Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-04-17
A COOPERATIVE VILLAGE.
A Little Municipality That Is Conducted on the Mutual Plan.


 on the Mutual Plan.
 A few miles from Dunkirk, in France,
 there exists a village inhabited by fish erInen and seafaring men where, since
 the year 1870. a syndicate has been in existence, says Edward Bellamy. and
 where as birthright an equal share of
 land is conferred on each member of
 the community.
 When DunliirlS was sold to the French
 by Charles IL. Louis XIV. resolved on
 forming in the neighborhood of Dun-
 kirk community of French-speal<ing sailors, with view of implanting the
 language, as also of rcserving for state
 service a nucleus of trustworthy
 seamen. He accordingly appealed
 to his subjects, and in 1870
 four families-namely, the Benards. natives of Cueq in Picardy-
 offered their services to the king, who
 gra nted them for their own use and
 that of their descendants some three
 hundred acres of land situated at Fort
 Mardyck These men entered into pos
 session of the land on the understand
 ing that they were bound to submit to
 maritime conscription and to exercise JhC pEOICSStOh Ol d
 The land is divided into two lots one
 of which is let to agriculturists, the
 rent being appropriated to a fund for the payment of the state taxes and for
 the distribution of relief to members of the community standing in need of as
 sistance. The remaining portion of the
 land is allotted to the inhabitants of Fort Mardyck, each one receiving at H., <~e I,s- I,o, l. half an acre. Under no circumstances
 may the Fort Mardyck native resign
 his ownership. He may secure a ten ant for his share of the land, but no further transfer is permitted.
 This rule, which, unlike others, is marked by no exceptions, has proved instrumental in inducing the villagers to marry early in life. Their field in- variably produces more vegetables than they require for their own maintenance,
 and they are, therefore, enabled to de- rive fair profit from the sale of the extra supply. Moreover, while her hus-
 band is away at sea, the Fort Mardycls woman does not depend for her sup port on his wages. She is able to sub- sist on the produce of the land, and when the man returns his pay is intact. The Fort Mardyck sailor very soon manages to build his cottage, and when this is accomplished he is practically secure from want for life. Should he have been unable to save enough money for his old age he is maintained by the commo n fund. On visiting the village called on the mayor of the little re- public, where political squabbles are
 unknown. and was supplied by his magistrate with the following informa- tion:
 Our village numbers seventeen hun- dred inhabitants. We manage our own affairs and defray our own expenses. We built our public schools by sub scriptions, and am sure we have never cost the state sou. We are very
 healthy people here. We marry early and lead regular lives. Families of ten or twelve children are by no means rare. At this rate our population doubles in thirty years. I suppose that eventually we shall be compelled to di-
 minish our allotments, as we are hemmed in on all sides by the neigh boring villages. Besides, am sure the ] state will not give us any more land. ''We have no paupers- Of course l there are a few old people who are needy. But as they have their cot
 tages and fieldsa small subsidy from
 the common fund keeps them very com fortably. You see our people can not sell their land, and so, even if they are improvident, our rules prevent them from rushing to Chicago Times.