Other Worlds / A story concerning the wealth earned by American citizens and showing how it can be secured to them instead of to the trusts

by Lena Jane Fry

The society met at first in the Vivian parlors, that is, in Tom’s flat, where Scoris and Helen, his sisters, assisted in entertaining their friends as well as helping to form the society. On the evenings of the society the rugs were taken up and all the furniture excepting one table and the chairs were stored in a smaller room. This was done to save expense, for it was not a money scheme, remember, and “infants creep before they walk.” In the same way the society wished to know how to keep on its feet when it got there.

The new ways of earning a living were talked over at the meetings held in the Vivian parlors.

“Automobiles are one of the first necessities in this society,” a Mr. Suegran declared one evening, and it caused such a roar of laughter that it was some time before he was allowed to explain his meaning. No one had taken him seriously, and when they saw that he was in earnest, they tried to hide their lack of interest by taking up a less important subject; and he, feeling rather crushed, let the matter drop. The next evening he called on the Vivians. Helen was the only one in. He said that he wished to see Mr. Vivian and would wait till he came in if he wouldn’t be intruding. Helen assured him that he was welcome and in a few moments the conversation turned to the usual topic, “The Colony.”

“You know, Miss Helen,” he said, “I want to talk to your brother about the subject I mentioned last evening, I am sure that I am right, automobiles are the greatest necessity the society has at the present time!”

“What about capital?” Helen asked. “Automobiles cost more than our society could afford at the present time.”

“That is where I don’t agree with you,” he replied, “the society has men who work in automobile factories. They are willing to give a certain amount of their time evenings and on holidays to make one to start with, and we have a young man who has invented a new model that he is willing to have us use.” As he said this Tom came in and Mr. Suegran repeated the advantages he had told Helen about, then asked Tom if the society could supply the money to buy materials? Tom told him no, that according to the rules that had been made to protect the members’ wealth, the shares could only be invested in buildings, land, or anything that would yield an income, or in the implements of labor or in its products.

“I can tell you what to do, though,” Tom continued. “You bring these facts before the meeting and I will see that you have a hearing. In the meantime go to any of the members that you think will help you out, tell them that I sent you; then you can form a company among you, each paying for shares representing the amount required, but remember the price of all materials, labor, and everything concerning the transaction must be kept on record. If you are successful, then the society will buy it from you and in all probability will start the men in business who gave their time. I have no right to risk any wealth intrusted in my keeping by the members, but they may risk any money they have to spare over and above what the society exacts, and you may promise them 10 per cent for the risk and we will pay you that amount on your time as well as your labor, and you know we pay union wages.”

At the next meeting the subject of transportation was taken up and the members were shown the advantages to themselves in owning a system of traveling that would not necessitate the laying of tracks or limit them to any one street. Mr. Suegran then proposed his automobile scheme and asked the members to buy shares. In a few weeks the amount was vouched for. Mr. Suegran was required to give security as well as to keep an account of every item of expense. This was done not only to test the honesty of the men who were manufacturing the machine, but to protect the management against any unjust suspicion. There was another reason also and it was an important one. It was taxation. The society expected to pay all just taxes, but had no intention of paying for inflated stock. The officer in charge of that meeting explained to the members that the society was formed to protect its members’ wealth in every possible way and that in doing so it was necessary to guard the small items. “We all realize the importance of homes, and the most of you know that to secure them is not the whole difficulty overcome. We must have a way of getting to them. Automobiles solve that difficulty, especially when we own them. Then they can be used as soon as they are ready right here in the city to take the members to and from their employment. The society might as well have the benefit of fares and by providing our own conveyances the members may use the society’s scrip to pay them. For, remember, the more scrip the society can issue the sooner it can secure employment for its members. The automobiles once established as means of transportation will bring about the settlement on the land of those who would otherwise stay in the city for several years to come. As we cannot lease any land to build upon until we have enough members to represent the amount of rent that we will have to pay each year, we may as well devote ourselves to securing our transportation first.”

The members who risked their money to perfect the first automobile were given a good percentage, and they either loaned it again for the same purpose or withdrew it for some other enterprise. These undertakings paid a large profit, but were not secured by the society and only those who could afford to risk losing in case of failure were allowed to invest. No money was lost, however, and the members who were natural speculators found in it an opening to increase their money faster than in shares, “for,” they argued, “we can buy extra shares with the interest so obtained.” At all times the value of numbers had to be kept in view, because every member added to the society increased its market. The society by its numbers secured a market for anything its members had to sell. The first automobile, being a success, was bought by the society, as were others made later, and when the land was secured a factory was built upon it to manufacture them as well as implements of labor.

In this way the society gained control of the industry and kept the wealth so produced in trust for its members. After the factory was built on the land controlled by the society, the society took charge of it and paid the workmen the same price as the union paid for the same work. The advantage gained by living in the Colony decreased their expenses to such a degree that it was equal to double the amount of money in the city. Of course all had to agree to accept scrip or shares in payment for labor, but scrip bought everything, even money, so was just as good and safer.