ALTRUISM IX COOPFRATION. 281 



are for the time being independent of it. A notable instance 

 of this is the promotion of cooperation among the Irish 

 peasantry by a society of wealthy men and women. This 

 society raised funds, printed and distributed documents, 

 employed traveling lecturers, counseled with newly-formed 

 associations, and in all ways sought — and is still seeking — to 

 promote cooperation, especially in dairying, among the Irish 

 peasantry. The societ}' has been successful and is accomplish- 

 ing great good. The motives of its members are purely 

 altruistic. They seek the good of the people. But the object 

 which they hold out to induce cooperation is not the good of 

 Ireland, but the welfare of the individual cooperators. That 

 is an entirely legitimate motive, and it seems to me the pro})er 

 one in this case. No one can appreciate the altruistic spirit 

 more profoundly than I, or have higher regard for the many 

 who are unquestionably dominated by it; but I have never 

 seen it mix well with business. On the contrary, it is apt to 

 mix very badly. There is an innate suspicion of those who 

 avow an. altruistic motive for what they expect to profit by. 

 To promote our own welfare is not sordid or ignoble. It is 

 what we are here for. It seems to me best to claim no higher 

 motive for cooperation than the material advantage of the 

 cooperator. Doubtless there are many populations, like those 

 of Ireland, and, doubtless, some parts of America, where there 

 is a great field for an altruistic propaganda of cooperation on 

 the part of those who are perhaps not engaged in the industry 

 which it is proposed to organize; but among the intelligent 

 farmers of the United States it seems to me best that they 

 should say to each other, " Let us do this because it will })ay us." 

 I say this while perfectly aware tiiat some of the most 

 successful cooperative enterprises in the world are avowedly 

 based on the fraternal spirit. The great British cooperative 

 stores do an immense amount of work for the moral as well 

 as the material welfare of their members, and the literature 

 whicli they distribute is highly altruistic in tone. It doubtless 

 helps to hold their membership more strongly. But, after all, 

 it is the benefit to the individual that is made most jirominent. 

 The great life-insurance secret societies are unquestionably 



