Page 46 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

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The Story of the C.W.S,
and churchman, working together so steadily, each practically as
personally disinterested as the other. In another matter also they
both possessed one spirit. Notwithstanding the privations
occasioned by the American Civil War, Cooper stood out uncom-
promisingly for the abohtion of American slavery. And Neale,
compelled at this time to make some absurdly modest charge, asks
that five out of a sum of seven guineas be deducted from his account
in favour of the Cotton Famine Relief Fund.
The morning of its Christmas Day was spent seasonably by the
Oldham conference, mainly in moving very cordial votes of thanks
to John Bright (who had enhsted Mr. Estcourt's services), to Mr.
Estcourt himself, to Lord Portman, to Neale, and to Henry Pitman
(editor of the Co-operator), and in expressing sympathy with the
relatives of Mr. Slaney. In acknowledging the vote, subsequently,
Mr. Estcourt spoke of the help he had received from the Govern-
ment, including the then President of the Board of Trade, Mr.
Milner Gibson. E. V. Neale, in his reply, prophesied that " an
incalculable amount of good of every sort will arise," but urged
patience and perseverance. " The great thing to impress upon the
minds of the workers," he continued, " is the importance of seeking
to raise the position of their class instead of limiting their efforts to
raising their own position as individuals."
The best of the afternoon was given to the now possible C.W.S.
Abraham Greenwood, who was in the chair, read the carefully-
prepared paper which, at a preliminary committee meetmg held in
Middleton on the 21st, he had been desired to bring before the
delegates. This interesting paper, reprinted from the original draft,
appears elsewhere in this volume as an appendix. Mr. Greenwood
pointed out that whereas only ten stores existed in the days of the
London agency and seventeen when the Rochdale wholesale
department was tried, there were now one hundred and twenty in
Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Cheshire alone. After quoting figures of
trade as showing possibihties, he put forward a plan—not, indeed,
for the C.W.S. as we now know it, but for a modest and unambitious
agency, which would unite the purchasing power of societies while
employing little capital, and would demand a minimum of warehouse
space. The plan included six propositions. In brief, they were for
(1) an agency in Manchester or Liverpool, doing business for ready
money only; (2) no profits, but a small commission on the business
done for each society to cover agency expenses, and nothing more;
(3) business to be done only with co-operative estabhshments
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