Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-02-08
A SOCIALIST NATION.


A SOCIALIST NATION.
A representative of the Socialist
Colony, at Ruskin, Georgia, is now
travelling in New Zealand and from
his letter to the Coming Nation we ex-
tract the following in reference to that
interesting country:
"One of the pleasant features Of a
railway ride in this country is witness
ing the children flocking to the
train is going to or returning from
school. They get on the train as il
they owned it and no one asks them
for tickets-they ride free of charge.
The roads are all narrow gauge and
many of them are very winding and
have heavy grades, as the country is
usually hilly and mountainous.
A: Railroad Stations.
Stations are provided for at frequent
intervals and each one is postofTice,
telegraph and telephone Office and
savings bank as well as railway and
express station, as the government
NOhuuIlS al lutot CidoSeS VI DuSlHtSo.
Think Of the saving in Office expenses
by this system and you will be able
to comprehend why the railway fares
and parcels post are so much cheap
er here than in America. In spite
of the greater expense of construction
and equipment of railways in this
land of high wages and short
hours, the railway passenger rate is
only two-thirds of the average price
in the states, while the parcels post
and telegraph rates are far cheaper.
Cost of kilograms.
A telegram of twelve words is sent to
any part of New Zealand by simply af-
fixing to it a Cd stamp az cents). Lines
run along almost all of the metalled
wagon roads as well as along the rail-
way, so that every country postoffice
furnishes its patrons with the accom-
modations Of bank and telegraph ia
cilities. The wagon roads are a mar
vel for so new country. The govern
ment builds many of these roads
constructing them with no greater
grade than one in twelve. In ether
cases the government loans the local
boads one-half the funds necessary for
construction, at low rate of interest,
payable in installments, covering a
period Of twenty-six years; the other
half is appropriated by the govern
ment. These roads are graded and
metalled by cooperative laborers, who
take the contract in suitable sections,
in gangs of about twelve men each,
who divide their earnings equally.
Wonderful Dairy Country.
Il am now in a wonderful dairy
section and the home of cooperation
Before cooperative butter and cheese
factories and creameries were estab-
lished, the farmer was fortunate to
receive eight cents pound for butter;
now he realizes eighteen to nineteen
cents and has dispensed with this
drudgery of Swimming, churning and
marketing. He also has the sweet
skinned milk to raise calves and pigs
upon. 1t is common thing for a
| bdii VI INChty CONo " DllHS 10
owner 1000 per season, besides the
calves and pigs grown on the milk 1t
is necessary to feed stock very little, if
any, hay or grain. Some feed small
| amount of hay and root crops for a
short time in the winter
The Farmers UnioD.
THE farmers here have also organ
lied cooperative union, which has
grown into almost the dimensions OF
department store including grocer
les, tools, machinery, dry goods, medi-
cines, harness, bakery, etc. Their
store covers nearly half block. AS
sample of what this union has done
for them l might mention that bread
which formerly sold for four cents a
pound has been reduced by the union
to two and half cents. On this, and
all their other business, there is a
handsome profit, the shareholders re-
ceiving a return of about per cent on
all bills purchased, and an additional
dividend of per cent on their stock
Some of the townspeople object to the
institution, as 1t has forced several
small individual storekeepers to dis
continue business, but the Farmers
union goes merrily on, just the same,
and is on solid financial basis.
Getting Better Prices.
Encouraged by their success in the
dairy and mercantile lines, the farm
ers, last year, organized cooperative
bacon factory, which has resulted
in giving them better prices for their
hogs, without the necessity of slaugh-
tering them at home. They even get
their meat for their own use slaughter
ed and cured at the factory, and few
farmers wives now bake their own
bread"
Chappies Initiate English Cads.
The New York chappies who are ex-
t1L ~, IA i,ey HOY