Show -- 10- But in position as a substitute for complete communism living up to these concepts it is interesting to note that the officials did not always practice what they preached Cooperative enterprises were frequently undertaken by the Mormon communities Although not the first one of the most popular mercantile cooperatives was started in 1S6S of Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution Showing the Mormon is no exception to the frailties of man it was not unusual to find that the communal endeavors failed The Mormon was quite willing to cooperate in every by the founding respect except that he was sometimes reluctant to do so when financial obligations were not satisfactory to himself While the Mormon professed a communal attitude it was usually the organisations of similar character that succeeded The scarcity of money sufficient to allow private enterprises was an aid to the establishment of the non-pro- fit cooperative Nevertheless it was a remarkable feat and a tribute to the perseverance of their economic concepts that the an able to establish a successful colony in For they took from conditions of poverty Mormons were arid country 5 Richard T Ely “Economic Aspects of Hamer’s ifogazlne 071 (April 1903) p 672 6 Ibid p 667 Mormon ism |