davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15


The Ruskin colony is no more. It's
lands and most Of its personal property
have been sold under the hammer. A
news dispatch, dated Nashville, Tenn.
introduces a detailed account of the
transaction with these words "The
disruption of the Ruskin Cooperative
association, the socialist colony located
at Ruskin, Tenn, which has attracted
world wide attention, was complei ed
when the auctioneer for the receiver
ship sold the lands and buildings to
small coterie of the members of the
colony, who had been instrumental in
causing the SALE" In presenting some
reasons why, on strictly general princi-
pies, all enterprises of the "co-opera
tive production" order must be more
or less insists when considered in
their relation to prevailing laws and
ideas, I said Experience shows that
sooner or later such cooperative enter
prses go to smash. They endure as
long as they are poor. Men make a
sure living. Formerly they did not.
They are content. But as wealth &C.
crues, this, that, or the other fellow
wants more than his share-wants all,
if he can get it-and then there's
trouble. Trouble makes it necessary
to 90 to law. Then the end is at hand"
The flrst-quoted paragraph from the
Nashville dispatch says that this is
exactly what happened, and pre- ;isely
the way it happened. Some one wanted
more than his share-wanted all-and
there was trouble. Then came resort
tt law. Then the end. 1t does not fol-
low from this that one should abandon
ideas of establishing enterprises of
such character. Far from it. What
does follow is this: 1t is not wise to
try to graft more or less socialistic
twig onto strictly individualistic tree
and that's the kind of tree our pres
ent economic system is-the laws and
prevalent ideas make it such. Not alb
solutely, because it contains capabili-
ties OF development in directions that
will in future nourish the growth of
such enterprises, out yet so much so
that to attempt the graft before the
necessary development of law and
ideas is had, is to invite failure, and
failure generally at that moment when
the unremunerative work of preparing
the ground has been so far accom-
plished that valuable results are begin
ming to appear.
The sale at Rusk,n took place in the
big cave. The Rogers tract, the Smith
tract and the Adams tract, being the
land upon which the colony was locat-
I'd and containing about 7S4 acres, were
cold to Mr. Ransom Leech for S11 1000.
The first location Of the colony was
near Tennessee City, where the asso-
ciates still had 1000 acres of land and
a storehouse All this was purchased
for Slab by Mr.. George Wright, a
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15

storekeeper at Tennessee. Thus all the
realty OF the colony sold for $12, 473.
The tract of 1000 acres Of land near
Tennessee City, which was sold for
Slab, originally cost the company
$4,000. The Rogers tract cost $4,000,
the Smith tract $4,000 and the Adams
tract $4,000, making a total of $16,50O.
On this land about thirty houses have
been erected at cost Of several thou
sand dollars. On the last-named tracts
there are mortgages aggregating about
$4,000, including the value OF the
growing crops, which go with the land.
The association had failed by several
thousand dollars to get the first cost
on its property. After the real estate
had been disposed Of the remainder OF
the day was devoted to the sale OF
stock, in which neither the minority
nor the majority took any interest.
Horses sold at prices ranging from ~
to SIS, while mules brought little
better figures. Fine hogs, purchased
at from $40 to $50 head, sold for 20
or Sc.
Just what the majority will do is
not fully determined. The Ruskin
Commonwealth, composed Of fifty-five
of the majority stockholders, has al
ready been organized, and will locate
colony of its own at point yet to be
selected. A letter has been received
from the immigration commissioner OF
Virginia urging the colony to come to
that state, and offering them site
near Norfolk on favorable terms. A
proposition from Georgia and another
from Alabama are being considered.
While the new purchasers are not yet
ready to discuss their plans, it is I'M
derstood that they propose to conduct
an organization more on the Individual
principle than the old one. An admis-
sion fee will be charged, presumably
$500. and any member can withdraw at
pleasure, and will receive his money,
provided the money is in the treasury,
and if not there it will he paid as soon
as raised. Money will be paid for Ia
Dor instead of checks, and the member
ship will only be increased as there
Is demand for more labor. One Of the
fatal mistakes of the old organization,
the minority claim, was that this plan
was not adhered to. The new colony
will be devoted to manufacturing
rather than to farming. 1t is estimated
that the property, after deducting the
costs, will bring about $4,000. Inis,
on basis of 1873 shares, will give each
shareholder nearly s19U. To many OF
the members of the colony this will be
all the money they have in the world.
and will be about enough to move
them to their former homes, or to en-
able them to begin life in new colony
on a smaller scale.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
The Cry of tho Little Peoples.


