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

Another view ~ Their DrOtherhooa
Colony at Edison.

that I am impeIed In the interests OF hui
mainly 70 criticise It. 1, too. recently Wis
tied Equality Colony. at the urgent re-
quest OF friends contemplating Joining the
brotherhood and at q later date, evidently.
than did Mr.. whsteside, as the first num-
Der OF the 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
your readers patience. so i VIII touch On
the main points only. and make such CON-
ments as I deem necessary for proper
understanding OF the real situation as 1
saw IL. How a man with the evident abll-
ity Of Mr.. whiteside could be so grossly
deceived or SO blinded 10 the real condi-
ticn, do not understand. One thing sure.
he has not considered the question from
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. TIE best
timber was cut of several years ago.
need not tell a resident Of the Puget sound
country what IL means TO clear UP such
land and make 1t suitable for cultivation:
$50 per acre is q fair estimate at fair
wages.
Mr. whi.eside's statement regarding
what the colony will realize from this
land this year would be amusing IL there
was not 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
1t must be supposed he expects to raise the
sixty acres OF hay on, It 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
to drain the land. IN fact, two or three
years must elapse before that hay will
grow. His eighty acres OF oats. fifteen
acres OF potatoes, fifteen acres OF vegeta-
bles and roots, 200 heads of cabbage and
the nursery containing 1900 or $1,000 trees,
bushes. etc. must materialige out or that
land that now is covered with immense
stumps, an incalculable amount OF stand
ing and fallen timber and bushes, al OF
which must be destroyed. Not one square
foot Of this land Is ready for cultivation at
this writing, the reader can judge OF
the truth of Mr.. Whiteside'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 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-
etables and roots. but IL the colony con-
tinues to increase, as is expected. what Us
grown will 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 225 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
IA l.r,< xrr,
tented houses" there. 1t 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
/ 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 will inquire what has
sent TO Equality" and as soon as that
question Is discussed the revenue stops.
Let us see how well they are now full
filing their pledges Mr.. Whitesides 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 unp!edged and Is an unknown
quantity. and cannot be depended upon.
The published statement OF monthly dues
received for eleven days ending April 23
1893 including that received from both
unions" and members IT large" Is SEQ
The national board Claims a membership
OF over 3,oo0 each individual pledging to
pay dues of 10 cents weekly. IL ali paid
up for the eleven days. $i5i.42 would have
been the figures instead OF those above. II
II costs $1e0 per month to maintain the col
ony when II numbers about rs. what Will
IL cost when IL reaches l,ooo. as the officers
confidently told me they expected II would
before next November! was told by
persons who know the facts, that the col
ony has already experienced a period when
food was scarce and when II had no money
10 buy more.
The next point I wish to make is that an
alarming degree OF incompetency was
shown by the national organization in
choosing the colony location. Ii they had
searched the United States over Tor an IN
accessible place, out of reach OF markets
and a place expensive 10 get provisions
into, and one that would require the great
eat amount of labor with the least results
toward seif-suste3apce they could hardly
have chosen better. The man who was sent
TO choose location was either an idiot.
who fe'. among land sharks. or was paid a
rrice fer fool;ng the brotherhood. The
amount os labor already expended on that
land without one square foot being ready
10 plant could have prepared ard planted
800 acres of improved land where imrne-
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 a few
who theoriza more than they work, the
individual members are an honest appear
ing and earnest class OF men. Sir. LeT-
mond and the other national officers I me.
at Edison are intelligent people. but they
SCI m 20 ne TO he dreamers. In fact, 10
listen 70 them and some Of the colonists
telling their plans or the future would &c
exceedingly amusing and entertaining =
you ala not realize the serious SIDE OF
II ali. They talk OF buying al island OF
LOO acres at the outer end OF which the