How to cooperate
The full fruits of labour to producer, honest value to the consumer, just return to capital, prosperity to all. A manual for cooperators
The True Way Out of the evils that now afflict both producers and consumers is through an agency that already exists. It is right at hand. Its ways are the methods of peace.
This agency requires no favored legislation, no political revolution, no social overthrow. It builds up instead of tearing down. Yet its success has been abundantly demonstrated under the most ad- verse circumstances. It is as permanent as a human institution may be.
It supplies its own capital, insures its own prosperity, and increases in practical beneficence with age. Thoroughly Christian in nature and application, no phase of belief can take exceptions to it. Nor does it antagonize the reforms in politics and govern ment and taxation, in land or finance or transportation, that are now so prominent in the public mind. In one sense independent of all these, in another view it is indispensable to any reform that is to be of lasting benefit to the whole community.
Yet it is intensely practical, perfectly adapted to country, town or city, within the reach of all grades of people, and thoroughly suited to the varied needs and capacities of producers and consumers in all the great vocations of life. More- over, it interferes with no reasonable effort to ameliorate the conditions of society, but extends to such the hand of fellowship. Above all, it in no possible way antago- nizes any farmers' secret .orders or open organizations, and in no manner interferes with trade unions or labor association
Yet it is an agency through which all such orders, organizations, unions and associations may immensely stimulate and perpetuate their usefulness. The true way out is summed up in the one word Cooperation. The present great farmers' movement, and the phe- nomenal activity among all industrialists, will be fruit- ful in results of permanent benefit according to the degree in which, without neglecting its specific objects, it embraces the principles of true cooperation. This movement must substitute cooperation for competition, thus reforming distribution and giving to the producer the full fruits of his labor, to the consumer honest value for money paid, and to capital an equitable return for its use and risks.
This manual is written to facilitate such a result. Primarily designed for farmers producers and con- sumers in country districts the wants of the toiling masses in town and city, factory, store and mine, have also been kept in view. To be thoroughly practical, within the grasp of those whom cooperation will most benefit, and a true friend and prudent adviser to the masses who must manifestly find their way out only through cooperation is the high aim of this book.
It means to describe the How rather than the Wherefore of Cooperation ; to be a treatise on the Art, just how to cooperate, rather than a dissertation on the Science, Theory and Ethics of the subject. Less theory and more practice is the great need of cooperation. Tc what extent this aim has been fulfilled the reader must judge not
Contents:
.
PREFACE 7-9
PREFACE 7-9
CHAPTER I. WHAT Co-operation Is and Is Not 9-23
CHAPTER II. The History of Co-operation 23-36
CHAPTER III. The Co-operative Store 36-83
CHAPTER IV. Further Examples of Co-operative Distribution. How TO Start A Store 83-127
CHAPTER V. Co-operative Production 127-143
CHAPTER VI. CO-OPERATIVE DAIRYING 143-159
CHAPTER VII. CO-OPERATIVE FIRE INSURANCE 159-178
CHAPTER VIII. CO-OPERATIVE BANKING 178-207
CHAPTER IX. FARMERS' AND PEOPLE'S EXCHANGES 207-241
CHAPTER X. WOMEN'S EXCHANGES AND HOW THEY MAY BB
Run 241-252
CHAPTER XI. THE FUTURE OP CO-OPERATION 252-254
Appendix: 1. Working by-laws and model rules. 2.
Descriptive directory of all classes of co-operative enterprises.
3. Laws relative to co-operation. 4. Bibliography of co-
Operation. 5. Advertisements 266-346
Download