Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-08-29
A BELLAMY PLAN TEST
A COLONY NOW BEING FORMED
AT DIES MONIES.

/ ~
AT DES MONIES.
some Details of the Scheme--The Same
mas bellamy's Approval--A Location in
Louisiana Likely to Be Agreed Upon.
Edward Bellamy's dream begins to as
sumo tangible shape to some of Des
MONIES citizens. Last winter an organ
,zatlon was perfected at University place
known as the Investigating club" The
ooav met once week and discussed the
social and economic questions of the day.
Much interest was manifested in the pro-
ceealngs. Among those who participated
IN the meetings were some earnest, we'll
meaning men who had become opposed to
our present competitive system of indus
Try When the summer months came the
club closed its meetings, but the investi-
CATION along this line was, if anything,
pushed with more vigor and earnestness
by the men who had taken the initial
step during the winter.
Abou: month ago small circle of
men, Ernest B. CASTOR, proprietor of the
Suburban Advocate, G. H. Mershon, E. d.
smith, w. P. Macy, D. Harrod, j. P.
Meredith and other prominent citizens,
met to see if they could rot devise plan
10 escape what they deemed the serious
evils OF the present system and put in
successful operation the better principles
which had crystaiized in their minds as the
result of their investigations. The result
mas been the organization of colony
company with the object of founding in
some favored part of the country COM
munity which shall be, as far as possible,
complete within itself, and where what
they term the savage, foolish and wasteful
system of competitive industry shall give
place to the kindly, rational and moro
economic system of cooperation"
A committee has been appointed by the
colony, and they are now travelling in
Louisiana to select site for the location
OF the society. A letter received from the
committee short time ago says they ara
now in the neighborhood of Lake Charles,
and have found spot which they think
most desirable for the fulillment of the
society's ideas.
The plan of the society is much like that
OF the Kaweah cooperative society of Tu-
lare county, CAL, which has been in sue
cessful operation for the past
five years, although Bellamy's ideas
are never lost sight of and
will be strictly adhered to by the colony.
Among the basic principles of the colony
are these: Man alone is nothing but a
savage; he can support an existence and
that is all. 1t is only in and through So
clety that he can obtain wealth and cult
ure. Wealth is the product of mans labor
expended on the earth, which Is Gods gift
to the race. No man should be allowed to
monopolize the natural resources, and levy
tribute on his fellow men for the oppor-
tunity to labor. Every man is entitled to
just SO much liberty, and will allow equal
liberty to every other man. Each man
should receive the full product of his labor
except an amount sufficient to discharge
his debt to society through which line he
can do effective labor.
The constitution and bylaws of the So
, ciety are comprehensive and explain fully
the methods which will be employed in the
actual working of the colony. The genera
nature of the business to be transacted Ii
the production and distribution of wealth
!, tho collection, extraction of raw material
its fashioning by nand-craft and machine
craft into commodities; the culture of bott
animal and vegetable products; the pro-
duction of food, clothing, shelter. ma
chinery and all articles of convenience,
necessity or luxury; the establishment of
proper methods of distribution, transpor-
tation and storage; the establishment OF
just and correct systems of credit, account
and exchange; the building of houses for
members of the colony and families; the
arbitration and just settlements of dis
putes; the education Of members of the
colony and children in proper physical,
mental, moral, intellectual and artistic
lines; to improve the health, secure the
happiness and perfect the well-being Of
every member; and. as we'll to propagate
and extend in the world at large the idea of
universal and just cooperation.
Each stakeholder contributes to the COM
mon fund $500, and upon his death, resig-
nation or expulsion, the value of bis
capitalization, or SO much as has been paid
in, shall be apportioned out of the COM
mon BUCK, anu pHlu over W AAmseli, lis
heirs or executors, and each stakeholder
will waive all claim to or right for any in
crease, interest or earned profits of any
kind accruing or due thereon. it being dis
tinctly understood that upon death, and
equally so in case of withdrawal or expul-
sion, the estate or himself shall withdraw
only the amount with which he has as
sisted the capitalization. All rents,
profits, interests, investments, and all
reality and personality except chattels
private, revert to the colony.
1t is expressly stipulated that the estate
that each share holder takes or holds in
the increase or improvements and acquisi-
ton of the company is for life or years
and not an estate in fee, and that the re-
mainder lies always to the successor, only
when he shall be accepted as a member,
such remainder to him being remainder
of the same classes and character as the
original member, and, therefore, it is we'll
understood and agreed that no member has
q right to sell, assign or trade his interests
to anyone whatever without the consent Of
the company.
Any stakeholder may be expelled from
the company by two-thiTds vote of the
,,omhore