The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-04-16

tical farming. Both were tn0r0u4nly
contented, and looking forward to the
future with pleasure. i
Another young farmer whom / noticed
on horseback, with top.boots, flannel
shirt. sombrero and belt-knife, was
pointed out to me as the grandson OF
the author of Paley's Theology. He
was attending cattle auction at La
mars, Iowa.
There, too, was son of Thomas Bay.
lev Potter, the distinguished honorary
secretary of the Golden Club, and NJ.
p. for Rochdale, who had come out only
to take look at the place, but who so
fell in love with the life that he decided
to invest. One had been an Admiral in
the Royal Navy, another had peen con-
nected with Shanghai bank. There
was brother to Lord Ducie, not to
speak of future Baronets, Viscounts and
Honorables. These young men had all
been attracted here by their love Of a
free, active life, and the knowledge that
they would enter society congenial to
their tastes and early associations.
Although differing widely from
''Tom' Hughes's Tennessee colony, this
Iowa community has accompanied
(without any special agreement between
the members> an undertaking which
combines the profits of farming with the
outdoor sports so dear to an English
man.
They have the very best ground for
fox hunting in the worlds rolling
prairie with creek here and there.
Every colonist makes it his chief care,
after buying his farm, to breed good
hunter for the steeple.chases. They
have regular meets for fox or ''paper"
hunts, as the case may be. The last
year opened a racing track, and wound
up the races with grand ball. The
event was grand success, and partners
were brought even from St. Paul, 27O
miles to the north, to grace the occasion.
Their relations with the Close Broth
ers are very simple, and entirely of q
business nature. After desire has
been expressed to Join the colony, and
the firm have decided that they are wor-
thy to be admitted, they are required to
pay $3.50 as species of initiation fee.
This is about five per cent. on the first
investment, and is commission charged
to each new colonist. In return they
contract for putting up houses, building
wells, purchasing land and implements,
etc., and furnishing advice whenever
called upon. 1t Is something in the ma
ture of a lawyers fee for future consul:
tations. The tax is saved over and over
| again in the security the stranger OBJ
tains against all manner Of exhorbitant,
charges. Sharp as downeasters are
reputed to be, they are mere beginners
compared to Western land agent.
| Thus we have an example of cooper
alton on large scale that works per-
fectly, and has grown up from the con-
ditions of the colony without any pre-
vious theorizing on the subject. The
Ehead Of the colony buys for all at whole.
sale with large discount. He sells at
retail without charging the colonists
anything but . nominal commission for
his services. Herein lies one secret of
the power and prosperity of this colony.
They can combine together for pur.
chase; they. can combine for con.
tracts in working their estates on large
scale; they can combine for special
rates, in the shipment Of their produce
to Chicago, St. Paul, or St. Louis. The
single colonist has not these advantages
so pronounced, and above all does not
enjoy the social advantage of being
among people of his own tastes and
home associations.-Poultney .Bigelow,
in Harper's Magazine. ...y.l5 49,.