Omaha daily bee., 1903-02-08

NnAb WtaNNf 70 10 the same LOT the
widow and orphans. thus Offering one Of
the best kinds Of life and accident insur-
ance. because a home and employent Is Of
more value than a lump sum Of money.
which may be stolen or wasted. So far
but one person has taken advantage OF the
insurance feature. This obligation is made
a part Of the benefit certificate issued 10
every member on joining. Nonresident
members. other than those taking advantage
Of the Insurance. become resident members
on application 70 and acceptance by the
board Of directors, and so long as they
choose and are obedient to the bylaws and
remain in a Cooperative brotherhood col
ony. taking part In the activities Of said
colony.
The nonresident members furnish the
working capital to enable the settlements
to develop their resources, and the resi-
dent members furnish the labor for such
development and for their own support
while making ready homes and preparing
employment for those who wish to reside
in a colony. All the work done by The res
ident members is for the benefit OF the
whole brotherhood, to whom as a whole be-
longs all lands. houses and machinery, and
all OF which at the end OF ten years are
entitled to residence in some colony be-
longing to the corporation. provided houses
are ready and employment ran be secured.
Selecting Members.
No fixed rules deciding fitness for mem
bership have yet been adopted, each case
standing on its own merits. and the board
Of directors. from the best information OBJ
talnable, deciding whether the applicant
will be desirable. At the present time
large families are not wanted, nor any over
80. unless exceptionally strcng and vigor-
Gus; this because Burnley, the only colony,
is still in the pioneer stage. Each appli-
cant for membership is expected on honor
to give as full a description OF self and
family as Is possible.
The resident members or co-operators
decide in mass meeting as to the number OF
hours which shall constitute a days work.
At present ten hours is the number, but
no one except those employed in the mill
is obliged to work full time. Each coup
orator reports to his or her foreman the
number Of hours worked and obtains pay
for each hour. Women receive the same
pay per hour as men. Most Of the women,
however, ind full employment in caring for
their households: all having families pre-
ferring to live in cottages rather than at
the hotel. The women who remain at home
are not paid for housekeeping, though in
the ideal commonwealth this will be the
rule.
Each co-operator is placed by the super
iptendent in some one of the departments
milling. logging. printing, agriculture.
once, cigarmakinR or domestic economy
and does the best he or she can in the
place assigned. There are insists which
delay the work, but as rapidly as possible
each finds the proper place where the work
Is congenial.
Neither anarchy nor free love find any
sympathy at Burnley; nor is there any reli-
gious bond. Some Of the residents are
church members, others belong to no
church; some are spiritualists and others
materialists; some are orthodox. others
heterodox or interested in some form OF
new thought. Religious services are held
every Sunday night in the schoolhouse. at
which the attendance is small; the resident
ministers (Unitarian) taking turns and
sometimes being helped by strangers of
other denominations.
A few have come to Burley because they
expected to find life easier than on the out
side, others because they believed in the
plan adopted by the Cooperative Brother
hood, and the logger they remain the better
they are pleased.
Members I'm Good Standing.
Al the present time there are some 300
members in good standing, of whom about
thirty reside at Burley, some with and
some without their families. These resi-
dent members or co-operators. as they are
called, are working to improve the land,
build a town and accumulate wealth. What
they produce each month, after making ad-
ditions to the permanent improvements, is
divided pro rata among the workers ac-
cording to the number of hours worked,
and provides a lodging, plain food and the
necessary clothing for comfort. As more
land is brought under cultivation and NOR J
fruit comes into bearing, and as the indus
tries are further developed. the dividends
will be larger. and not only necessities
but luxuries will be provided. AS with all
pioneers In western Washington, where a
home has to be hewn out Of the forest. con-
ditions are hard. But in four years much
has been accomplished, far more than the
same number Of workers, each for himself,
could have done. and then the workers
have been relieved from that terrible lone
illness which has caused so many pioneers
in the big woods to abandon their claims,
Of which the deserted cabins in the neigh
borhcod OF Burnley give evidence. By CO.
operation the price Of living has been re-
duced TO a minimum and good meals are
furnished at 10 cents.
The Cooperative Brotherhood in it's first
colony at Burley has organized a peoples
trust, and to prevent future trouble all the
property is placed in the hands Of twelve
trustees, three OF whom are elected an
nually to serve for four years; every mem
Der in good standing can vote for the trus'
tees, who by the deed of trust are forbid.
den to mortgage or dispose OF any OF tbs
property except with the consent Of two
thirds Of the entire membership, which plar
II is hoped will protect this society from
the fate which has befallen so many otheI
colonies.
The affairs OF the brotherhood are man.
aged by a board OF twelve directors, a par
OF whom are nominated by the residents a
Burley, and all Of whom are elected by tn
board OF trustees at it's annual meeting II
January This board of directors meet
monthly at Burnley to transact the business
that may come before IL. Its secretary an
treasurer are under bonds and all expendi
lures are carefully scrutiniZed by a hnanc
committee Of three before authorized, Will
the books are open at all times for inspeo
ton.
The local Affairs at Burnley are eontrolle'
by a board Of managers, consisting o. IN
heads Of the various de0artments-millinE
logging, printing, agriculture and ONCE
and the superintendent Of industries. Tn