Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

troduced in England and France, and not until the year 1840, was any prominence attached to co-operative productions. In that year, M. Louis Blanc, of France, published a work-" L'organization du Travail ”—in which he proposes the establishment of social factories, to be governed by regulations established by legislative enactments, or in other words, to be under government control. This work gave a new and decided impetus to the co-operative movement, but it was not until after 1860 that co-operative productive societies were organized.

The co operative movement is attracting greater attention now than heretofore, and especially so in States in which the manufacturing interests are greatest.

May 12th, 1885, the Legislature of the State of Massachusetts, desirous to procure all the information possible on this subject, passed the following resolution :

Resolved, That the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics of Labor be and he is hereby instructed to prepare and publish for distribution a pamphlet descriptive of the history, methods and present condition of co-operative distribution in Great Britain; and he may expend in the preparation and publication of the same a sum not exceeding eighteen hundred dollars.

Approved May 12, 1885.

In compliance with this resolution, the Hon. Carroll D. Wright, Chief of the Bureau of Statistics of Labor for Massachusetts, and at present Chief of the National Bureau of Labor, prepared a " Manual of distributive co-operation," from which, by permission, extracts and tables are hereby presented :

*

*

*

At the beginning of the present century the condition of the common people attracted the attention of certain social philosophers who, seeing the misery that often existed among the working classes, endeavored to devise some scheme for the reconstruction of society upon more favorable conditions. Among these social reformers Saint Simon and Fourier, in France, and Robert Owen, in England, each in his own way, hoped to re-create society upon an ideal basis by a sudden and radical change from existing conditions. It is now seen that it is only by gradual steps that society advances, and that numberless influences and the slow progress of years are necessary to effect important social changes. Therefore, it is not surprising that none of these schemes succeeded, although some of them were, in their day, exceedingly attractive.

The influence of Robert Owen upon the co-operative movement in England was immediate and important. He has, indeed, been credited

with the origin of the term co-operation as applied to industry. "In no literature," says Holyoake, "before the active days of this social devisor, does any trace of this new industrial shibboleth, co operation, appear." "The principles of co-operation were first put together and clearly stated by Mr. Owen in his earliest writings."

But by co-operation, Owen meant a communistic organization of society for the mutual benefit of all. Between 1820 and 1830, great enthusiasm was aroused in England in this direction, having its practical outcome in the establishment of communities upon the co-operative plan. The first newspaper organ devoted to the theories then in vogue was the Economist in 1822, although Owen and others more or less inspired by him had previously published pamphlets unfolding their plans for social improvement. William Thompson, in 1827, produced a little work called "Labor Rewarded," in which he aimed to set forth a scheme for a more just distribution to labor of its share of product, and presented directions for the establishment of co-operative companies. Later the Combes and Robert Dale Owen, among others, aided the movement with their pens.

Not entirely unfamiliar with the theory of co-operation were the weavers of Rochdale, twenty-eight of whom, massing their meagre capital of £1 each, were to engage in a scheme of co-operative distribution upon a plan so practical and with an energy so determined as to carry the assurance of success. Under the name of "The Rochdale Pioneers," these weavers secured quarters in an old weavers' shop in Toad Lane, Rochdale, and, with the limited stock of groceries purchasable with their united capital of £28, began business in 1844. The insignificant character of their enterprise provoked the ridicule of the public.

"When the day and hour for commencing business arrived, the little party assembled within to take part in the ceremony were abashed at the largeness of the crowd assembled to witness it. Some delay took place before any one could muster up courage to take down the shutters, and when at last the store' and its contents were exposed to public view, all Toad Lane was in a roar. Loud and long were the shouts of derision that rose from a host of 'doffers,' a species of street boys peculiar to the clothing districts, who, set on by persons who ought to have known better, stared through the windows or blocked up the door. way, evincing their characteristically precocious sense of the ridiculous. by the nature of their comments on the modest display of the 'owd weavers' shop.""

But success, instant and unmistable, overcame ridicule. Not long were these twenty-eight weavers left unsupported in their effort to sup

port themselves with groceries free from the adulterations and imperfections found in those furnished at the ordinary shops, and, at the same time, divided among themselves the profits accruing from their sale. A scheme so practical, conferring benefits so great, at once attracted new members. The next year the association numbered sev-enty-four, and the joint capital rose to £181. The whole story of their progress is most eloquently told by statistics, and we therefore present it in that form, availing ourselves of the following table:

STATISTICS OF THE ROCHDALE EQUITABLE PIONEERS.

[blocks in formation]

Not only did the business expand financially, but its scope was broadened. The original stock in trade was confined to the leading staple groceries, such as flour, oatmeal, sugar and butter. The following table shows the departments afterward added and the date of opening each:

[blocks in formation]

Ten or more branch stores are now carried on in the town of Rochdale, and extensive premises owned by the association have taken the place of the old weavers' shop of 1844.

From the first, part of the profits were set aside for educational purposes, and an extensive library and liberally equipped reading room are now maintained.

The following statement exhibits the condition of the association in 1884, and when contrasted with its humble origin is itself a striking justification of the principles upon which the business has been managed:

[blocks in formation]

Value of land and buildings and fixed stock, December 31, 1884......

£53,412

Investments, December 31, 1884. .

£242,432

[blocks in formation]

The Rochdale store was not the first to engage in co operative trade, as we have already shown, nor was it the first to divide profits on sales. But whether the time was more propitious or the character of its founders more favorable to success, it became, unlike its predecessors, true to its name, the pioneer of the distributive associations now numbered by hundreds in Great Britain. Unlike the joint stock companies the cardinal principles of co-operative distribution were observed by them :—All profits to be divided on purchases, and all purchasing members to be made shareholders with a fixed interest on the capital invested. The cash system to be strictly adhered to.

In 1857, Mr. Holyoake published his "History of Co-operation in Rochdale." a work which was widely read, and thus exerted in important educational influence in behalf of co-operative progress.

In 1862 the number of societies in Great Britain was estimated at 450; their estimated membership being 90,000; their share and loan capital, £450,000; their annual sales, £2,350,000; and their profits, £166,000. In this year parliamentary returns were first made to the Registrar, and thereafter annual statistical statements were presented.

The Industrial and Provident Societies Act of 1862 gave co-operative societies a corporate existence, and permitted one society to hold shares in another. This gave the requisite legal basis for the formation of co operative wholesale societies, which are federative associations, their capital being in shares held by the societies composing the confederation. Such an institution had long been needed to render the independence of the retail stores more complete, to allow them to disregard the jealousy of rival traders who exerted their influence against them with private wholesale dealers, to enable them to secure supplies of undoubted purity, and, while utilizing the surplus capital accumulating in their hands, to permit them to save to themselves, the profit arising in the wholesale trade.

« FöregåendeFortsätt »