Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-11-12

mentS to the constitution have since
been made, new department having
been added so that the trustees now
number eight.
Through having the columns of the
" Coming Nation " as a means of COM
munication with the people, the work
went on with increased vigor, and the
cry went up from various quarters
that it was high time that actual colo
nization commence; that practice SUI
persede theory.
Lermond, as National Secretary,
meanwhile had been doing, practically
unaided, the whole immense volume
of office work necessary to keep up
the organization and was now at his
wits ends to conjure up plan where
by he could be in the Office and in the
field locating colonies at the same
time. No one seemed willing to take
one off his hands.
During February, 1897, the writer
received a letter from Lermond APP
pealing to him to come over aud work
in his place, as it was imperatively
necessary that he go to find suitable
colony site.
On account of an invalid mother
then lying at the point of death, this
urgent request could not be complied
with, and as no one else seemed to be
available just then it seemed for
time as though the practical part of
the movement would fail to materi.
alize.
But Dame Fortune again smiled on
the B. G. c., the smile assuming the
form of Miss Helen M. Mason, who
arrived at the Willows March 5, 1897,
and Immediately began the work
which she has so ably performed ever
since.
National Secretary Lermond being
now relieved of his Office duties,
started west on a tour of investiga-
ton, in the course of which he visited
Ruskin and various other points in the
states of Tennessee and Arkansas, and
had almost made up his mind to de-
clare in fay II of a location in the
Ozark region when a new factor APP
peared OH the scene that changed all
his plans.
Eugene Y Debs, after making a
of the Far West had returned to the
Mississippi valley as strong advo-
cate of the colonization policy and
steps had been taken for holding a
convention in Chicago June Is, 1897,
for the purpose of organizing the So
cial Democracy.
Anxious to help bring about the
oo+;xyo oo ororo tinp of oil SOOio lictc
Lermond, together with. Prof. Frank
Parsons and A. S. Edwards attended
the convention where an understand
ing was arrived at that the same state
should be- selected as the theater of
operations by both associations, and
that state to be Washington.
Enthused with the prospects Ler-
mond returned to Maine Immediately
after the S. D. of A. convention and
resumed his clerical duties, more es-
pecially directing his correspondence
to the co-operators of Washington,
until late in August of that year, hav
ing received assurances that several
sites were available in this state, ne
gotiations being already under way
with E. L. Robinson, Buckley, Wash.
The board decided that special To-
eating agent would have to be sent to
the front in order to straighten out
matters, secure colony site and make
preparations to receive the pioneers.
No other person being found willing
to undertake the service. and Lermond
as we'll as Miss Mason being both full
ly occupied with the increasing am
cunt of Office work, the writer was
again requested to step into the
breach, and although fully realizing
his own unftness owing to lack of
both experience and ability, decided
that as no one else could be found, and
that poor agent was, perhaps, better
than no agent, to make the venture
and left Rockland, Maine, September
l, 1897, for the Pacific Coast.
After short stop with the Social
lists of Seattle and Tacoma proceeded
to Buckley where S. L. Lamb, Alex.
Pugh, Ernest Marguart and other
comrades were and sized up Brother
Robinson's proposition and found it
scarcely feasible one for the B. G.
G. to tackle at that time, owing to its
inland location-30 miles from the
Sound-rendering it entirely depend
ent upon the Northern Pacific railway
for transportation aud subject to its
eXtortions.
Leaving Buckley l proceeded first
to Seattle, where. hearing of no de-
sirable site to suit, | resolved to pros
meet in the uDDer Sound country and