Co-operation

From Prof. J. H. Payne, the President of the Co-operative Society of the University of Michigan, the following facts have been ascertained relative to the work to be done by that society in its endeavors to protect the students at Ann Arbor from the extortions of the local tradesmen. Professor Payne has been in Cambridge for the past few days, making a careful study of the system on which our own society is conducted. Coming as it does at such an important crisis in the affairs of the Harvard society, his testimony as to the value of Co-operation among the students ought to have great weight.

It seems that the students at Michigan were subjected to the same system of exorbitant charges which formerly prevailed at Cambridge, and that, inspired by the success of co-operation, as shown by the great reduction in prices secured by our society, they determined to found one of their own. The effect of this action was immediate. The local tradesmen who had formerly kept prices up to a most unfair standard by their concerted action, were compelled to make immediate reductions. In fact, the leading book-sellers advertised the works required by students at a drop of nearly 30 per cent. from the prices demanded the year previous to the formation of the society. Such a result as this naturally was properly appreciated by the students, and they have entered so thoroughly into the spirit of the reform that its success is now assured. After seeing what has been accomplished by a society founded in imitation to that at Cambridge, it cannot be other than a disgrace to the students of Harvard if they allow a spirit of easy negligence to cause the downfall of their own institution at the very moment when it bids fair to attain the highest usefulness.