74
THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY.
causes have demonstrated that Lassalle was wrong in demand
ing State aid for the multiplication of working men’s associations.
It would have been to condemn them to inevitable ruin. Every
reform which aims at suddenly transforming the social order
will fail, because the very elements of the transformation are
lacking.
Must we, then, despair of the future success of co-operative
societies ? I do not think so. According as working men
understand better what is necessary to their success, we shall
see more and more of them arise and prosper.* The working
man, on becoming an associate-capitalist, and receiving a pro
portional part of the profits, will work better than a mere wage-
earner. The produce will therefore be greater—a most vital
consideration. But there remain three difficulties to overcome.
In the first place, good managers must be found, and to enable
this to be done they must be well paid. Secondly, co-opera
tion associates not only sums of capital, but also men ; it is,
therefore, essential that a spirit of mutual support and good
understanding should reign among them. Finally, since co
operation is republicanism applied to industry, the virtue which
enables republics to live must be there, namely, obedience to
established law and authority. I here is, therefore, a whole
economic education to be achieved, for which time is necessary.
* In America, where the working men are paid higher wages, they are
better prepared to take part in the direction of industrial enterprises, and
frequent examples of successful co-operative societies of production are met
with. Thé following are a few taken from ScnbneYj Monthly Magazine, ^d
from M. Limousin’s paper. Bulletin du Mouvement Social : The Beaverfall
Co-operative Foundry, in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1872 u|X)n a small
capital of 4000 dollars (about ;(^8oo). It now has 16,000 dollars (¿32W)
capital,and pays upon each share an annual dividend of 12 to 15 per cent. The
society comprises twenty-seven members. The Somerset Co-operative loundry
Company, in Massachusetts, was established in 1867, with thirty associates
and a capital of 14,000 dollars (;^28oo). Now, its fifty-three members have
a capital of 30,000 dollars (¿6000), with a reserve fund of 28,000 dollars,
and the dividends occasionally rose to 44 P^r cent. The Equitable Co
operative of Rochester, in New York State, b^an in 1869 with
20,000 dollars (/^Sooo), now it has 100,000 dollars (425,oc)o), ilerived
from accumulated profits. Some co-operative societies of production have
succeeded in England, Germany, Italy, and Belgium. See the annual re-
norts of Herr Schulze-Delitzsch ; “ History of Co-operation, by G. Holy-
oake ; and M. Leond 'Andrimont’s book. Le Mouvement Co-opératif en
Belgique.
