The twenty-eighth annual congress of the Co-operative Union has been
in session during the week at Woolwich. On Monday Lord Winchilsea gave the inaugural address. During the last thirty years the Co-operators' capital has gone up from 21,000,000 to 215,000,000, the trade done has developed from 23,000,000 to 250,000,000, and the number of members from 150,000 to over 1,000,000. In 1865 the profits were 2270,000. "They have now reached the astonishing total of 25,000,000." Agriculture was, however, untouched by co-operation. But agriculture needed organisation more than any other trade. It was the absence of organisation which made it impossible to compete with the foreigner. The making of butter, for instance, under modern conditions of trade, could not be carried on by individuals, but only on the principles of combination. Modern trade required an immense quantity of one thing of uniform quality and appearance to be regularly delivered all the year round, and it was impossible in this country, under the conditions in which butter was produced, to secure that end. The consequence was that, whereas at present Danish, Norman, and Australian butter was well known in the English market, there was no such brand as English butter. What he should like to do was to found a great co-operative society for the growth, collection, and distribution of British produce. He should ask producers and consumers equally to take shares in it, allow capital to have its fair reward, say 4 to 5 per cent., and should divide the re- mainder of the profits between producers in proportion to their production and consumers in proportion to their con- sumption, giving a certain proportion to the employes of the association. This is an excellent scheme if it can only be made practical, and we wish Lord Winchilsea success.
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