THE TRADESMEN AND CO-OPERATION.
(TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—I have read with interest the article in last week's Spectator on the tradesmen and the Co-operative Stores, which calls to my mind the fact that the former were themselves amongst the first to avail themselves of the principle of co-opera- tion. I dare say they will hear this with anger and incredulity, but I think it would not be difficult to show that theirTrade Protection Societies, which were established long before" Stores" were thought of, are simply Legal Co-operative Associations.
In the good old times, when a tradesman got tired of applying for payment of an account, he placed it in the hands of his solicitor for collection, who proceeded secundum artein to apply for payment, issue a writ, &c. I presume that this was found by the tradesmen not always to be a remunerative transaction, and they consequently established these Trade Protection Socie- ties, by which means, on payment of a fixed annual subscription, all their debts are collected on terms of costs out of pocket, a solicitor being kept on the premises to conduct all purely law proceedings which could not legally be otherwise instituted by the Society.
No doubt these Societies were and are looked on with disfavour by the body of Solicitors, who from time to time grumble amongst themselves on the subject; but I never heard of their calling "indignation meetings," or asking Parliament to interfere and abolish the Trade Protection Societies. As a body, they have preferred to rely on their own usefulness rather than on any supposed duty of society to support them,—and in this, I think, they have been wise. Let the tradesmen take the example to heart, and try whether they cannot serve the public better and cheaper than the Stores do, and they will find but little reason to complain, and will be able to preserve their tempers, as well as their belief in the Christian religion.—I am, Sir, 8:c., A SOLICITOR.
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