The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1907-08-09
VIRTUE IN HARMONY
HOW COOPERATION OF THE PEO-
PIE OF A COMMUNITY WINS.
STICKING TOGETHER COUNTS

illustration OF Some OF ire Good
Things in CIannishness as Found
in Some Agricultural Dis
tricts.
Often is heard protest againAt what
Ia called clannishness among foreign
ers who become citizens Of the United
States. 1t is claimed that they carry
old-country ideas with them to the
new land, and refuse to mingh with
other than their own nationality. In
defense of these foreigners who are
thus charged, it is but fair to say that
many Of them labor under the laisap-
prehension that they are not looked
upon by the older American citizens
as companionable. Often their lack
of knowledge of the English Ian
guage makes their own class desir
that in one or two generations condi-
ton changes and the children of these
foreigners become thoroughly Amer
icanized.
It would be we'll if some of the
traits of clannishness that are manifest
in foreign colonies be generally prac-
ticed throughout the United States. In
1848 an effort was made to coloniZe
land in Missouri with a progressive
! class of German citizens. The events
Immediately following this effors, the
loss of one shipload of immigrants
and the subsequent sufferings of the
newcomers, is a matter of history.
But undaunted hundreds of those who
at that time sought homes in the new
| country, gained for themselves envi-
| able places in the annals of American
history, and they founded commu-
models worthy to be copied. In Cas-
conade county, Missouri, large colony
| of these people sought homes. There
| they titled the soil and cultivated vine
| yards. They were of one tongue and
! of one religious belief, highly moral,
Woodworking people, and their aim
| was to found homes for themselves
and their progeny. To-day in Cas-
! conade county there is more evidence
| OF wealth, of culture and harmony
among the people than can be found
in any like area of the United
States.
| From the founding of the colony it
was recognized that if progress be
| made that the wealth produced by
| members should be retained. Mills
| were gradually built for the CONVEX
| sion Of the grain into flour, wine
| homestead, and towns were built
| Among the first Institutions establish
| ed were schools and churches, and
| these to-day are prominent factors in
| the holding of the character of the
people.
It was one of the rules Of the COL
ony to assist one another. Each one
while working for himself and his
family, realized that it was to his adj
vantage to patronize his neighbour
| Thus when the towns were started
and stores opened, it was made a
rule that these stores be patronized
and that the Gtore-keeper be allowed
a fair profit for the goods he Sold
Tailor shops, boot and shoe makers,
soap makers, and even the brewers
of beer found their customers solely
among the members of the colony
Although St. Louis was within few
hours ride, the members of the colony
considered that the dollars kept in
! the little town instead of being spe1
in st. Louis meant much for the ad-
vancement of the place. AS years
! passed by members of the colony be-
came prosperous. Families were
| reared and children married, addition
al homesteads were secured and there
was a thorough cooperation among
all towards making life agreeable and
giving each member of the commu-
nifty means of acquiring a compe-
| tency. One of the early undertake
ings was the building of macadamized
roads. These roads to-day are kept
in the best of condition and have
proved a matter of economy to the
county. Schools and churches, which
at first were roughly built, have been
replaced with magnificent ediices
which are sources of pride to the resi-
dents of the community. Some Of
the small business places of 40 or so
years ago have grown to be of almost
national Importance. In fact all res
idents of the community are indie
pendent, and few of them possess
sors Of great wealth. How success
full they have been is shown by the
absence of paupers in the county.
There are no public charges, neither
is there any great expense as to main
tanning a county Jail.
This community is but one of many
in the Mississippi valley and through
out the west. Such communities have
been built up solely by the simple ad-
| herence to cooperation among mem.
bers and following out of the home
trade principle. Members realized
that every dollar earned in the COM
munity and sent to some other place
robbed the community Of so much
wealth, and that this dollar ceased to
be factor in increasing the impor-
lance and progress of the place. In
these communities are generally To-
Gated Touring mills. The output of
these mills finds local sale and the SUR
plus is sent to the markets to bring
in money from the outside. It an
pears that If the simple economical
methods of many classes of citizens
of foreign birth were to be practiced
more generally by people residing in