The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-06-10

Co-Operative Migration

NHSA~N'Ou 10 u0eIHlcd 10 % an M
creaslngly important element Of social and
national life, 1t will yet give Law to mul :.
tlform actlVes, solving many difficult prob
lens which have hitherto perplexed the
wlsest heads. Plainly it comedies with
tne democratic tendencies of the times,
taking power from the few and distributing
Il among the multitude, thereby afording
TO the people larger protection and betler
DEVELOPMENT. Surely, too, it bases itself
on the Christian law Of love, which rebukes
selfish aims and methods, Identifies all in
terests. teaches that mo man liveth unto
himself" makes each helpful to his neigh
DOR, and sets the common good before pri-
vate gain. Only by the application of
this principle would there seem to be any
hope OF bringing to an end the ancient feud
between the rich and the poor, so that
natural enemies" shall be transformed
into permanen. friends And to this meth
I'd also must we look for a remedy for the
wastefulness and burdensome expense now
incurred in our individual and domestic
outlsys, in which that is done separately in
. most costly way, which might be done
Jointly with great economy And so we
have faith to believe in a future in which
families shall devise some practicable plan
of cooperative housekeeping in which
capital and labor shall come into recognized
relations, and shall harmoniously cooperate
by methods guarding equally the interests
Of each in which all branches Of business
shall be 80 conducted as to give every par
tlclpant in the work and the risk q propor-
tiouate share in the profits; and in which
even nations shall perceive that, co-opera-
ton Is infinitely better than antagonism
Every particular success, or even tenta-
tive effort, in this direction is valuable, as
working out part of the problem, shedding
light upon some Of the principles invol, ed,
The truth must be made concrete, the the
ory must be reduced to practice. Men will
be skeptical till they shall see demonstra-
ton. Whatever proves that they can
hopefully cooperate in one pursuit, aids to
settle in their minds the general law Of
united action. We rejoice, therefore at
the various forms Of cooperative industries
which are springing up in Great Brit
ain and in our own land, and desire to call
attention to the application Of the idea to
new settlements in our Western States.
Hitherto, immigration, whether from our
older States or from Europe, has proceed
I'd with little method. The cheap public
lands and those offered for sale by rail-
roads and other corporations have attracted
settlers of all kinds and from all parls.
These have arrived as so many stragglers,
sometimes as families, with no common
character or aims. Whether there should
be a village, or only widely scattered
farms, was left to chance Developments.
Whether the new community should come
into rapid possession Of civilized convent
ences, and should enjoy speedily the edl
cat onal and religious institutions funda-
mental to prosperity, or should abide for
years in rude, uncultivated state, no one
could decide. 1t wa Naphazard matter,
and depended upon th, ycldental presence
or absence of enterprisng, far-seti ing indi-
vduaIs, or upon some possible outside
influence of missionary character. Asa
consequence, the new communities have
been heterogeneous in composition, and
conflicting in their ideas and methods.
Gathered without plan, swept together, as it
we're, by tides and currents, Ike sand
bars III rivers, or the deposits Of freshet,
they have lacked a common purpose, and
have found it difficult to unite in securing
the most needful institutions. Each cared
for himself, and few for the community.
Schools we're of poor character, and were
scantily supported. Public morals were
under little restraint. Religion obtained
a Judgement, if it could, and usually began
in a sad war Of ecclesiastical rivals striv-
ing to build up four sectarian churches
where but one Christian church was need
ed. Thus want Of original plan often
produced disorder, conflict, loss Of time,
waste Of money, and rude social condition.
But experience has suggested remedy
for these evils, and the idea Of co opera
tive migration has taken root, and is des-
tined to bear valuable fruit. Why should
not men unite IN commencing a settlement
upon definite princi pies and by well con-
sid red methods The conception is not
new, but only its practical application on a
wide scale in modern circumstances The
May6ower brought out such colony, and
landed it on Plymouth Rock. Il was homo
geueous, was inspired BY one spirit, had a
high aim, knew precisely what it wanted,
and was agreed as to the instrumentaIitics
to be employed. 1t may be said that most
Of the early settlements in Massachusetts
and Connecticut were upon this plan. "A
company Of like minded men went into
the wilderness together, cleared away the
forests, laid out a town methodcally, and
started simultaneously their industrial pur
suits, and their political, educational and
religious institutions. And to this fact in
strumentally, New England owes the ex-
alted character it has had from the first.
The example has been initiated, occa-
sionally, in the planting Of new towns
west of the Middle States. Men Of CON-
mon aims and Of religious principles have
settled, in a way Of general sympathy and
co operation, such places as Oberlin, Oil
vet, Benzonia, GrinnGll, Denmark, Gales
burg, Tabor and Others But with the in
creased facilities now existing, such colo
MES should almost supercede others; at
least they should take the lead of others
in securing the choicest locations, and the
most rapid growth. The vast extension Of
our railway system (which will reach to
the Pacific, in a few years, not by one but
three lines) and which brings into market
from the land grants, millions Of acres Of
the richest lands in every graduation Of eli
mate, calls for a wise organization Of mi
grafton, that it may be rapid and success
ful. While it ia thus for the interest oi
the great landbolders to present this added
inducement to the better class of settlers
it is as plainly incumbent on all Christian
men to second schemes which promise the
happiest results to the cause of religion.