Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-05-07

cial, Colonization, organization, Eau
cational, Publication, Industrial and
Exchange. AS set forth in the Pros
pectus of the Board of Trustees, the
work of the Brotherhood is carried on
under three general heads Education
Organization and Colonization. The
plan for colonizing is explained in the
Prospectus as follows:
In nearly every branch of industry
thousands of men and women are being
displaced by labor-saving machinery
owned by few money lords, and cast
out as driftwood to float up and down IL
a-to them-cheerless world.
I A few thousand dollars invested IL
Hand, building and machinery will pro-
vide means whereby these people. by
cooperating and employing themselves
upon their own farms, in their own
factories and mills, may produce all the
necessaries and many luXuries OF life
and. retaining the wealth thus created
gain freedom. Other thousands now
working as wage slaves. when the way
is made plain. will gladly go to work
for themselves in cooperative COM
munitieS.
Having educated the people up to the
cooperative idea and organized them
in the Brotherhood. the next step will
be to carry out our principles in prac-
tice, thus setting an example and prov
ing to the world that Socialism is more
than theory-that it is fact
Should 10000 men and women. unit
I. onnh N
average contributing 800. come to-
gether in favorably located section of
the country, while they might not be
able to establish the cooperative COM
monwealth entire. yet they could carry
on cooperative industry on a sufficient
ly large scale to be practically free
from outside competition. With cash
capital OF 81 coo. 600. these 10000 indus
trials can buy sufficient land and ma
chinery to start them on the road to in
drstrial freedom. But until such time
as they can raise their own food and
provide themselves with other necessi-
ties. these pioneer colonists will need
help from the reserves.
Let those who are holding lucrative
positions under capitalist employers
and who do not wish to enter the Bro
therhood community at first, contribute
monthly from their earnings such sums.
from 10 cents to so. as they can spare
or duty dictates. Nor should these do
nations be considered as free gifts or
charity-but rather as investments to
provide homes for themselves when.
from business depression. " financial
crises" or other causes. they are driven
nt1t ,f l,pSi,,ns. Loco thni, ,st.xl,., - ~,
can find no opportunity to work. 9th
ers. looking upon these cooperative
communities as object lessons in prac-
teal Socialism and most potent factors
in gaining universal Socialism. will
wish to contribute to the colonization
fund.
If, when the industrials are ready to
begin active work, there are 25.000 re-
serves, each, on an average. contribute
ing monthly one dollar. $4,000 will be
available each month to sustain these
pioneers while breaking ground" and
getting under way
4 BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
n While we have as yet few organizers
in the field-organizing having been
voluntary and spontancous-ne verthe-
less, the growth Of the Brotherhood
has been steady and permanent. At
the present writing april %, '9S) we
have enrolled upon our books the names
of 3,l5O members, every State and Ter
ritory being represented save New
Mexico and Alaska. Ofthese members,
$50 are ready to act as pioneers, and
1000 as reserves. The remainder of
the members have not expressed wish
to join colonies, but are Interested in
the general educational work. Over
100000 in cash, besides many thousand
more in land, machinery. tools. cattle.
horses and other property. have been
pledged by our members to aid in
building colonies, and the State of
Washington has been selected in which
to make the effort to build Il co-opera-
tive commonwealth. The first colony
"a history of which will be found in an
other column has already been founded
From time to time as our growth and
means will justify other colonies will be
started in different sections of the
state: each colony making speciality
of some particular industry one oper.
ating II wooden mill another a shoe
factory, another iron foundries. other,
fisheries, canning factories, etc. while
farming will be pursued to greater Oh
less extent in all A big wheat farm
will doubtless be operated in East
Washington. A cooperative boat on
the Sound and the Columbia River will
solve the transportation problem.
When it is necessary to utilize railroads
to any great extent, the Brotherhood
will build them.
The time has come for sometbfng
more than talk. more than promises.
more than lecturing, preaching or writ
ing. The people are sick of talk. They
ask for something practical, something
tangible. nm object lesson a ,,-n,.l-i, .,