New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-05-04
Letter from MIR. Brisbane In relation To n
Practical Trial of Association.


the Opponents Of ASSOCIATIONS, or Combined
Order Of Society to the failure Of some Of the small
trials which have been made to reduce the theory
TO practice as proof Of its ialseness and imprac
ticability.
Allow me TO answer this objection and state that
the conditions Of anything like fair trial have not
as yet been secured in this country or Europe
and that consequently, in the Judgment OF candid
men, the theory should not be condemned on account
Of any imperfect attempts which have been made
10 realize IT,
To organize an Association properly two things
are necessary
lst CAPITAL. Cd SCIENCE.
The lowest amount of Capital, with which an
Association should be begun, is, estimate about
s4OO, 900. I'm pamphlet published few years
since. said 5000 900, but at that time the labor
market was depressed. and the workmen would
readily have taken half their pay in stock, which
would have rendered the latter amount equal 10 the
former as TO actual results
The Capital itself should not be employed. 1t
should be invested in undOubted securities, and The
income only BE- used and for this reason
Association is new thing far more so than was
the steamboat when Fulton undertookit 1t exists
only in theory, with scarcely any experience Ia the
fast 70 0lreCt Us tl applying IL ~
make q successful trial 10 embOdy the theory IN
practice will require deep Science, aided by the
experience gained in progressive experimenting
Success should not be staked upon one trial, and
the Capital consequently should not be used In
making single experiment. 1t may require seve
raj experiments, or at least successive modifica
tons TO perfect the Organization and bring it 10
completeness.
Let the founders therefore invest the Capital and
operate upon fixed and permanent income. With
such an income to sustain them and afford them the
means of repairing any mistakes, and OF contlnu-
ing their work with the experience which they &C
auire, they could defy failure. But one excep-
ton 10 the using of the Capital might be admitted.
IL is this for the purchase of the domain, and tools
implements, furniture etc. atthe time OF the recep
ton of the members 25 per cent OF the Capital might
be withdrawn and applied to these objects. Say
approximately. $50 900 to the domain, and $50 600
TO the implements etc.
Let us suppose that the Capital is obtained and
safely invested how should the practical Organi
cation be conducted The following is the plan
propose
The material Organization, in which | include
the laying out Of the domain the preparation of the
fields, gardens and fruit orchards, the erection of
the edifces and the execution OF other industrial
works, should be done by hired laborers, under the
direction Of the founders the families should not
be introduced until all this is completed. A body
of well selected aborers say about a hundred
chanics-the best men that could be found in their
line, should be employed one or two superior sg-
riculturists and able master mechanics should be
engaged to oversee and direct their labors.
As it is not to be expected that thorough knowl-
edge of the Science OF Association and thorough
practical knowledge of Agriculture and Mechan-
isms, can be found united in the same persons, 1t
will be necessary TO combine these two branches Of
knowledge in two sets OF men. While the pract
cal men, or Agriculturists, would see that the do.
main was laid out according to the most improved
methods now known in Agriculture, the scientific
/ founders would see that the whole was arranged
and distributed according TO what we call techni-
cay the Serial Or4er. in other words, that the
Ors alton VI Industry and the architectural ar
rangements were made strictly according to the
Associative Science. The founders would direct
the practical overseers who in turn would direct
their body of laborers.
The workmen selected would proceed to the do
main where they would commence the task OF
bringing it under a proper state OF cultivation
They would lay out the fields gardens and me adow
lands plant the fruit orchards and prepare the
greenhouses, and commence the construction OF
the edihces
/ About four years it may be estimated would be
required to prepare the Material Organization, that
is TO bring the domain into proper state OF cult
| walton. and complete the buildings. All this is 10
/ be done it is to be remembered, by hired aborers
I directed by the most experienced practical men
/ that can be found in present Society, with per
/ feet method and unity OF action, and by unitary
/ scientific direction During the transitional period
| of Organic alton, nothing should be left to the ca
I price of individuals, free TO work as they chose
| nor to numerous Assembly of Directors with diff
! ferent degrees of knowledge of the Associative
\ Science, and with consequently conflicting views
and opinions failure would be the result Of such
/ an incoherent management When the Organiza
ton was completed the members would enter.
To unite body of families upon domain, and
10 70 mil mn 4 a
! procedure as much SO as if capitalist, who wished
to build and conduct a mandatory, should bring
/ the operatives together who were to work In It,
and set them to putting up the walls and construct
ing the machinery. The mandatory should first
be put up, and the machinery and all its parts be
set in operation and the operatives then brought in.
In the Associations which have heretofore been
started the families have first come together, and
then begun the difficult work OF organization
Great devotion and a noble enthusiasm have been
shown, but many failures have taken place. Such
! a course must be avoided In serious scientific
trial The material Organization is, so to say, the
body the members are the soul, or the moral ele-
ment The body must be organized before the
moral element can operate tremendously in 1t. The
| garden of Eden for example, was made before
| Adam was placed in it
Much valuable experience could be obtained by
the founders with the laborers during the four
that they were preparing the Association For this
reason the best class OF Laborers the most intell
gent should be selected and employed. Association
contemplstes an entire new System or Organization
of Agriculture as different fromthe present system
as Railroads are from the old mode of travelling
Some parts of this new mechanism might be tried
with the hired laborers, and many ideas obtained
for future guidance.
When the members are received the laborers
should not be discharged, but a majority retain
ed they would form, so TO say, the bones or
muscles Of the industrial groups; they would secure
the prosecution of those branches OF work, which
in the commencement could not be rendered attrac-
tive, or were neglected and would maintain In all
cases the general prosperity Of the place. The first
year or two after the members enter will form
second transitional period and during this period,
while the different functions and br anches oiln.
dustry are being organized the members attracted
to and engaged in them by the various Incentives
which can D. connected with Industry, and the
social ties consolidated, the want will be felt OF
regular working force still under the direction Of
the founders who will preside in part over the in
FAINT Association, until it can go alone.
The number Of persons requisite for an Associa-
ton on small scale, such as is here contemplated
is about four hundred exclusive Of the hired labor
ers.
The great practical end to be attained in Asso-
ciaooo Ia n, rardsr IxDrsrRy ATTRACTIVE or at