BUSINESS COOPERATION 259 



with each other by exchanging price lists, and that they buy 

 and sell for Patrons of other states on the same terms as for 

 those of their own. 1 



In response to another resolution of the National Grange 

 the executive committee at this session reported a system of 

 rules for the government of cooperative associations within 

 the order. These rules embodied what is generally known as 

 the Rochdale plan. The principal features were the organiza- 

 tion of a stock company with shares of five dollars each to be 

 held only by members of the order and in limited amounts; 

 each holder of a share or more of stock to be a member of the* 

 association and have an equal voice in its management regard- 

 less of the amount of stock held; sales to be for cash and at the 

 usual retail rates; and profits, after payment of a limited in- 

 terest on stock, to be divided among purchasers in proportion 

 to amounts purchased, the proportion to non-members to be 

 only one-half that to members of the association. These rules 

 were intended to be used in the organization of local coopera- 

 tive stores by a single grange or by the granges of a neighborhood, 

 but it was also expected that more extensive wholesale associa- 

 tions might be formed along the same lines, the stock to be 

 held in part by the local associations. The rules were explained 

 at length to the National Grange by one of the members of the 

 executive committee and after thorough discussion the Grange 

 decided to recommend them to Patrons throughout the country. 

 In addition the executive committee was authorized to have 

 them printed, together with such forms and blanks as it might 

 deem necessary, for distribution to interested Patrons. 2 



Another scheme for a comprehensive form of distributive 

 cooperation made its appearance at this session of the National 

 Grange. During the summer the members of the executive 

 committee had been in correspondence with representatives 

 of the English Cooperative Union by whom a suggestion was 

 made " that the time had come for a system of international 

 exchanges between the cooperations [cooperators ?] of England 



1 National Grange, Proceedings, ix. 20-33, I 4 I (November, 1875). 



2 Ibid. 23, 93-100, 130, 171. 



