Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1895-10-04
RUSSIAN ARTELS.
labor Organizations That Began With tn
Raids OF MEDIEVAL CossacIxs,

Raids Of Medieval Cossacks.
Whenever anything has to be done
among the Russian laboring classes
the first step is to organize an artel
This is an association of persons who
unite their capital and labor, or only
the latter, for certain piece of work
or other undertaking and who are mu.
tually rcsposible. They are not mere
labor unions; some are for building
railroads or working mines, for Guilt
waiting land or cutting wood, but 9th.
ers are for arranging picnics and balls,
and even for begging. The institution
dates back to the tenth century, when
the Dnieper Cossacks formed them.
selves into bands to plumber the sur
rounding country; then associations
for hunting or fishing, and, in time, for
other purposes.
All artels are organized in the same
wayi number of men agree to work
together and share the profits or losses.
They pledge themselves to act fairly
to one another, to look out for each
others interests and to stand by one
another. The earnings and expenses
are shared equally among them. They
choose one man among them to be
their starosta, or leader, and put the
entire management of affairs in his
hands. His authority is absolute as
long as he holds the office. Any mem.
Der who refuses to obey his orders is
expelled from the association and for.
feits his share in it, but at the end OF
six months the starosta must give an
account of his management. All
grievance are considered, and, If he is
judged unworthy, he is removed The
position is one chiefly of honor, as he
receives only small sum more than
the others.
Some of the artels are permanent,
others only temporary, but perhaps
more interesting. When the snow
melts, all the laborers in village who
are not needed to till the village land
form themselves into an artel and send
out their starosta to find where work
is needed. The starosta agrees with
some landowner that his artel shall do
piece of work, the blowing ana SOW
ing, or perhaps all the farming, and in
return receive either sum of money
or share in the crops. The artel then
goes to the estate and is responsible
not only for its work, but for
the safety of the crops and
the farm buildings during the
appointed time. If the crops are
burned each member of the artel is
personally responsible to the proprie-
tor. They keep watch over one another
to see that the artel is not cheated of
work due to it or lose by their careless
ness. The starosta acts as overseer,
caters for the men, who live and eat
together while the job lasts, and di-
vides the money among them equally
after deducting the expenses. When
times are hard, artels are formed for
betting, and go from village to village
asking for charity, which Russians dis
like to refuse for fear of offending the
saints. st. Petersburg has thirty ex-
change artels with three thousa nd
members, who load and unload all the
merchandise that comes to the city;
some supply banks and commercial
houses and railroads with clerks and
messengers; others provide walters
A man is thoroughly examined be-
fore he is admitted into permanent
artel. Physical strength, and in some
cases mental capacity and trustworth-
mess are needed, as the whole artel
becomes responsible for any crime or
bluRder he may commit, and looks out
for him for year if he is sick. New
members pay an entrance fee varying
from fifteen cents to seven hundred
and fifty dollars. Though the poorest
and most igno rant peasants can form
an artel, no association formed under
government patronage has ever proved
su ccessful. IN. Y. Sun,