It is with infinite regret and not a little shame that we chronicle the approaching death of the Harvard Cooperative Society, just when several of the largest colleges in the country are following what seemed the example of our success. "Harvard indifference" is no mere bugbear or vague generality, for Harvard indifference has killed our Co-operative Society. With the '82 , '83 and '84 men, it was almost a matter of principle to support the society and to buy through it what they could. They knew what Cambridge prices were before the existence of the society, and they realized that if it were to go under the drop of twenty per cent. caused by the society in Cambridge prices would soon be at an end. But the undergraduates of to day, with no experience of the normal Cambridge prices, feel no such sentiment leading them to back the society. The men who count dollars and cents and do not prefer to run up bills are. of course, members. Unfortunately the experience of this year has shown that there are only about 790 such men in college.

The why and wherefore of the present condition of the society is very simple. Last year extra service was hired, extra inducements offered, and the business of the society was enlarged generally. As a result, last year was the first really successful year of the society's existence. Basing their calculations on these results, the superintendent and directors decided on certain additions and enlargements in the business and work of the society, calculating on a membership of one thousand and five per ct. profit on transactions. But it turns out that they have a membership of only 790, with proportionately less transactions, and have retained but three and a half per cent. on the transactions. This, continued through the year, would leave the society with a deficit of about $1500. The whole machinery is at last in admirable working order, but it could just as well do three times the work it now does-and would need to do one-third more work in order to pay expenses without assessments.

The apathy of the students is not alone to blame, however. The memberships and transactions are not so large as they should be, and that is the great cause of failure, but at the same time the superintendent should not have sold things too cheap. If five percent. Profit was needed, five per cent. profit ought to have been made. And it is but a poor consolation that the money which should have gone to the supporting of the society went into the pockets of members buying goods.

We agree with the directors that it is much better to close up the affairs of the society now, and pay all debts, than it would be to drag through the year and end up with a deficit, and an assessment that could never be collected. Such a failure as that would kill co-operation at Harvard. Such a one as they propose is merely the end of a partially successful experiment, and will without doubt lead to another in the future.