In the economy and frugality that marked, necessarily, the early days of
the Mormon people, there naturally was resort to combination in the
purchases of supplies and in the marketing of products. When the United
Order declined, there was resort to another economic pioneer enterprise,
the cooperative store, established in many of the new communities. Each
store, to an extent, was under local Church supervision and, while open
to the trade of all, still was established primarily for the benefit of
the brethren. Under early-day conditions, the idea undoubtedly was a good
one. Mercantile profits were left within the community, divided among
many, while the "Co-op" also served as a means through which the
community produce could be handled to best advantage.
In the north, June 27, 1881, at Snowflake, with Jesse N. Smith at its
head, was organized a company that started a cooperative store at
Holbrook, taking over, largely for debt, a store that had been operated
by John W. Young at old Holbrook. In January, 1882, this establishment
was left high and dry by the moving of Holbrook station a mile and a half
west to Berardo's, or Horsehead Crossing. There was difficulty in getting
a location at the new site, so this store, in February, 1882, was moved
to Woodruff.
In January, 1881, at Snowflake was started a "Co-op" that merged into the
Arizona Cooperative Mercantile Institution. The following month, under
David K. Udall, a similar institution was opened at St. Johns, where
there was attached a flouring mill. Both at St. Johns and Snowflake were
cooperative livestock herds.
One of the most extensive enterprises of this sort was started in Mesa in
September, 1884, with Chas. I. Robson, George Passey and Oscar M. Stewart
at its head. The first stock was valued at $45, yet in 1894, the Zenos
Cooperative Mercantile & Manufacturing Institution had a paid-up capital
stock of over $25,000 and a two-story building, and had paid dividends
ranging from 10 to 50 per cent annually.
Almost every phase of communal effort now appears to have been abandoned
in Arizona Mormon business life, probably because found unnecessary in
the latter-day development in which the membership of the Church has
had so large a share.
The Author feels there should be addition of a statement that the Church
is far from acceptance of the European idea of communism, for one of its
tenets is, "Thou shalt not be idle, for he that is idle shall not eat of
the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer." Nothing of political
socialism ever was known in the United Order.