The Elbert County tribune., 1899-06-15
WEALTH INA DESERT.
IRRIGATION ON me PLAINS
Trsnformcd Into an Agricultural Ds@-
trict of Enormous Productive ro~<ihii-
ties.

ties.
The success OF the salvation Army
colony. founded by Booth-Tuckcr near
Holly, Colorado. suggests method by
which rich phIlanthroplsts may confer
great blessings upon their unfortunate
Fellow men. giving them an opporun-
ity to take n fresh start In life and AT
the same time contribute to the gem
crai wealth OF the country aud secure
Tor themselves profitable Investment.
IL one half or even a small percent
age OF the money that Is expended for
charity by our state. county and mum
icipai governments could be devoted to
the permanent removal OF the persons
relieved 10 the prairies OF the West and
10 placing them In condition whcre
they can tnke care of themselves, pnu-
perism might gradually be diminished
instead OF increasing at an alarming
rate. ns at present
The state OF New York spends be-
tween Si.OO0.OOO and $1,000. 900 n ycnr
In charity. II cost the Salvation Army
S1o.2l2.o2 TO make the twcnty-six fam
ilies and 151 persons in this colony self
supporting and provide them with per-
manent employment. comfortable and
happy homes and a chance to make
something OF themselves. II only 10
per cent. or per cent. or even / per
cent. OF the New York charity fund
had been applied TO the removal and
location of a few families of the tene-
incnt-housc population to the fresh air
ana rich soil OF the prairles. n great
permanent good could have been ac-
complished instead OF encouraging
pnuperlsm. for Booth fuckers theory
Is true. that charity propngntes pnii-
pcrs. He says, and he knows by ex-
perience. that when man who Is able
10 work accepts charity he loses u de-
gree OF sclf-Tespcct and selt-relnncc
mat can never be recovered. and that
the oftoncr lie accepts relIer the moro
rapidly he descends In the scale Of
manhood until he becomes n confirmed
and worthless dependent.
Perhaps onc-half of the 1900 900 pco-
pie who Booth-Tucker says are more
or less dependent upon charity In this
country nre Incapable OF taking care of
themselves. Whisky and Incidence are
the most prolific producers of poverty.
but perhaps the other half Of the 1900.
900 might he able to support them
selves if they We're given another
chance among fresh surroundings. It
Is nt least worth the while to try the
experiment
Certainly no man can he seriously
Injured by being placed In pleasant
cottage ON the fertile soil aud in the
pure air OF Colorado. and II would bc
n great thing N some Rockefeller or
Carnegie. or some woman like Miss
Gould. with millions Mt command.
would make nn experiment Ia that III
rec.lon.
That plenty OF poor people IN the cit.
les are willing to go Is shown by the
thousands OF applications that have
already been received lby the salvation
Army. and that n certain ratio OF trans
planted unfortunntcs mny fail to be-
come good farmers ought not to de-
prlve those who may he successful of
the chance TINT might thus be offered
them.
The Salvation Army colony. however
h not n charitable enterprise. Booth
Tucker holds TO the theory that n II
unwiso to help those who win not help
themselves. Nearly nll the money In
vested In the Fort Amity colony wns
borrowed mt , per cent. interest, and
the treasurer holds n promise from cv-
cry one Of the colonlsts to repay. with
Interest mt u per cent. every dollar TINT
has been advanced for his benefit.
II cost S15.212.O2 TO place iwenty-six
families. including $50 souls. In posi-
tIon where they can take care of them
selves ut Fort Amity. This Is S60S per
fumiiy, or about Si00 per capita. and
includes the first payment upon 900
ncres of land. the cost OF twenty six
cottages and n school house, trnnspor-
tatlon from Chicago to Colorado. sub
sistencc for several months, 1916 worth
Of live stock. $40 worth Of machinery.
5000 worth OF implements and the cx-
pcnse OF organizing and finding n suit
able locntion for the colony, which was
S1.65G. an Item that need not occur In
the account again.
Mr.. Booth-Tucltrr believes that here
after he can place New York or Chicngo
families, averaging five persons in the
Colorado colony. fully equipped for
farming. at an average cost of 500 n
family. including the first payment on
the land. n house TO live In, n team OF
horses. n COW, n few hogs and chickens
and the necessary implements and ma
chincry for the cultivation OF ten ncres
OF land. He wants to send out 100
families this yenr 10 what he calls
''the poor mans paradise" and for this
purpose asks gifts or loans to the
amount * SJ0.OO0.