The Cry of the Little Peoples went up to
God in vain:
The Czech, and the Pole and the Finn,
and the Schleswig Dane.
We ask but little portion of the green
and ancient earth;
Only to sow and sing and reap In the land
of our birth.
We ask not coaling stations, nor ports
in the China seas
We leave to the big child-nations such
rivalries as these
We have learned the lesson of time, and
we know three things of worth:
Only to SOW and sing and reap In the
land of our birth.
Oh, leave us our little margins, waste
ends of land and sea,
little grass and a hill or two, and a
shadowing tree;
Oh, leave us our little rivers that sweet
ly catch the sky,
To drive our mills. and to carry our
wood, and to ripple by.
Once long ago, like you. with hollow
pursuit of fame,
We filled all the shaking world with the
sound Of our name;
But now we are glad to rest, our bat
ties and Boosting done,
Glad just to SOW and sing and reap in our
share of the sun.
III.
And what shall you gain If you take us
and bind US and heat us with thongs.
And drive us to sing underground in
whisper our sad little songs?
Forbid US the very use of our hearts
own nursery tongue
Is this to be strong, you nations, Is this
to be strong?
Your vulgar battle to fight, and your
shopman conquests to keep.
For this shall we break our hearts, for
this shall our old men weep?
What gain in the day of battle-to the
Russ to the German, what gain,
The Czech. and the Pole. and the Finn.
and the Schleswig Dane?
w.
The Cry of the Little Peoples goes up to
God in vain,
For the world is given over to the cruel
sons of Cain;
The hand that would bless us Is weak,
and the hand that would break us
is strong.
And the power of pity is naught but the
power of a song.
The dreams that our fathers dreamed to-
day are laughter and dust
And nothing at all in the world is left for
a man to trust.
Let US hope no more, or dream, or
prophesy or pray,
For the iron world 10 less will crash on
its iron way;
And nothing is left but to watch, with
helpless, plying eye,
The kind old aims for the world, and the
kind old fashions die.
Richard LIE Gallienne in London Chron-
icle.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
Promising valor.

Scene = Country police station.
Young countryman, aspiring to become
a member of the force, is being exam
ined.
Inspector-"Of course you are aware
you'll have lot of night work to do?
You are not afraid of being out late, l
suppose?"
Countryman's Mother (breaking in)
-"That'll be all right, sir. His old
grandmothers going round with him
the first two or three nights, until he
gets used to it!"-Punch.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
This Decision Tavors Strikers.

In a decision rendered by Judge
Windes of the Appellate court
Chicago, sitting as a circuit
Judge. it has been decided that
striking workmen may use persua-
sion to induce other men to cult
work for firm against which strike
has been ordered. They also may visit
the factory or plant of the company
and use whatever peaceful means they
can to prevent others from working
for the concern, or induce those who
are at work to quit. The decision was
announced in the suit of Frazer &
Chalmers, manufacturers, who got an
Injunction against the Iron Molders
union restraining that organization
from approaching or in any way infu-
encing by personal contact the men
who took their places or intended to
do so. On June Fl the workmen en-
ployed by the company struck. Other
men were obtained to take their places.
The strikers assembled around the
plants and used all the means in their
power to get the men who took their
places to quit. They were so success
full that the company is unable to oper-
ate its works except in few depart
ments. 1t applied for an injunction
to prevent the strikers from gathering
near the works or using persuasion,
force or violence to induce the men to
quit.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
So Father Says.

So Father Says.
wish that I'd been grandpas child,
That 1 could had the joy
of fishing In the good old days
When father was a boy.
For then the fish grew bigger far
Than they do nowadays,
And literally packed the streams
At least so father says.
They never caught sucker then
That didn't weigh q ton,
And pickerel We're longer than
a modern Armstrong gun.
They u5cd to yank out halibut
In hundreds from our bays,
And shad ran up the banks to bitc-
AT least, SO father says.
They never thought of using bait
To lure the willy trout,
They reached a bushel basket down
And simply dipped them out;
And In about an hour or two
They'd fli up several drays,
And sow them through the neighbour
hood
1T least, SO father says.
In short. they caught so many fish
That fore their sport was through
The stream where they were fishing
woull
CD down yard or two:
And not an angler failed to come
Home loaded in those days
"A habit father, still pursues.
At least so mother says.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15

