Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
COOPERATION.
The Co-Operative Experiment at Guise,
France-Its Organization and Benefits.

In the Familistere the participation of
labor is eight times larger than that of
capital, as the yearly wages paid
amount to 1883, 600 frapes-S377, 600
while the interest upon the capital
amounts to only $4,000 francs-$46,-
900.
The share which comes to labor in
general being then fixed, the share of
individuals is easily calculated, since
each one has Il right proportional to
that which he has received, during the
year, in wages and interest.
In founding this association Mr..
Godin found that among his employees
there were some who had been in his
service, aiding to build up his fortune,
ten, twenty, twenty-five or more years,
valuable from their experience than that
of those more recently engaged, and to
recognize these differences he made the
following classification, which is still in
force:
LIST, the associates, numbering 6S; ID,
the societaries, numbering 50; Sd, the
participants, numbering 573; 4th. the
uuxiliarics, numbering 25S; 9th, the in
terestcd, numbering 2S6.
Az associate must be at least twenty
1--WE Years of age, and have resided at
least five wears III the Familistere, have
been engaged at least as long in its
works. able to read and write, be pos
sessed of at least five hundred francs
OF the social capital, and have been
admitted to the general assembly of the
.,sc,,i,tn. Nh. hHII Of sn1pntoI ,,nr.
sons makes up the General Assembly of
the Association, and selects its new
members.
The statutes provide that the asso-
ciates shall in the division of the profits
count twice their wages.
The societaries are such as fulfill the
following conditions; to be at least
iwenty-one years old, and free from
military service in the active army; to
have worked for the association for
three years at least; to live in the So
cial Palace; TO be admitted by the Coun-
ell of Administration and by the Acting
Administrator
The societaries count in the division
for one-half more than their wages.
The participants must fill the follow
ing conditions: to be at least twenty
one years old, and free from military
duty in the active army; to have worked
at least Il year in the service Of the as
ISOLATION; to be admitted by the Coun-
ell of Administration and the Acting
Administrator.
The participants count in the divi-
sion for the wages they have received.
The auNiliaries embrace all those who
work under any title, except those
above specified, for the association.
They do ret share directly in the diyis.
ion; they have a claim only upon tho
mutual assurance.
When the distribution is made at the
end of the year, after twenty-five pei
CENTS accorded to the administration
and the councils, the remaining seven
ty-iive per cent is divided among these
different cate@ories according to the
ratios indicated.
The portions coming to each are
Transformed into certificates of saving
stock, and the capital which these Ger
t@iticatcs represent is destined to repa,
the money advanced to inauguIate III,
undertaking.
The whole profit made upon tn
work of the auXiliarics is turned overtt
the fund for insuring the pensions o
various kinds.
The interested are persons who pos
scss by Inheritance, purchase, or any
other way Il portion OF the social CAPT
tai.
There is also a certain number 0
young persons, children of members
for whom the association makes a spe
cial provision, with the view of early
Interesting them i'll the general prosper
ity Of the Familistcre. Each year al
entry of participation, similar to thosc
OF the participants. is credited to eacl
Of them; but ii is understood that the,
are not given possession Of their certii-
Gates of saving unless, after serving
their term Of military duty they re
s!!rn to the Familistere to work.
As fast as the workers become CAPT