A SURVEY OF TYPIQAL COOPERATIVE STORES. 3 
the results. Where such estimates appear doubtful they have been 
eliminated. This accounts in part for the varying number of asso- 
ciations answering the different questions. 
For obvious reasons care has been taken to conceal both the identity 
and locality of the stores investigated. The numbers in Table 10 bear 
no relation to the order in which the stores were visited nor to the 
numbers on the questionnaires. Stores which had been recently estab- 
lished and which had as yet little or no experience of value were 
usually omitted. Almost without exception the investigator found 
the store managers willing to cooperate in attaining the object of the 
survey and glad to furnish all the information in their possession. 
ORIGIN OF THE STORES. 
Inquiry into the origin of the stores investigated revealed a variety 
of causes. In some cases the stores were started as a protest against 
real or fancied abuses. In others the association was organized on 
the initiative of outside promoters who make a business of organizing 
cooperative stores. In still other cases there is reason to believe the 
stores were established on the initiative of individuals who expected 
to obtain permanent employment in the store. 
As will be noticed by the answers to questions 6 and 7, there were 
20 cases in which an established business was purchased. A great 
deal has been said in favor of this practice. It has certain advan- 
tages, to be sure, but from the cases examined in the present survey 
the advantages of the established business appear to have been offset 
by serious disadvantages. In some instances failing concerns suc- 
ceeded in unloading stocks of goods upon the cooperative association 
at excessively high prices and with liberal allowances for good will 
thrown in. In other cases the association found itself with a large 
proportion of the purchased stock either shelf worn or poorly adapted 
to the needs of the community. 
Questionnaire on the Business Peactice of Cooperative Stores. 1 
Report No. . Date , 1915. 
Information obtained by Information given by 
I. General: 
1. Name: ; 2. City: ; 3. Street and No. ; 4. County: ; 
5. State: ; 6. Was new business - started : (20) Yes; 7. Estab- 
lished business purchased; (20) Yes; 8. Principal line: ; 
9. Secondary lines: ; 10. Principal industry in locality: (31) 
Farming; 11. Is location desirable: (37) Good; 12. Present mana- 
ger : ; 13. His experience: 
i Numbers in parentheses are stores reporting. In most cases the difference between 
the number given and 60, the total number surveyed, were either answered in the oppo- 
site or not at all. ' Where not qualified figures represent averages. 
