The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-08
uToPIAN SCHEME FAILS.
Cooperative Colony to Patagonia Is Not
Successful.

From the London News.
The establishment of the cooperative
colony called New Australia in Para
quay has proved failure. 1t was start
ed in 1891. when Australia was divided
into two hostile camps. A series of labor
struggles had embittered the capitalist
and the laborer against each other:
wages We're falling everywhere and
when the idea of the establishment OF
huge cooperative colony was suggested
IL seemed to meet with universal ap-
prevail among the shearers and bush
laborers in the back blocks of the con-
tinent. Various sites were spoken OF
and discussed, but owing to the bitter
political feeling engendered al that time
1t was thought that the new colony
would have little chance if established
in Australia, so agents We're sent TO
South America, to Brazil. Argentina and
Paraguay, and the choice fell on the
latter country. The original idea was
not so much an agricultural colony as
place where the colonists would be able
to produce as much as possible for
themselves. The ideal aimed at was an
absolutely self-supporting state, where
10000 or 10000 people could live for and
by themselves, not at once. perhaps, but
in the near future. Exchange in pro-
ducts was only a secondary considera-
ton.
Some 1000 or 5000 members were en-
toiith III <huSli anu oNci Il -psouo
subscribed to the movement. 1t is one
thing, however, to project an ideal state,
but quite another TO enroll people fitted
TO populate such a place: most of the
citizens enrolled had their own ideas
and were not backward in expressing
them. From the tanning of a bullock TO
the building of a house each had his
own plan. The chairman of the concern
held very strong views on the Ideal life
10 be led, but the majority of the people
We're entirely out of touch with him.
Thus i'll feeling was caused and seces-
sions took place. When second batch
of immigrants arrived from Australia
further differences We're engendered,
and another separate colony was estab-
lished by indictments some so miles
away. The very essence of working CO.
operation is mutual good will, but these
people had not got it in them to bear
and forbear with one another: they had
neither the religious element of the old
Pilgrim fathers nor the fanatcism of
ferVent political reformers. The indus
tries engaged in We're mostly the pro-
duction of foods: cotton, mani, coffee,
and sugar were laid down, but not in
large area. The wheat crop was a fail
uie for two years in succession, and
the English potato was only a partial
success, yet, taking the crops all
round, there was little need to grumble
at the produetiveness of the soil or the
Senlallty OF the climate. sui the colony
gradually declined.
BY the terms of the original contract
the colony held temporary title for
some so leagues of land. If at the end
of six years u families per league had
not been introduced and settled in Para
quay this land would again revert to
the government Three years elapsed,
and then the Paraguayan government
proposed that as the colonsts We're
neither progressive nor contented under
a cooperative regime each shareholder
should have handed to him an equal
share in the property. They on their
part would give each male adult 90
squares of land. and six leagues of graz
ing lard To he held as common prop
erty. Further. if desired. they would
give $500 month subsidy till the new
colony was on its feet. and only permit
English-speaking people to take up their
residence there. Out of some 40 fami-
lies who Went up to found the colony.
about 100 remain; some are cultivating
coffee and cotton, others devote them
selves to cattle raising. This Utopia is
now a government colony, though the
administrator is one of themselves
Whether the colonsts who still cling to
the ideal-and the so squares Of land
are able and strong enough to revive
the idea which underlies New Australia
time alone will tell.