The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-03

BEDFORD PARK, LONDON. The new
suburb which has thus come into exis-
tence swiftly, yet so quietly that the
building of it has not scared the nigbtin-
gale Iyheard yesternight nor the skylarks
singing while write, has gone far toward
the realization of son aims not its own,
ideals that have hitherto failed. There is
not a member of it who would not be star.
tied, if not scandalized, at any suggestion
that he or she belonged to community
largely socialistic. They would allege,
with perfect truth, that they are not even
acquainted with the majority of their
neighbors, have their own circle offriends
and go on with their business as men and
women of the world. Nevertheless, it is
as certainly true that degree in social
evolution is represented by Bedford Park,
and that is ia the direction of that CO.
operative life which animated the dreams
of Pere Enfantin and Saint.Simon. All
society, indeed, must steadily and nor
malIy advance in that direction. For
long time there have been; tendencies to
put more and more ofsthe domestic work
out upon establishments which all have
in common. AS one baker prepares
bread for many families, and one laundry
washes for many. aud the railway, omni-
bus, cab, ply for many, so other accommo-
dations needed by all are found to be
within reach of the cooperative princi
Pile; even the luxuries Of life are found
to belargely within reach of it. This vii
lage has been rendered possible by that
principle, though it had another aim.
Houses of similar architecture have in
recent years been built here and there in
London and other cities, but they have
probably cost their owners third more
than they have cost here, because the
large number of families which agreed to
buy or rent houses enabled the landlord
and founder Of Bedford Park to make
large, therefore comparatively cheap, ar
rangements for the supply of materials
and labor, elsewhere special or exception
al. BY this means one ofthe chief advan-
tages of co operation was to some extent
secured. We have also our cooperative
stores; our newspapers and current liter.
ature are obtained in common; we have
billiard rooms, tennis lawns, club conven-
iencies, and entertainments to q consiq.
erAble extent,in common !, and perhaps
by Che time this paper is read the Tabard
may be esupplying the table dhote at rate
sufficiently. moderate to place daily din
ner within reach of families swho may find
that desirable. Thus the cooperative
principle has shown its applicability to
the requirements of the cultured class,
who are especially interested in making
for their families beautiful homes, with.
out, as Thoreau said, sacrificing life to its
means. Incomes are largely increased
when they need no longer be expended
'on the physical appliance ofcom tort be-.
yond the actual advantage derived. To
keepa private carriage in order that it
may be used an hour or two each day is
not economy, if an equally good carriage
be hired for the hours needed. Now and
then wehear aHttle gossip when some
ofthe dishes alta distinguished dinner par
ty are suspected of having been prepare
by Duc!os instead of private chef, but
the tendency of refined society is to smile
still more at large outlays for ostentation.
But while in some regards Bedford
Park must be considered socialistic viii
liage, it is almost the reverse ofany CON-
munity which has been so called hitherto
and is far away from the rocks on which,
most of them have been wrecked. No
step in the planting or development of
the village has been artificial, or even
prescribed; each institution has appeared
in response to definite want. 1t was
not in consequence of any original
scheme that the CO operative stores, the
club, or she Tabard Inn were built. The.
entire freedom of the villageaand its
inbabitantsis unqualified BY any theory
whatever, whether social, political, or
economic.-Me.D. Cbnway, in Harper's
Magazine for, .tarch. So.