The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-04-15
virtues. The tablet Is placed VvRR ne
door al the principal entrance to her
house.
THE ARTEL.
A Queer Communist c InS titutlon Among
tho Russian Peasants.

tho Russian PeashntS'
The very peculiar associations OF
Russian workmen known as artels are
described in a recent report from the
British embassy at St Petersburg
says the London Times. The artel 10
to be found in every industry and is
based rather on local customs than
special regulations The primitive
form OF the institution is an assOcia-
ton OF workmen who live and work
together, aud on the termination OF
each piece OF work divide among
themselves the profits Like the mir
or commune the members OF the
artels have an equal share in the
profits and stand under the direction
and authority Of foreman or elder
In the large towns the artels are OF
more complex kind possessing large
capital and are pecuniarily response
BILE for the acts Of the individual men,
bers Such, for instance are those OF
the bank porters who have unlimited
opportunities OF stealing, and are Oft
en- intrusted with the guarding and
transporting OF enormous sums; but
the banker has no cause for anxiety
because he knows that il any de 'alca-
ton occurs it will be made good to him
by the artel.
The artel, being responsible for the
individuals OF which it is composed
IS very careful in admitting new men,
bers and man when admitted Is
closely watched, not only by the reg
ularly constituted Office bearers but
also by all his fellow members who
have an opportunity OF observing him.
There are various sorts OF artels.
They are to be found in the country,
where the peasant who is too poor to
cultivate purchased or leased lands.
forms with other peasantry in the
same condition as himself an artel,
and they cultivate it in common, d.
vlding among themselves the profits
OF their labor. The Oldest is gener-
ally chosen as chief and the work Is
divided according to each mans phys.
ical force. N There are artels in the
cultivation OF tobacco in Tchernigof.
These are composed OF girls, six or
nine in number who elect fore
woman who makes contract with
the proprietor the principal clause OF
which provides that half OF the tobac-
co harvest should belong to the artel.
The other clauses generally bind the
proprietor to furnish lodging, lighting
and fire.
There are artels OF shepherds, who
are hired by communes and generally
paid in kind. Generally speaking,
artels are divided into four distinct
classes, according 10 their objects
industry, credit food and insurance.
The artels for credit are rare, as the
Russian workman seldom saves money
and whom he does is afraid to lend it
to any association. Artels for food
are found in great number OF fac
tories and exist in different categories
according to the wages received by
the workmen. There are also similar
institutions for women, as well as
children. The members OF such an
artel elect one among their number
who is called the elder whose duty il
is to buy the provisions and make up
the accounts, which are presented tt
each workman at certain periods
For this duty he receives from ever!
workman trilling sum month. Thu
artels for insurance against fire OF
other calamity are hardly developed
though much has been done to encour
age the formation of such societies by
the government and local authorities