OCR Text |
Show PRODUCTIVE CO-OPER1TIOJ. Co-operation in this Territory is no lunger a supposition, it is a fact. If a few Ward stores have succumbed through inexperienced management, or from other causes, tha principle a? practically applied in the Territory ia successfully established. Yet the prosperity of co-operative institutions could be greatly increased. That which built up co-operative societies so rapidly rapid-ly iu Britain, and swelled their proportions, propor-tions, was the fact that the dividend? were turned into the principal stnek, increasing in-creasing it and consequently increasing the shares and the piofits of the stockholders. stock-holders. Tho law compelled the cooperative co-operative societies "to declare regular dividends, and empowered stock-holders to draw them ; but the stock-holders, in many instances, were wise, though in stiaiteued circumstances, and contenting themselves with obtaining obtain-ing goods cheaper at their own stores than elsewhere, allowed their dividends to increase their shares, and thus increased in-creased and strengthened the business. This was acting on a wise business principle. When a man engages in trade, if he finds it profitable, after the necessary outlay for support, wages, and the expenses incident to his business, busi-ness, he invests his profits in it. He knows that with increased capital he can do more business, make money faster, and more rapidly acquire what he labors for independence, or fortune. for-tune. But if those profits were regularly regu-larly taken out of the business, it could not advance. This is the position with regard to co-operative institutions and their growth, for the" principle is the same. The institutions should regularly declare de-clare their dividends, and it should be left, with the stockholders to draw them, as at present; but those stockholders would consult their own intorests and the success of the institution in which they are interested, if they permitted those dividends to be placed to their credit among the shares and allowed to remain in the business. If a person had five-hundred dollars invested in a co-operative business merchandizing, manufacturing, farming, farm-ing, or any o'her and his dividend in . six months was ten per cent, the first dividend declared would make his amount five hundred and fifty dollars, which instead of bringing fifty dolkrs increase the following six months, at the same per centage dividend, would bring fifty-five dollars; and so on with the declaration of each dividend. The business would rapidly grow, and the shareholder would be receiving compound com-pound interest for the first investment, subject at any time to his or her call, principal and interest, at the expiration expira-tion of the time after notice given for the withdrawal of shares. We need not elaborate on -the subject. sub-ject. It is so plain, it commends itself to all. When the investment is thus a safe one, to increase that investment is simply to secure increased wealth, which works hard at accumulating, let the fortunate owner work, play or sleep. This "we call the principle of really productive co-operation. |