agencies at conventions in Boston, |
Oakland, indianapolis, Little Rock, |
White Sulphur Springs, Va, and other |
places passed resolutions condemning |
he consumer cooperative movement
because it "aims to increase prices
O producers" "cuts prices to con-
umers" and establishes economic
democracy" In their rush to defend
he profit motive, the insurance COM
anies have given the co-operatives
nore free publicity than they have
ad for years.
Cooperative credit unions con-
inued to grow throughout the year,
eporting 2,250,000 members and as
cts well over S100,000,000.
The cooperative movement itself
ook further steps In January toward
rganizational unity when the Coop
tive League of the U. s. A., national
ducation federation, and Natl. Coop
ratives, Inc, national business fed
ration, opened joint offices in Chi
ago, and make plans to open legis-
tive office in Washington in jan
airy 1910. j.