Morning News: Mr.. Coils P. Hunt
ington makes a strong point when he
declared that too many boys of today
are only willing to work at "genteel'
Jobs. All labor is honorable and the
boy who is willing to dirty his hands
and soil his clothes in order to earn
more money than he could in a clean
occupation will surely succeed.
For example: Compare the poverty
of Mr.. Huntington with the wealth and
luxury of the laborers who built the
Northern Pacific.
MINNEAPOLIS Tribune: Admiral Dew
ev very properly snubbed the sultan OF
Turkey. the most cruel and blood-thirs-
ty monarch in Europe, by declining the
latters invitation to call at CONSTANT
nople.
Who killed the most people this
year, the sultan or Mckinley?
Morning News: A thief recently
broke into a church in a New York
town and stole a Bible. Possibly that
Is what he needs more than anything
else. II he sticks to it and reads it
carefully he may be persuaded to stop
thieving.
Wonder how it would do to present
the Standard Oil magnates with copies?
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
Tho Wrong C0untersign.

advance and give the countersign, s.
sang out the American sentinel. The
Filipino crept forward with bowed
head and muttered; "All men are born
free and equal"
But as this declaration was not the
proper password, and because it con
veyed meaning decidedly revolution
airy and antagonist!c to revised Amer
icanism, the sentinel, after prelimin-
airy discharge. cut the tweaty-sxth
notch on the stock Of his rife. Life
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15

Chicago Tribune: What's the mat.
ter, old fellow"
I'm afraid I've got to the end of my
rope, dear boy. Two years ago l
traded my riding nag for a bicycle;
last year l had no trouble in trading
the bicycle for golf outfit, and now
I'd like to trade the golfing outfit for
an automobile, and l cawn't."
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15

Chicago Tribune: This climate -
casually observed the bald-headed man,
agrees with me perfectly. 1 have
lived here thirty-seven years, and
never had the slightest falling out
with it."
But ! notice your hair has," said
the other man.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15

Washington Star: What's the new
boarder's business?" inquired the
neighbor.'
Il Dunno" answered Farmer Corn
tossel. HE keeps sayin' that the
folks in town love him fur the enemies
he's made. I-guess mebbe he's base
ball umpire,
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
flow Truei

"Gur-ruls are niver satisfied" unused
the janitor philosopher. "Whin they
are In short skirts they are crying for
long vans. an whln they git long vans
they have to hald thin up"
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15


taste OF Observation-Disclosures
Justice.
To pay dollars of increased value Is
equivalent to confiscation of portion
OF the debtors property. Lincoln said:
ut was a heinous crime" The dollar
of payment ought to be the dollar OF
contract. l fear that gold bugs have
set a bad example in their effort to
crowd three days labor into dollar.
They call dollars of contract dishonest
dollars, confiscation, reputation. Can
you see?-Centralia X-Rays.
The scvereigns of Europe have found
1t necessary to take some stringent
steps to stop the international traffic
in girls" This international traffic in
girls is for the purpose Of gratifying
the lust of the leisure Glass;" which
the Rev. Hills, pastor Of Henry Ward
Beecher's old church, thinks Is so use
full to the world. The sovereigns may
be able to check in some degree the
international traffic in girls" but
while the leisure class" fourishes the
domestic traffic in girls, young and
tender girls will thrive.-Jerry Simp'
sons Bayonet.
Benevolent assimilation-taxing the
people of the United States to support
the harem Of the sultan of Sulu.-Na-
tional Waterman.
ANY law that does not extend in
some way the freedom Of the individ-
ual without interfering with the rights
of others is a bad law.-Binghamton
Independent.
The prosperity" wave does not
seem to roll on Lake Michigan, as an
advertisement Of Skin for grating"
at 50 per person, brought sixty-two ap-
plicants as soon as the paper was on
the street, all of whom were moneyless
ard ready to do anything for bread.
All the skin needed was obtained from
ore mans arm, several becoming i'm
fortunate, and one said: Il cannot
even sell my flesh Tor food" That is
in Chicago San Francisco Star.
Can you think Of one man amongst
the nillionaires of our country who
did not make his ,,ile by working a
monopoIistic holdup on the peopie2-~
Victor (Colo.' Press.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
TIE Objection.

