Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-03-13
FOR AGED MEMBERS OF UNIONS.
"A Plan for Making the Old Self Supporting
and Strengthening Unions.

industry and frugality, even under IA
vorable circumstances, that it is useless
to say, "They ought to have saved up
for the time when old age should come
on" 1t il minority who are success
ful, and to many of these at the last
moment, when they have reached the
goal, some accident beyond the power of
human foresight falls with crushing
force. 1t is impossible for man past
middle life to retrace his steps or to go
forward. He must perforce turn aside,
an object of pity first, then charity, a
pauper and perhaps n suicide.
We may believe st. Paul was honest
in his opinion when he said of the Chris
tian graces that 1.-THE greatest of these is
charity" But if he were with us today
and noted the uses to which the "cloak
of charity is put we can only imagine
the forceful language he would use, and
must lament that he is not here. Meth
ods of accumulating wealth that many
generations ago were called robbery,
theft, cozening and dishonesty, according
to degree, are now designated as "busi-
ness capacity" and heaven help him who
has not that Capacity"
For many years this capacity" has
piled up fabulous fortunes taken from
the poor and the well to do by steady,
ceaseless grinding of the workingman.
Then to ease the qualms of conscience
there may be given a church, an asylum,
a dispensary or college and multiplied
donations and benefices, said to be
grand and noble charities" Those from
whom these ''godlike gifts We're sweated
often go to the common poorhouse and
the potter's field.
There is at least one bright, redeeming
feature in this tragedy-one gleam of
humanity. 1t comes from the working
men themselves. 1t is trades unions,
with their humane objects and purposes;
shorter hours of toll, that the idle may
be employed; higher wages, that the op-
portunlties for education, social position
and general civilization and enlighten-
ment may be enlarged, thereby mini
mizing and eventually overcoming crime,
pauperism, trampism and nonunionism
the one ism which prevents the ulti-
mate removal of the others. Unions pro-
vide sick, disability and death benefits.
Yet until recently the aged members
We're not entitled to any of these be-
cause, first, the risk is said to be greater;
second, the aged were not required to
pay as much dues as the younger mem
bers. AS they cannot command the
wages that younger man can we do
not believe it right that they should pay
as high dues. SGill these benefits are an
insurance and require certain per cap
lta to make up the necessary fund for
their payment. The benevolent feature
in trades unions is important because of
the fundamental principles of the or
carnations, embodying as they do the
highest aims of humanity. And it is a
blessed nation or people who take good
care Of the aged, sick and infirm.
We believe this can be done. To illus
trate: The United Brotherhood of Car
penters in the district of Chicago is G, 900
strong. Now let the district council is
sue series of stock certificates Coupon,
one for each month"; for one year, each
coupon one dollar, payable monthly, and
another series of stock certificates for
the next year, each coupon fifty cents,
payable monthly. Wewill presume that
every member of the organization de-
sires to insure to himself and wife, if he
has one, comfortable homo and good
living in his old age; he takes one certifi-
cate of each series. Each would pay in
two years the sum of eighteen dollars.
The organization the first year would
realize $72 600 A piece of land COM
prising 1000 OF 5000 acres could be pur-
chased, and the work could begin of
erecting necessary buildings, purchas-
ing implements of agriculture stocking
the farm, etc.-not all at once, but such
portion as became necessary from time
to time.
All members of the organization fifty
years of age and upward could be re-
moved to the farm with their families
for we would not bar the old ladies
from the comforts of good home), to
work eight hours day, and thus prove
that farming can be done on the eight
hour plan. The surplus produce of the
farm could be brought to the city to be
sold from union store to union men
and their families at such prices only as
Woulu insure the expenses of the estab-
lishment.
The second series of stock in one year,
amounting to $36, 5000, could be held as a
reserve fund to be drawn upon for the
purposes of improvements on the farm
when emergency demanded and for the
hire of necessary help when the corps of
old fellows was not up to the require
ments.
We could thus take care of our old
people in civilized and truly independ-
ent way, for true benevolence is that
which allows the benefciaries to feel
that they are doing something for them
selves and are entitled to what they re-
ceive.
This is the outline; the details are
easily figured out by any one who will
q give the subject thought, and such safe
= guards can be thrown around the plan
: that fraud would be impossible.
One of the advantages of this plan is
that all members of the craft in the or.
, | pnnlZ1tlOn will cto -, I