St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-10-29
The Blessings Conferred by Building
Associations.

1t may be doubted if ever in the his
tory OF mankind any scheme or any 9th
er plan of action accomplished CREATE
good than have building-loan assoca.
tions. The world is greatly indebted
to ptilaDtbropists, to philosophers, tt
preachers and to the press but putting
all the efforts of these in the last hall
century together, they do not amour,
to more, in the shape of benefit to the
parties concerned, than has been &C.
compllshed by these organizations OF
self-help and of helpfulness to each 9th.
er-known as buildiDg-loan assoca-
tons.
II in one city 10000 homes, in single
year is the output Of these organizations
after twenty-five years of proportionate
achievement, and if in almost every
other city a relatively laNse number
have sprung up into being and became
the living liIrobbing center of home life
and all that it implies for the indivi-
dual, for the family, the community
and for the nation, only a Divine in
telllgence can weigh and measure the
good done
The fact has hardly yet dawned on
thinking people that in the chief city of
this new world, population has reached
a density so dangerous AS not to be ex-
ceeded by London, by Paris, or even 10y
Canton in China, or by Yeddo in Japan.
The revelations of the recent census of
the Sanitary Squad of New York police
show that in the area designated by the
board of health as the g Tenement Dis
trict," there are housed families to a
number no less than $4,000! Now, $780,
600 families ia vast aggregation, and
to realize that these comprise the bulk
of the skilled labor of New York, the
rank and file of the working men and
women on whom the present prosperity
apd the future hope of the city depends,
and that these are found in conditions
that show no signs OF improvement, so
far as their homes are concerned, but,
on the contrary, steady decadepee, is
sufficient to make clear the striking ad-
vantage possessed by communities made
up of homes Of their oWn.--Erastus Wi
man.
There is spirit of practical phiIsnthro-
py underlying the operations of every
genuine building association. But it is
that kind OF philanthropy which is based
upon mutual helpfniDess and reciprocal
cooperation. An association is an in
stltution which helps all its members
alike and is not designed to aid any one
class at the expense of another. There
is no discrimination between investors
and borrowers Each class is in the as
ISOLATION because they find advantages
they do not find elsewhere. 1t is true
that causes capable and
conscientious business men to give their
time and talent to the management of
these Institutions. but it is their system
of democratic equality, genuine Coop
Grafton, and strict economy, that makes
the association helpful and popular.
The man who has q home has given a
pledge to society. He has taken an in
terest in the common stock of humanity.
He has laid the foundation of good citi-
zenship. The more of self denial it has
cost him the keener will be his appre-
citation of its real value. Since it is the
purpose of building asso-
Citations to secure homes for the people
It is certainly part of the mission of
he highest philanthropy to give to them
every encouragement.
People banded together in a hniidinp