The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-15
Laura de Force Gordon Pro-
poses to Honeycomb the
Competitive System.
LOOKING FOR VACANT LAND.
The cooperative Commonwealth
Asks Help on Credit and Sees
a Great Future.

dents of sociology and human nature,
whatever the length and glory of that his
tory may be.
Laura de Force Gordon, the president,
Manager Sells and others who are now en-
gagged IN getting socialism fixed so that 1t
Will work have plans that are growing
every day and which now embrace
scheme to provide at once and at any time
self-supportlng employment to any man
| or woman III all California that may be out
OF work, besides giving to the members OF
the commonwealth their full share OF what
they produce, instead Of letting capital
get the biggest share, as it does, they say,
under the competitive system.
The promoters of the Cooperative Com
monWe alth are getting some prominent
people interested in it and are confident of
getting sufficient encouragement and sup
port to set the enterprise on its feet and
enable it to then work out its own natural
destiny. The prospects and plans of the
commonwealth appear to be rather lndet-
mite and embryonic yet, but the great CEN
tral idea is that industries of various kinds,
controlled and managed by the directors,
shall be established, and in them each
member shall share the burdens and
profits. Members who wish to will live in
barracks at headquarters and be charged
with the expense of their support. AS
work is given them they will be credited
with it, and when they work out in the
world a part of what they earn will be
kept and credited to them.
1t IS proposed to get vacant land that
may be turned into vegetable gardens, es
tabllsh laundrles, etc, and run an employ
ment bureau. Then any man or woman
IN want may find place to sleep and
plenty to eat, paying the commonwealth
q 10 or tyrrn 'c III
regular employment can be found. Some
unoccupied land within the city limits is
being looked after quietly. This move is
result OF the successful experiment of
Mayor Pingree of Detroit. The COM
monwealth is still somewhat pinched and
wan in appearance. The fifteen members
who are bunking and eating in the little
old red cottage on Natoma street are find
ing provisions hard to get, and the land
lady is getting excited about the rent but
better times seem close at hand. Within
the past day or two many people with
soclallstic theories and an interest in the
cause of labor have expressed an interest
in the movement and yesterday three of
the directors were appointed committee
to solicit aid, not as charity but on credit,
to be paid for in work.
The directors are: Laura de Force Cor
don, president; J. K. Phillips, vice-presi-
ident; Emile S. Lemme, treasurer; Alex
Mrs. Rose Meacham, E. T. Hicks, Mrs. E.
NJ. Simonds, Edward Webster and George
w. Sells.
The constitution and bylaws have not
been adopted yet, and so it has not been
decided Just how the commonwealth will
be worked or what the duties, rights and
privileges of the members will be. At
meeting yesterday it was decided that sus-
tenance for the dozen or fifteen men on
Natoma street, who constitute the practical
nucleus of the commonwealth, was the
most imperative thing, and the following
circular, with the names of the directors
attached, was prepared:
AN APPEAL TO THE GENEROUS PUBLIC.
The Co operative Commonwealth is an asso-
citation of men and women DESTROYS of imme-
diately relieving the sufferings of the unem-
ployed and improving the condition of the
industrial classes generally. Every member of
our commonwealth is DESTROYS OF earning an
honest living by honest labor faithfully per-
formed. We do not ask charity We want
employment. Until it is possible to secure
work for the many unemployed we ask the
generous people OF San Francisco to assist us
in furnishing the necessaries of life to our
unfortunate fellows, who are actually in want
of bread. You are not asked to give, but we
ask you to help to furnish provisions, clothing
or money, for which you will be duly
credited on the books of the commonwealth
to be paid for in labor at the usual rates when
ever an order for such services may be re-
quired is sent to the office, 215 Sansome street.
room 10. We respectfully ask all hotel,
keepers and restaurant proprietors to donate
what surplus food they can spare.
The officers of this association are we'll
known and responsible citizens and invite the
fullest Investigation of the means and objects
sought to be accomplished. We have an army
of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS men and wonderland
can supply all kinds of help for the house
shop or farm Immediately, and earnestly ap-
peal to you for assistance.
The circular bears the following indorse-
ment:
The plan of the Cooperative Commonwealth
has been examined by me and seems practical
Its officers are sincere and its mem bers deserv-
ing. L can therefore recommend the same to
the people OF our State. E. l.. FITZG ERALD,
Labor Commissioner
Laura de Force Gordon talked about the
commonwealth yesterday in her home and
Office in the Fulton House on I.arkin
street. She talks fuently and takes an
earnest interest in the young socialistic
enterprise that she took up when it struck
the rocks.
''This is the first time 1 ever had any,
thing to do with scheme like this" she
said. 81 am a socialist, and don't care
who knows that. have thought for years
that the social system was wrong, and that
there is coming revolution as great as
that which swept feudalism away | feel
that the system is wrong which allows the
ones who produce the wealth to remain in
poverty while the wealth accumulates
where it cannot be used. So I take an in
terest in the workingman, and | cannot
see how intelligent people who have any
heart can fail to take an interest in people
who are kept in want, and perhaps wicked
ness amid wealth which does nobody good.
when they came to me a week ago last
Saturday l was told that they had nothing
to eat. | said, that shouldn't be, and /
went right down into Battery street and
got four sacks of potatoes and some other
i,@a
and accepted the presidency, with the un-
Outstanding that it shouldn't take too
much of my time. Five of the men are
working for Surro out at the Cliff House.
and when they went to work the other
morning they had nothing but bread and
potatoes for breakfast. Well to-day |
appointed a soliciting committee who win
go out with these circulars, and | think
they will be successful.
"You see we don't ask for charity. All
we ask is credit and everybodys account
will be kept. Suppose we get $25 worth of
anything from store. That firm will be
credited with SIS, and then whenever thnv