Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-10-18
wORkING lOR COOPERATION.

WORKING TOR COOPERATION.
What il known as the Alifuflnr
colony has commenced It, operations
at the new settlement on Marx Wosl
creek, seven mites north Of Santa Rosa
California. The dtsign Of the society
Il that all its members shall operate on
the allrulsuo idea, as opposed to the
egotistlc; that IN, that they viii work
for tn, mutual good Of each othor
Their controlling principle II expressed
ia the statement that "the man who
fervently and disintercstedly works foi
the benefit OF his brother men h the
good man." Ia the conduct VI atialf-
the cooperative system Is to control IN
all respects. The society cannot be
called communisiic, A. the generally
accepted meaning Of that word goes
association OF individuals, therefore
the term cooperative IL more strictly
applicable. Each worker T. 10 have an
equal share In the product Of all labor,
though private profit aud special
privileges may be- obtained by common
consent under the rules OF the order;
all members arc required to carry on
the common work Ia a spirit OF fratef.
nifty. Unqusstioned obedience IL sx.
acted from all.
The COLONY 10 governed by presl'
dent, vice president, and executive
council, chosen at regular intervals
by anu from among the membors.
Subject TO the direction Of this govern
ing council, each person ID 10 labor
!, where his ability eau bo7u,ed TO the
or.t sdvsatAge, The pay Tor a days
work will be uniform, but a member
having hard or disagreeablo task will
be favored In the matter Of hours Of
labor. Tho monetary system OF the
colony IL apart from the national usage,
10 that the national cuTrency-gold,
silver or pnper-will not be used for
business. Instead Of this, each mem.
ber's personal honor is at stake upon
his transactions being ia accord with
strict rule Of honesty, aud the
personal checks Of the colonist-
will DO the only circulating medium,
which Ia thus enlarged OF contracted
according 10 the needs Of tho society.
Should n member desire 10 20 abroad,
the amount Of community currency he
holds may be cashed by the society
treasurer. As for the property Of the
colony, the cooperative farm consists
Of 1000 acres OF fertile, woll-wAtcred
land. It's already under cultivation,
producing fruit grain, hay anu yege.
tables.
The success or failure OF the AltTu.
rlan experiment IL n matter Tor time to
demonsIrete, according to the tdelity
with which tho members OF the society
adhere In practice 10 their AlttuistiU
ideas, and as they have sufficient
business capacity In the organization
to conduct It's general affairs on pay.
ing basie. llsspecipl lesson 10 the peo-
pie Of this locality Is In calling atton.
tion to the growing sentiment among
people In different parts Of
the world to take up the
cooperative idea, particularly In
industrial matters, In the hops VI find.
ing permanent base for individual
prosperity. IL will be- remembered by
those who lived In Utah In the early
days Of cooperative Institutions here,
how the argument was made, aud the
general sentiment and experience Of
civilized nations quoted In support
thereof, that cooperation would re-.
triot individual enterprise and prevent
the utilization Of individual energy 90
Rn extent that It should be opposed A.
dangerous to the public veal. The
uniform demonstration OF events at
home ana abroad since that time has
shown the uns0uudnese VI that argu.
ment anu the isllacy Of that theory.
The scene now presented to tbs ma
tons II general driiI toward the
cooperative System In ideu,
through thus lar most Of the
practical applications are crude Indeed
aud consequently failures. Yet they
are sufficient to Indicate grand CO.
operative movement that may IND lie
h1od'tldo IN the next century. 90.
operative colonies arc but an eNpsri.
meat now; such experiments arc q
potent factor IN preparing men for thai
vast community Of Interests 10 DO IN
auguated and directed by the Higher
power, when "eyory man shall sees
his brolhers JOY, aud therein hnd bic
own" Notwithstadiug the distractions
ami divisions Of the present, through
the mist anu beyond the breakers OF
human uncertainty anu iiseord there