This does not mean that the pension will cease at that age, for it will be paid as long as the member lives.
To protect itself the society had to make rules to pay pensions, according to the members’ shares, but it was found by practice that such large amounts were donated for this purpose that their shares were much larger than their personal shares represented.
This rule had to be made during the first generation, but after the first generation of children had the advantage of being provided with homes and an education in childhood, and regular employment in mature years, the society was able to pension them at forty-five years of age, because it had the whole benefit of their labors until that time. In winter we had the machinery so arranged that it could either run the weaving of cotton or the different kinds of materials just by adjusting a certain lever of machinery. In this way we kept men and women employed all the time, securing at least eight hours a day to all who needed it. At night the white materials were woven when practical and night workers were given shorter hours with the same pay as the day workers. In this way all were secured steady employment, for the same was done with every kind of factory work. In the summer a large percentage of these people were given different employment. Some went to the wheat fields, others to the cotton plantations, for the steam carriages made it possible, or the fruit farms, etc. The first few years it was necessary to work just as many hours in the society as out of it; as soon as all the exchanges were complete the hours were shortened, and those who were not able to work so long each day, even at the first, were given less to do, for the society never was a money scheme but a protection to labor. At the same time those who only worked three or four hours a day got that much less for their labor. It had to be that way at first or idle people would have shirked their responsibilities. This put a stop to overproduction in all lines of goods. All had a large field of employment to choose from and nearly all were satisfied, at least all were better satisfied than they had been before they joined the society.
At the end of five years the society owned the first land that it had built upon and all the industries on it, besides. Then dividends were granted to members, either in permanent or consumable shares, according to the amount they had at the time. The society holding the right to keep in its possession sufficient money or script to increase the standing wealth. The dividends were secured to the first members at this time to reward them for trusting its management and giving the society its impetus. It showed the value of small beginnings and taught a lesson in co-operation among the members in the most practical way.
THE END OF THE RULES.
THE PLANET VENUS.
SECOND STORY.
CHAPTER I.
A gentleman and his wife were sitting in their study. He was reading; she was doing some fancy work. In a few moments their son came in, and seeing his father occupied, took a seat by the window to wait until his father was through.
These people were titled, or, rather, the father and mother were. The elderly gentleman was a lord and his wife a princess. They had both received their titles for their grand and faithful work in helping to restore order to the country in which they belonged. Their name was a combination of both their names, Just and Ring, consequently he was Lord Justring and she was Princess Justring. She could not raise him to her title, nor could he change hers, even had they desired it. Their two children were therefore known as the Justrings, they had received the title Honorable, and their parents wished them to gain greater titles which was the custom of the country. Their motto was: “The world is better for my living in it,” for when any one did a great self-sacrificing act, it always added to their title in some way.
In a few moments Lord Justring looked up to see what it was that his son wanted.