The record-union., 1894-03-22
THE COLONY PLAN.

In 1870 8 per cent. only of our popula-
ton lived in towns in excess of 5000 in
habitants. In 1910 only per cent. of the
people lived in such towns. But in 1890
25 per cent. and more were such town and
city residents.
This simple statement illustrates the
drift to centers of population and largely
explains why towns are so afflicted with
the very poor-those who are dependents.
Professor Peabody considers this subject
in the Forum and advocates colonization
as remedy. He holds that the proofs
establish as fact that the majority of the
indrift to city and town becomes down.
draft, carrying people to the lower levels.
The Dutch policy of remedy is seggre-
cation; the Dutch eschew asylums, which
are the costliest form of charity, and sub
stitute 5,000-acre tracts, divided into six
large farms and 224 small holdings, and
accommodate LOO persons. These tracts
receive only voluntary colonists; the ap-
plicant serves first on one of the six
farms, and, when found competent, is
given charge of one of the small holdings
and becomes free farmer.
Then there is the forced labor colony
they must labor whether or not; they re-
ceive small wage. and part of it is re-
served as against their day of discharge.
Desertion is severely punished, but faith
fulness is rewarded. These plans pro-
ceed upon the encouragement of self
helpfulness. Their study will prove
very interesting to our contemporary, the
Colusa San, which is urging with much
vigor the adoption by California of the
County Poor Farm system, which, it
holds. can be made self-supporting.
Germany, Professor Peabody points
out, has colony system also. But it
differs from the Dutch. in that it is in
tended for the tramp, the fellow who has
lost the habit of labor. He can be taken
to the colony farm and made over, as it
We're, into man of industrious habits.
These colonies are voluntary. compulsion
having no part in them, and are the re-
suit of pious effort. They are rather
refugees, and are much criticised as the re-
sort of convicts; but they have strong
friends, and twenty-five of them have
long been successfully conducted.
Professor Peabody favors very strongly
the Drexel farm system, maintained at
Plainville, \. j., from 1874 to 1888. Dur
ing It's life 90 per cent. of the voluntary
residents were placed in permanent
agricultural situations, and of the re-
mainder only about half returned to the
city
But for broad and general application
the essayist favors the Dutch involuntary
plan, which involves State control, based
on rigid legislation as to mendicancy and
yagrancy, and is very desirable sub
stitute for jails and almshouses in large
part, though he would not, of course.
have the latter wholly abandoned. He
thinks cities may very well make the
colony experiment at first on a small
scale. At the very worst it could not be
so costly as the institutional system and
the indiscriminatiye method of public
relief. 1t viii enable those who are desti-
tute, but not rightly to be treated as
offenders, TO get new hold on life; give
them opportunity to lift themselves up
and to honestly earn all they receive in
aid.
Cities with such system would, says
Professor Peabody, hold in one hand the
assurance of healthful and substantial
work. and with the other warn off the
loafer. To those proposing to come into
the city it would be said, ''Stay out. un-
less you propose to become contributor
and not dependent. If you have lost
the habit of work, you must stay out OF
soon 90. This city is not sink for idle
ness. il is well-conducted business es-
tablishment."
snch cities will never discard the worn
ont employe, or he who sinks in It's midst
from independence to dependence, Dus
In ,,,+ Io o,z+ch-hasirls for the idle