Herbert is just plain, every -day
young man." said Mabel to her father.
There's precisely the objection"
was the prompt reply. II might stand
him every other day, but this thing CT
calling seven times week becomes
tiresome."-Judy.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
ENGLAND THE WORLDS LAND
LORD

LOHDs
This Is the prospect held out by
"Ritortus" in the Contemporary. Land
lord not by conquest, but by the in
vestment OF capital. So he calls his
thema. "The Imperialism of British
Trade" His point Of departure is the
much-talked-o excess of imports over
exports. He sees nothing to be alarmed
at in this excess-quite the contrary.
1t marks to him the growing rent roll
Of John Bull, landlord of the planet.
THE expenditure of the revolution
airy war produced the loan-monger,
who succeeded the nabob, and the ap-
plication of science to industry devel-
oped the manufacturer. He, in his
turn, Is now, slowly but surely, disap-
pearing before the foreign investor.
The balance of power removes from
Manchester and Birmingham to st.
Swithin's Lane and Lombard street.
England could not remain the work.
shop Of the world; she is fast becom-
ing its creditor, its morgagee, its land
lord"
The writer gleefully quotes Ricardo's
letter to Malthus
Accumulation of capital has ten
dency to lower profits. If with every
accumulation of capital we could tack
a piece Of fresh, fertile land to our
island, profits would never fall"
He eXclaims:
THAT is just what our capital has
done for us. 1t has been adding one
piece of land after the other to our is
land, until our capitalists may triumph
antly say, The world-the world Is
ours.
"The superintendent capital Of Great
Britain, finding no longer profitable
employment in the agriculture, manu-.
facture and trade of her own territory,
began by necessity to overflow her
boundaries, to take possession-first Of
the carrying trade on the seas and
then on the soil, the industries and the
commerce of the countries beyond the
seas. 1t laid hands on everything 1t
could develop and make profitable. 1t
thereby kept up profits and increased
Englands wealth.
mill expresses this happily when he
writes: England no longer depends
on the fertility of her own soil to keep
up her rate of profit, but on the soil Of
the whole world 1t is important that
this be understood to the letter. 1t Is
truly the whole world, and not only
that part of it which Is mapped out as
our colonial possessions, which is fast
becoming England's domain and en-
pire."
This is the secret of the rapid growth
in excess of imports:
eff since the middle of the century
we have sent out more capital to pro-
duce abroad; If we have framed with
it the soil of foreign countries; II by
means of it we have dotted the whole
globe with our industrial establish
ments-then we must of necessity i'm
port an increasing share of the produce
of our capital abroad without export
ing for it in return. Our imports from
abroad were bound to increase; our
exports from home bound to suffer. II
was q radical change which upset thu
equilibrium of international exz
change"
"Ritortus" complains that economic
writer's have not grasped the meaning
Of the change. They do not see, how
ever, that England is no longer mere
creditor who draws interest, but is alst
a landlord and proprietor, who draw
rents and profits. "-Review of Re-
views.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
The Real OHense.

Philadelphia North American: isn't
II pretty tough to give man year for
stealing few cigarettes?" asked the
culprit.
"The sentence" said the court, "is
not for stealing, but for smoking
them"
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
LABOR AND INDUSTRY
SOME ITEMS OF INTEREST TO
UNION WORKMEN.

Ruskin Colony Disrupted and It's Prop
erty soid-Bought in by Minority
Faction - Proposition to Eliminate
Some of the Socialism.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
OUR BUDGET OF FUN.
SOME GOOD JOKES. ORIGINAL
AND SELECTED.

4 Variety OF Jokes, Gibes and Ironlcs.
Original and Selccted-Flotsam and
Jetssm from the Tide of Hrmor-
Witty Sayings.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
them"

Mr.. Chubb (finishing yarn)-"It took
me forty-seven minutes to land it
weighed twelve pounds"
Mr.. Rockwell, where is it?"
and 1 hada long way to walk, threw
It back!"
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15
POINTS FROM THE PRESS.

