MODERN CO-OPERATION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 279, 18 August 1908, Page 7

MODERN CO-OPERATION.

» THE ROCHDALE SYSTEM. Mr. Alexander Gray lectured to a cojisiderablo audienco in the Municipal Concert Hall last evening 011 " Co-operation To-day, with special referenco to tho_ Rochdale system." Mr. J. Hutchcson prosided. Tho lccturo was ono of tho Public Library scries.' Mr. Gray commenced with a brief investigation of industrial conditions in. England at tho beginning of 'lie eighteenth century. The working man was then his own master, working under his own roof. , Tho inventions of Arkwright and others, clinngod the whole character of tho' toxtilo industry in a tray that was unfortunate for the working mail. Then began th'a specialisation of industries, which was the thin end of the factory system. He would not harrow the feelings of his _ audienco with tho evils of that system in its early days, when men and children worked for eighteen hours a day, ■until tho plagues of sickness which resulted from' tho conditions of their employment were productive of restrictive legislation. TJIO lecturer then traced tho career of Richard Owen, the father- of -English Socialists, who was himself a manufacturer of spinning wheels, and afterwards a spinner. At tho ago of twenty ho was manager of a factory with over 500 employees, and in two years .had made tho business famous. At Now Leonard 110 formed an institution for tho training of children, whioh so impressed the Tsar Nicholas that he offered Owen tho government of a Russian province. Owen also improved tho conditions of his workmen, and . tried to induce other 'manufacturers to do the same. In ; this ho was, unsuccessful, and ho then appealed to the .workers themselves to strivo for tho betterment their conditions. Tho appeal received an: instantaneous response, and institutions for. the purpose wero started all over England.; Communistic villages wore also formed, which, unfortunately, .wero disastrous failures. Tho reason .of their nonsuccess was - that they woro out of touch with their environment. 'About 184-1 tho Rochdale pioneers of co-operation opened their first store. The theory followed was that all perspns met on the sarno .plane as consumers, and that tho consumer was tho only person to bs considered. This -was tho first system under which a return was mado to tho consumer, out of. tho so-called profits, of part of tho money paid for goods consumed. ' Tho Rochdale Society commenced with, very high ideals. Its first object was declared to bo the social and intellectual advancement of its members. Unfortunately this and similar societies were bitterly opposed by the small shopkeepers, to whose business tl\ey spelt ruin. The effects upon this class-were unfortunate, but they could not'bo. helped. As tho outcome of-this" cooperative, system' goods could bo sold moro cheaply, and the small shops sudercd as a consequence. Tho lecturer then spoke in detail of tho work and objects of th'o cooperative societies formed 011 the Rochdale model, and bis remarks wero illustrated )vith a'large number of limelight views.