The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-04

that am inpeiled N the interests OF ha-
mainly to criticise IL /. too, recently Wis
tied Equality Colony" at the urgent re-
quest OF friends contemplating joining the
brotherhood and at later date. evidently.
than did Mr.. Whiteside. as the first num-
Der OF sae new paper he mentions as about
10 be published was OF the press.
To take up the letter In question in detail
would require more time than have 10
spare and probably tax your space and
youSDreaderss patience, 80 I wiz touch on
the main points only, and make such COM
ments as I deem necessary for proper
understanding of the real situation as 1
saw IL How a man with the evident absl-
ity Of Mr.. whiteside could be SO grossly
deceived or so blinded to the real condi-
ton. do not understand. One thing sure.
he has not considered the question from 3
practical standpoint.
In the first place. this tract Of land.
bought and paid for at . big price, has
been heretofore rejected by all settlers.
with the exception Of about sixty acres Of
marsh. The tract Is heavy timber Land
much Of which is steep side hill. The best
timber was cut on several years ago. L
need not tell resident OF the Puget sound
country what Ii means TO clear up such
land and make Ii suitable fer cultivation;
$50 per acre ID q fair estimate at fair
wages.
Mr. whiteside's statement regarding
what the colony will realize from this
land this year would be amusing ii there
was no, an exceedingly serious side to the
question which he does not show the least
sign of considering or understanding.
Regarding the sixty acres of marsh land
IL must be supposed he expects TO raise the
sixty acres OF hay on, Il is now covered
with a dense mass Of alder brush. A long
dixie must be built to keep of tide water
and an immense amount OF ditching done
r.. L. r. ~. q, ~an
years must elapse before that hay Will
grow. His eighty acres Of oats. fifteen
acres Of potatoes. fifteen acres Of vegeta-
bles and roots. 50. 900 heads of cabbage and
the nursery containing 1000 or $1,000 trees,
bushes. etc. must mate-ialize out OF that
land that now Is covered with immense
stumps. an incalculable amount OF stand
ing and fallen timber and bushes. all OF
which must be destroyed. Not one square
foot of this land is ready for cultivation at
this writing. the reader can judge or
the truth Of Mr.. Whitesde's statements.
1t Is true that five acres of land near the
village Of Edison has been donated to the
colony by a resident settler. who joined the
brotherhood. and a part of which is avail
able for immediate cultivation. A Few
acres Of improved land have been leased,
on which will this year be grown someveg-
etahles and roots. but II the colony con-
tinues to increase. as is expected. what is
grown VIII be but a mite as compared with
what must be had to support life. The col
ony buildings. Mr.. Whiteside mentions are
there and built on side hill. without much
regard to order. The largest of the build
ings is not yet ready to occupy and as near
as could estimate, about rs people. men.
women and children. are packed into four
or five small log houses and one two-story
frame building ABOUT twenty-four by fifty
feet. A few houses in Edison have been
rented ana sre occupied, but saw no
tented houses" there. II is also true that
the national board is operating print
ing plant that / understand was donated,
but the saw mill and other machinery Is
only loaned by good brother. The maze
OF figures and statements regarding the
colonists' fees, dues and rules are subjects
l will not discuss in this article. my object
being to show up the practical or unprac-
teal side of ii.
The plan or principle upon which the
colony is founded, that of being supported
for an indefinite period by outside sources,
while beautiful in theory, from my ex-
tended experience and observation In deal
ing with would-be reformers, Is not prac-
teal The class of people making UP the
brotherhood of reserves" are the most
suspicious people on earth. After contrib
uting for an indefinite period for the coll
ony's support some fellow who likes 10
hear himself talk VIII inquire what has
become of the thousands Of dollars already
sent to Equality" and as soon as that
question Is discussed the revenue stops.
Let us see how well they are now ful-
filling their pledges. Mr.. Whtesides states
that 1.-The present weekly income from the
reserves ranges from $500 TO $500. That
includes dues OF members and donations.
The latter is unpledged and is an unknown
quantity. and cannot be depended upon.
The published statement of monthly dues
all 1av- ny
1895. including that received from both
unions and members at large Is $3.50.
The national board claims a membership
of over 1900, each individual pledging 10
pay dues OF 10 cents weekly. IL all paid
up for the eleven days. AllG would have
been the figures instead OF those above. III
IL costs $7co per month to maintain the col
ony when II numbers about 225. what will
il cos, when IL reaches 1900. as the officers
confidently tod me they expected 1t would
before next November? / was. told by
persons who know the facts, that the col
ony has already experienced period when
food was scarce and when 1t had no money
to buy more
The next point wish to make Is that an
alarming degree OF incompetency was
shown by the national organization in
choosing the colony location. III they had
searched the United States over Tor an an
accessible place. out OF reach or markets
and q place expensive to get provisions
into. and one that would require the great
est amount OF labor with the least results
toward seif-sus.enance, they could hardly
have chosen better. The man who was sent
10 choose a location was either an idiot,
who fe'. among land sharks, or was paid
rrice fer fooling the brotherhood. The
amount G. iabor already expended on that
land without one square foot being ready
to plant could have prepared and Planted
900 acres of improved land where inIrne-
date results could have been attained.
This colony can never become seif-sustain-
ing on the present land they own
With the possible exception of few
who theorize more than they work. the
individual members are an honest appear
ing and earnest class Of men. Mr.. Ler-
nond and the other national officers l met
ct Edison are intelligent people. but they
seem 20 me 20 be dreamers. In fact. 20
listen II them and some OF the ceionis;s
telling their plans for the future would re
exceedingly amusing and entertaining *
you cid not realize the serious SIDE OF
il all They talk OF buying an island Of
LOO acres at the outer end of which the
IN sxeF arcstgta <.