Page 20 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

The Story of the C.W.S.

Garden. But the bazaar seems to have done little more than spend
the £100 which Lady Byron generously provided, whereas the
company was a real collective effort. It was decided upon at the
first Owenite Co-operative Conc^ress, held in Manchester in ^May,
1S31. Indeed, with the enthusiasm of the time, the Congress
resolved upon not one, but " various wholesale trading companies."
They were to be " formed by unions of co-operative societies, and
convenient!}' situated at the various seaports in the United King-
dom, in order to purchase and sell every article of consumption at
the lowest possible price for the benefit of the several societies
forming such companies, and also to encourage and promote the
sale and exchange of co-operative manufactured and other produce."
On the motion of Robert Owen himself, the Liverpool company
v/as forthwith decided upon, and* laws were drawn up for its
governance. A reprint of these laws appeared in the Co-operative
News for March 11th, 1876. The capital was to be raised by con-
tributions and loans. Each society desiring membership was to
contribute in the proportion of £20 for every 100 members. At
Halifax the call was met by individual subscriptions of 4s. each.
Business was to be done for societies on a commission of 1 per cent
for members and H per cent for non-members. Thirteen trustees
were to be elected by delegates of societies, who were to appoint
officers. All profits were to go towards forming a co-operative
community, or to any other purpose decided upon by the societies'
delegates.
At the second Congress, held in Birmingham in October, 1831,
the North-West of England United Co-operative Company was still a
project. Robert Owen was in the chair, and, considering the resolu-
tion he was reported to have moved six months earlier, his attitude
v/as a little surprising. He thought the societies " incapable of
competing with the large manufacturers and capitalists," and said
that " the only good the societies could effect in this matter was
to communicate to each other a knowledge of the best markets for
different articles." He declared that proisperous wholesale houses
turned over £2,000,000 per annum—it is notable that \^'hen the
C.W.S. was launched the annual co-operative turnover had just
Owen, therefore, recommended the societies " to
passed this total.
make arrangements v/ith some house of extensive business," or, if
they were determined to take action, to appoint a committee of
investigation. Nevertheless. £500 was subscribed—at any rate, on
paper; a management committee was chosen, and a warehouse
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