3o8 History of the 



in general, and by way of encouragement to the Co-operators of 

 Rossendale in particular, let me make the remark, that the size and 

 regularity of its dividends are not to be viewed as the measure of 

 what it has achieved, and is capable of achieving ; though we shall 

 not be so squeamish as to deny that this is the mainspring of the 

 successful progress of the Co-operative movement : and it is right 

 that it should be so. The soul with the finest sensibilities is still 

 wedded to the clay of our common humanity, and that same clay 

 must eat if it would continue to live. The fine sensibilities will 

 avail it nothing in this life if it gives not heed to the bread which 

 perisheth. It is sheer sentimentalism to pretend to deplore that 

 the movement is altogether selfish, and that the dividend is the 

 keystone of the whole system. This is about as wise as to make 

 show of despising the poet for being so vulgar as to eat his dinner. 

 Even the wheels of State would drag heavily were it not for the 

 ample contributions of the people. Gold is a wonderful lubricator ! 

 and life at the best would be but a series of jerky movements with- 

 out it. But besides the all-powerful dividend which it secures for 

 its members, Co-operation has given a direction to the thoughts 

 and actions of thousands who had either thought and acted at 

 random, or had not previously thought at all. It has been a grand 

 teacher of political and social economy to thousands more. The 

 cloud by day, the gillar of fire by night, to guide many a poor child 

 of bondage from the Egypt of debt, with all its hard task-masters, 

 to the promised land of independence and self-reliance. Many an 

 unthrifty parent — unthrifty, not so much from inclination or choice 

 as from lack of purpose, has been led by its agency to become a 

 careful and thoughtful provider. But it will accomplish more even 

 than this. Co-operation is a fulcrum on which to rest the lever 

 that will move the State. A quiet argument for the moral and 

 intellectual fitness of the people to exercise their just political 

 rights, which will certainly prevail ; 



" Nought can make it rue, 

 If Labour to itself prove true." 



