Page 511 - The_story_of_the_C._W._S._The_jubilee_history_of_the_cooperative_wholesale_society,_limited._1863-1913_(IA_storyofcwsjubill00redf) (1)_Neat

First Plans for the C»W.S.

in this is to keep the transactions of the agency as simple as it will permit.
It strikes me very forcibly that making profits in connection with a wholesale
affair is a superfluous piece of work. It would be absurd to put profits on goods
bought merely to divide them by way of dividend.
It will be wholesome to leave as much local action to the stores as possible,
and to have as little as possible of centralisation. Hence I would not presume
in this respect to put stores in a state of pupilage by doing that for them which
they are capable of doing for themselves, viz., to make members of co-operative
societies, almost in spite of themselves, accumulate capital. This is a function
that properly belongs to each individual store, and not to a wholesale
concern.
5. The necessary amount of capital for carrying on the agency shall be
raised fro rata on the munber of members belonging to the stores
joining the agency.
The amount of capital per member shall be determined, in a measure, by
the number of co-operative stores that may join the agency. Say that in good
times there will be fully 40,000 members of co-operative stores in the counties
previously named, at 2s. 6d. each member, these will give a total capital of
£5,000. This sum will be ample for carrying on an agency.
6. That the stores pay their own carriage.
Each store now pays the carriage of goods from the places where they are
purchased, and the stores should bear a like relation to the agency as they do
to the markets where they now purchase, thus keeping the business of the
agency free from transit charges.
What are the benefits we may legitimately expect from a wholesale agency ?
1. Stores will be enabled through the agency to pxirchase more
economically than heretofore by reaching the best markets.
2. Small stores and new stores are at once put in a good position by
being placed directly (through the agency) in the best markets,
thus enabling them to sell as cheap as any first-class shopkeeper.
3. As all stores will have the benefit of the best markets by means of
the agency, it follows that dividends paid by the stores must be
more equal than heretofore, and by the same means dividends will
be considerably augmented.
4. Stores, especially large ones, will be able to carry on their business
with less capital. Large stores will not, as now, be necessitated,
in order to reach the minimvun prices of the markets, to purchase
goods they do not require for the immediate supply of their
members.
5. Stores will be able to command the services of a good buyer, and
will thus save a large amount of labour and expense by one
purchaser buying for perhaps some 150 stores, wliile the great
amount of blundering in purchasing at the commencement of a
co-operative store will be obviated.
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