The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-02-06
BUILDING ASSOCIATIONS
The Poor Mans Friend An In
terc~ting Article on the Great
Work Accomplished hv
Building Associations.

In Il recent number of I.ippin-
colt Is an article on Building AS
sociations, by Thomas GaffueY.
In these days, says the writer,
when the old cry Of the rich
getting richer and the poor get
ting poorer is still being used
for effect, it Is refreshing 10 be
able 10 point 10 the fact that
there is no more potent agency
for distributing or equaliZing
the wealth of the world than
the principles embodied i'll build
ing associ ltion management. 1t
is the habits of the individual
that form his character, and his
savings that represent the
wealth Of the nation. The build
ing association teaches habits of
economy, industry and frugali-
ty, helps the individual 10 save,
and demonstrates the value of
his teachings by placing him in
possession of the results of its
lessons. 1t teaches the value of
self-conirol and self-dependence,
and inspires a love for home
and a respect for order. 1t Gre
ates a better class of citizens,
men who have a real interest in
the soil, peaceable, law-abiding,
Industrious citizens, who can be
depended on to exercise the
right of sufferage in an intelli-
gent and discriminating manner,
and who are now leaving their
impress on the city, the State
and nation. Every man who be
comes a member of these assO-
ciations has an object in view,
some very many, indeed, one
Of the most laudable objects i'll
life-that of securing a home
but, whatever the object, wheth,
er 1t is to acquire home, to lay
up something to sustain him il
old age o. times of adveIsity, ol
for anything else for which g
fund is needed, the fact Of hav
ing an object in view takes hin
at once out of the ranks of the
thriftleSs, and to a certain eX
tent relieves the community OF
any care on his account. Build
ing associations by proving q
safe and profitable place where
lie can deposit a small, or any
portion of his earning, wher'
he can lay up something for ;
rainy day, and upon which ht
can draw at any time in case o:
necessity-enable a man to owl
the home lie lives in, TO pay TO
it in the small monthly install
ments which are little, if any
above the actual amount of rem
he would pay for such a home
There is no better school thai
these associations for practical
ly instructing their members il
the methods of business ant
economy. The greatest beuefi
conferred by building associa
tions, however, is the large mum
Of separate and comtortabl
homes they have enabled thei
members to acquire.
Any system, society or organ
iZatiOn that enables a man +
save his money, to become a bet
ter and more useful citizen, tha
is fatal to cOmmunistic and SC
cialistic doctrines, that is
standing menace to lawlessnes
: of any kind, that dots the cOun
try over with thousands Of com
Portable and happy homes, tha
is by its influence teaching les
sons that are sure to rebound t
} the good of the Individual an
community in general, shoul
certainly rank among the fore
most benefactor5 of the age
All this, and much more, in
quiet and unostentatious way
, the building association is doin!
The foundation OF every goo
government is the family; an
, the nation that can count til
: greatest nurnbe Of happy fire
q sides is the best, most durabl
! and most prosperous natiOl
: Building associations have do
] ted the country over with hui
dreds of thousands, Of happ
q homes, and by their wholesom
h influence in other ways are wort
! to the State more thar ten tin'
. the capital they represent
: Wilmington Star.