Martial law at Wardner is fore
taste OF mperialism.-Wilmingt
Justice.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15

We may have an almost total fail
ure of wheat, and by governing our ex-
pectations by what we suppose to be
the immutable law of supply ana de-
mand, we think wheat ought to bring
a good price. Yet it is not so. The
price does not advance materially.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-09-15

Can you think Of one man amongst
the millonaires of our country who
did not make his ,'ile by working
monopoIistic holdup on the peapie2--
Victor (Colo.' Press.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-23
HORSE SHOW WINNERS.
Great Interest Taken in the Various
Events

The decisions of the judges in the
horse show events did not suit the audi
ence and the crowd was loud in its
manifestations of disapproval.
OF course the crowd is not always
able to judge so well as expert horse
men and many points not taken into
consideration by the crowd count for or
against the competitors.
In the tandem class A. E. Ashbrooke
with Joe Wheeler and Black Douglass
took first, Cascaria and Ashland Prin-
cess, owned by NJ. A. Low, took sec
Ond and F. E. Wears Dick and Major,
third.
The other entries were as follows:
Dock and May-Harry Lindsay.
Princess and Jack-M. A. Low.
Bess and Maud-Lukens Bros.
The best gated saddle horse compe-
tition brought out long line of COM
petitorS and the judges were long in
deciding. H. H. Kings Rex was the
decided favorite with the crowd and
carried off the first honors. John
Green's black mare ridden by o. NJ.
Keats took the second and F. E. Wears
Larry the third. The other entries were
as follows:
Frank, c. S. Eagle.
Miss Bartlett, T. L. Evan.
Red Man, E. l. Green.
In the run about class Joe Wheeler
driven by A. E. Ashbrooke of Kansas
City took first with NJ. A. Lows Cas-
caria second. The other entries were
Lady, H. H. King.
Corsaire, T. Voiland
Dan, Harry E. Gavitt.
Della, DR.. G. Steele.
Belle R., J. D. Pratt.
Torreon, O. M Keats.
Ashland Princess, D. r. Low.
The best pair and turnout brought
out a line of handsome vehicles and F.
E. Wears Dick and Major took first,
with A L. Green's Nip and Tuck sec
ond and DeMoss and Penwells Mon
tell and Pinto third. The other entries
were as follows:
Nellie and Kate, DeMoss & Penwell.
Free Sprague and Jack Straw, Chas.
Blood Smith
John Daw and Major, c. S. Gleed
In F. E. Wears carriage were Mrs. F.
p. Wear Mrs. G. w. Parkhurst and Mrs
w. L. Newcomer
In A: L. Green's carriage were Miss
Dolly Curtis, Miss Maud Curry and Geo.
Heyden. d
In the yellow ribbon carriage were Miss
Ethelyn Palmer, Miss Gala Witt and Miss
Kate Ernich.
In c: B. Smiths carriage were Mrs. C.
Gleed and Mrs. Alice Clugston.
In the trotting bred stallion contest
Ashland w. won the Horse Show Monthly
trophy cup. The horse is owned by NJ.
A. Low. Orphan Knight, belonging to
c. H. Sampson, won second and c. Tan
ner's Heirloom third.
In the jumping contest Black Douglass
took first.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-23
OFFICERS ELECTED.
Insurance Men Organize and Go
Home.

The Local Insurance Agents assOcia-
ton of Kansas was organized in this
city yesterday by the election of the
following officers:
President-R. L. Marshman, Kansas
City.
Observation-Disclosures S. Elliott, Topeka.
First vice president-R. P. Cravens,
Salina.
Second vice president-W. NJ. Forbes,
Topeka.
Third vice PRESIDENT. A. Spalding.
Atchison.
Observation-Disclosures Reece, Wichita.
Grievance and executive committee
Willard Merriam, Kansas City; F. S.
Thomas, Topeka; Martin Smith, Leav-
enworth; John NJ. Kinkel. Hutchinson;
F. A. Hornaday, Fort Scott.
The first annual meeting of the as
ISOLATION will be held in February, 1900.
At that time the insurance men hope
to secure from the legislature which will
then be in session some new measures
of protection for their business.
At the meeting last night Frank S.
Thomas criticised superintendent
Church for his effort to secure reduced
insurance rates. To this Mr. Church
replied by saying that he was willing
to accept suggestions from a man who
is unprecedented. He believed that Mr..
Thomas dissa tisfactiOn is more the re-
suit of political prejudice than anything
else. Mr. Thomas is a Democrat.
w. S. Charlton of Lawrence and r.
P. Cravens of Salina presented papers
during the meeting.