Omaha daily bee., 1898-07-31
HOW HOME BUILDERS HELP
Influence Of the Loan and Building Associa-
tons on Society.
INSTANCES OF THRIFT ENCOURAGED
sample Tales of How workers Have
Secured Homes Almost I'm spite
OF Themselves Through the
Cooperative plan.

at is easy 10 pick flaws in building and
loan associations" said Simpson Dunlap OF
Chicago. one OF the delegates to the United
States League Of Local Building and Loan
associations. which met in this city last
week. "Yet it has been demonstrated they
are the only institution which fills the bill
in the line Of work they are destined TO per-
form. 1t is easy to organize an association
under existing laws, and frequently
irresponsible men manipulate their affairs.
These cause indescribable distress, Just as
the national associations have done, de-
liberately robblng the poor people who have
placed their faith in them. We have some
OF these schemers in jail in Chicago, on the
road to the penitentiary. But the local as
ISOLATION, made up of creditable and reliable
men, with sound capital. is a benefit TO the
community, and does great good to the
small saver. Instances OF this good work
are so many that 1t bewilders one to at
tempt to select a special case. There are
many widows in Chicago who are today com.
plotting payments upon the homes which
were left to them with a mortgage attach
ment, and no one of them is more worthy Of
mention than the others"
w. G.. Weeks OF New Iberia, La, said
they had much trouble in introducing the
association in his state. 1.-The southern peo.
pie he said, ARE extremely conservative,
and in my community there are many
creoles who are more difficult to interest in
these matters than other southerners. But
| have lived among them nearly all my life,
and can talk to them in French, and have
succeeded in getting them started as in
vestors. The result is that our association
is now doing a profitable and stable bust
ness. One of our first borrowers paid a II
per cent premium. He afterward met a
friend who had heard of the transaction,
and who referred to him as a fool for buy
ing II per cent money. The borrower was
disposed to accept his friends criticism as
true, but concluded to stay with 1t so long
as he had started. Two years later the
critic secured a loan paying 35 per cent
premium, and admitted to his friend that hi
was wrong in his first estimate. The frs
borrower has paid out his loan, sold his
property at an advance, bought him a new
home, and has a surplus remaining. He is
a clerk on a small salary, and would never
have made this accumulation but for the
building and loan association"
Home Building in Philadelphia.
James Clarency of Philadelphia is thu
building association editor Of the Star IL
that city, and has devoted years to the stud!
OF this question, and is possessed of n worlt
vi hHoWltuse VII luS IL It al III
extent of the work of the associations in hi
city is simply wonderful. He related tina
when the national league met there a few
years ago, the delegates were driven out tt
the parks. The carriage in which Mr.
Clarency rode was driven, he said, by
%slovenly appearing man Of about 40 years
His team was equally slovenly. Questionin,
him it was found that he did not own TIL,
team, but drove 1t on a wage OF $40 a week
That was the highest pay he ever received
and had worked for 50. He had a wife AM
three children and expressed the completes
satisfaction with his lot, his only desir
being to have plenty to do at the pay h
was receiving. 1t was further learned tina
he owned a little home Of four rooms
which cost about 81, 200, and which he &C
ouired through a building and loan associa
ton.
Mr.. Clarency said this was but one cas-
in many, adding that a large majority c
the patrons of the associations in Philadel
mia are men working for from 50 to 81
a week.
"The secretary of the Building and Loa
Associations" said B. G. Vasen OF Quinc!
ILL.,, is the father confessor of the member
of the association, and has many sad an
touching experiences. Here comes the ma
who has lost his wife, and who requires hi
SAVINGS 10 pay luLeldi oApchoSSb " 1900
case where the positions are reversed
Domestic troubles go a long way towar
wrecking the sayings which members hay
accumulated. One man had his c%ertiica'
In his wife's name and wanted to cash
in. Although he paid all the dues, und'
tho laws Of our state the certificate Is pa!
able only to the party to whom 1t Is issue
l know of a case where the mother and tN
daughters are paying for a home, while II
worthless husband and father has not col
tributed a cent toward the aymen WI
once the means of reuniting a husband al
wife, who we're about to be divorced !
agreement, through calling their attenti'
to the Importance of maintaining the hon
for which they had about completed pa,
ments. One case, which seems beautiful
me, is that of two young women VINO a
having for a home for their aged parent
But. as ! said, we hear all the troubles
the members, and are sometimes put to o
wits end to meet the conditions present.
to u.s.
W n Critic.
G. w. smith Of New Albany, Ind told