Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1904-10-13

Jary' should you Join our association
we will furnish you work during these
two weeks" What does it take to ioin
your association and what wages does it
pay?" l enquired. "The cost is one
dollar membership fee and no further
dues, and as for wages, we do not pay
workmen at all. We are not money
institution and cannot pay money" an
swered the Secretary. This reply sur
priced me and led me to fear that the
kindness of the Secretary in finding me
employment gratuitously was perhaps a
scheme to get double pay in gratuitous
work; hence l boldly expressed my O.
plnion by the pointed question: "You
do not expect poor fellow like me to
work for you for nothing, do you?
Far from it," he replied. eve expect
you to realize higher 7Oages than you ever
did before" "How SOP" asked, "vou
first stated that you do not pay at all
and now assert that l will get higher
wages than before. viii you please
explain the puzzle?" ~ will do so will
ingly," replied the secretary. As
we are moneyless association. Our
only capital is 7Oork, and the products Of
aO0rk are our wages. This is the reason
why: Knowing that men need money
to pay board, rent etc, we first do all
in our power to find applicants (wheth.
er members of the association or notl
employment where they might obtain
money wages. But when a member,
land here, friend, we must observe that
we cannot employ a non-member with
out c'ldang1ing our property, because
the law gives workers lien on the
property and would force US to pay in
legal tender money at any sacrifice,
aOhE" member, say is out of employ
ment and is aOiling to work in the asso
citation, we can give him and do give
him the 7Ohoke of his ozOn 7OOrk in pay
ment
"You know, fellow worker, that NJ
contractor or capitalist can afford to pa!
as much, for they must realize a Proyft ou
of their employees, In this Association
we work as children of one father, al
lowing no sPecnlafor to profit by ou
work, but do not partake in the resul
according to family communion, but &C
cording to the value of the work per
formed. This accomplished equitabl.
by means of Labor Checks instead O
money. With this Check we pay TO
materials and work at the market price
This Check is receivable by the Assoc
alton in payment for articles bought o
the same, for rents and dues to the AS
ISOLATION, aad at the same time form tn
basis for calculating the interests c
numbers in the fixed wealth of it. Jus
now the Association has purchased lc
in the city and paid for it in Checks il
dicating that the owner of the lot hold
transferable value in the use (rent) {
any structure erected on it, and Pc
Pstnal proportionate interest or benef
u in the structure itself after the Checl
he received have been redeemed in rem
or merchandise, We have paid for el
! caVating the basement also in Check
we had the foundation laid by the san
means, and by men, who, like yo
were out of employment. We succee,
: ed in buying lumber and other mate
u ials as deposits from parties who belcr
- to the Association, and now we al
y ready to employ idle carpenters to p'
i up the building, If they are 7OiIl'lS to
it and accept Checks in payment"
(7o be COntiNned.)