The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-18

prosper in groups. The other night l
heard geese going north. They had
heard of summer. They had runor
in the breast of ice melting.
They did not go one by one, but form
ed a W. and went like a wedge. One
old one, who had seen Hudson bay ana
the Gulf of Mexico 20 times, made the
pace. I would not like to attempt 10
carve him
l like independence and my own way,
with intermissions 1 have had these
for long time, but perceive that
these are expensive and risky A work
ingman makes up his mind to work II
alone, not to belong to- a union or asso-
citation. Soon he complains that he IS
prosecuted. OF course he is prosecuted.
1t is impossible to live alone and live
comfortably.
The people of the 10 colonies decide
to break with England. The Tories
dissent. They liked King George.
Rightly the Continental congress pro-
nOunces them dangerous" Life was
made unpleasant to them and they
moved to New Brunswick. If man
elects not to fall in with the general
movement of his fellows he will find
life unpleasant.
In a new country there is much CO.
operation. Some of you remember the
OId-fashioned raising" The neighbors
came together and the frame of house
or barn went quickly together. 1t was
not countd work. 1t was a holiday. 1
can remember quilting bees. There was
a sufficient spice of scandal, but the
d
bed of Verbenas.
A man alone husking corn is a lone
some spectacle. He has little to think
of except a sore thumb. But a husking
bee is pleasantly remembered. A red
ear was cOmmemOTated.
The settlement of a new country is
largely cooperative. Men live and let
live. borrow and lend. Change works.
Every house is a tavern. The neigh
borhood is tied together in sympathy.
believe in the trained nurse, but do
not forget the days when neighbOr
watched with sick neighbOr. He did not
do it skillfully, but he did it heartily
Heart is sometimes better than skill.
Heart and skill is a good combination.
The success of the MOrmOnS in deal
ing with desert salt and bitter is not
due to the Book of Mormon. Their
prosperity, their absence from Jail and
poor house is due to their working to-
gether. They have obeyed. some of the
commandments. There may be power
ty in Utah, but no pauperisfn-
Brook Farm was not a failure. HaW-
thorne was there awhile. Charles A.
Dana, George William Curtis, Margaret
Fuller, Claiming, Emerson, Parker and
Greeley were in sympathy. But Brook
Farm was not well chosen. It was
poor rock land and there was not
enough of it. There was too much gen
iuS to the acre. Brook Farm was cult
waited by humanity above the average.
humanity sifted in it would have gone
on. Margaret Fuller talked too much
ABOUT nerSe1I Wnen SOMEBODY else want
ed to talk about himself. Nathaniel
Hawthorne was too shy. He lived two
years in Concord and there was no sign
of life about the house except on Mon
day, when they hung the washing out
In 1880 Great Britain had $50 cooper
alive societies, with a membership of
20 600. In 1883 there were l, 304 societies,
and a membership of 600 900. There are
some interesting experiments being
made in this city in cooperation.
Thorald Rogers says that "men train
ed in the habits of due subOrdinatiOn
and unhesitating obedience are neces-
sary to success in cooperation Indi-
vidualism must give way"
do not despair of the ballot. shall
continue to vote, but I have not the
confidence in the ballot that I once had
I believe that we who work for a living
can help ourselves greatly by helping
one another.
need, perhaps you can make something
need; perhaps we can exchange. You
may call this a return to barbarism and
the savage. What want Is q return to
comfort. Men lived before silver or
gold were minted. You may wall in
Colorado, separate it from the earth I
will agree to take my chances inside the
wall.
All this state needs is to believe in
itself. What is there that we cannot
do for ourselves? You men who have
money do not start bank; manufac-
ture something that the people of Col
Orado need. I read a poster advertising
Omaha soap. Stand by your own peo-
pie. Your neighbor is the man you
ought to help and the man who ought
to help you. We are absolutely indie
pendent Of this world. 1t is a bad habit
we are falling into of dependence We
have cotton mill, why not a wooden
mill? Why not all the mills? I do not
admire altogether the Pilgrim fathers,
but I admire their supreme pluck Out
of rock and sand they made country.
Against the winter, the wilderness and
wild men they made a country. And
we sit around here under this sky and
on this soil and talk of hard times.