TRANSACTEONS OF THE SECTIONS. 225 



- The Committee of Council in London know nothing of the grades of population at 



{(articular points, but are continually misled by the ambiguous term "poor." A 

 ocal committee, administering funds raised by local subscriptions or local rates, can 

 alone remedy some of these evils; and it is a great misfortime that either the 

 apathy of some men or the disagreement of others has hitherto, in a great degree, 

 prevented us from arriving at a degree of perfection within easy means of attainment. 



On the True Principles of Taxation. By C. E. Macuueen. 

 The paper consisted of a comparison of the divei ;e character of direct and indi- 

 rect taxation ; and its object was to show that the action of the latter was always 

 injurious, and that direct taxation was the only on* consistent with sound financial 



Srinciples. Of various schemes of direct taxation, three were mentioned as most 

 esenmg of attention, although the Financial Reform Association did not commit 

 itself to their advocacy. The first of these plans was the Land Tax of William III. 

 according to its original intent, with a small capitation tax in addition, as suggested 

 by the author of the ' People's Blue Book ;' the second the American system, 

 taxing only real propertv and personal estate above the value of £50 ; and the third, 

 the plan recommended in the draft report of the late Joseph Hume to the Income 

 Tax Commissioners of 1852, based on capitalizing all incomes, — a scheme supported 

 by Dr. Fair and others. 



On the Progress of Cooperation at Eochdale. 

 By the Eev. W. N. Moleswokth, M.A. 



The rapid progress and difiusion of cooperation is effecting a gi-eat change in the 

 condition of the working class, and in its relations with every other class. It has 

 therefore naturally excited much interest and attention. What has been done in 

 Eochdale may be done elsewhere ; the experience which has been gained there may 

 serve to guide and encourage societies which are in an earlier stage of their progress, 

 and may enable us to loi-m some sort of rough estimate of the proportions that co- 

 operation may be expected to assimie hereafter. A careful examination of a single 

 case will be the best preparation for forming a sound judgment respecting the whole 

 movement. 



The first thing that seems to be requisite is to give some sort of definition of the 

 principle which is embodied in these societies; and I cannot do this better than by 

 copying their o^-n statement of their objects. 



" The objects of this society are the social and intellectual advancement of its 

 members ; it provides them with groceries, butcher's meat, drapeiy goods, clothing, 

 shoes, clogs, &c. Theie are competent workmen on the premises, to do the wowc 

 of the members, and execute all repairs. The capital is raised in £1 shares, — each 

 member being allowed to take not less than five, and not more than one hundred, 

 payable at once or by instalments of three shillings and threepence per quarter. 

 The profits are divided quarterly as follows : — 1st. Interest at 5 per cent, per annum, 

 on all paid-up shares ; 2nd. 2i per cent, off" net profits for educational purposes, the 

 remainder divided amongst the members in proportion to money expended. For 

 the intellectual improvement of the members, there is a library consisting of more 

 than 3000 volumes. The librarian is in attendance every Wednesday and Satur- 

 day evening, from seven to half-past eight o'clock. The news-room is well supplied 

 with newspapers and periodicals, fitted up in a neat and careful manner, and fur- 

 nished with maps, globes, microscope, telescope, &c. The news-room and library 

 are fi-ee to all members. A branch reading-room has been opened at Oldham-road, 

 the readers of which meet eveiy second Monday in January, April, July, and Octo- 

 ber, to choose and sell the papers." 



This statement is given at full length : though there are some portions of it which 

 may seem not quite relevant to our purpose, yet it contains nothing which does 

 not throw some light on the spirit in which the society has been conceived and 

 canied on. In sciences which have been canied to a high pitch of perfection, 

 such as astronomy and the physical sciences, accuracy of definition is indispensable ; 

 but in the less advanced and more complex questions of social science we cannot 

 define with the same degree of strictness, and it is much better to make our boim- 

 daries include too much than to render them too narrow. 



It may provoke a smile to find, in the above-cited statement of objects, "social 

 and iatellectual advancement " placed side by side with " groceries, butcher's meat, 



1861. 15 



