The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1914-02-06
Item No. 3.-Abandoned Farms FOR
Community Farming, $1,5oO,000.


THE reason that so many districts
are over-croWded," said Mr.. Coulter,
is that there are too many people
living in them
This did not seem at all difficult to
grasp. But Mr. Coulter has been in
close touch with the immigration prob
lem, and knows that hundreds of
thousands of European peasants are
simply stalled in New York city, with
out an opportunity to work and with
out means to get anywhere. 1t is
physically impossible for them to go
out singly and seek their fortune on
the American farms; but they are cap
able of learning expert farming un-
der good instruction, and they will
work cheerfully at farming If it gives
them any sort of community life. We
nave plenty of land to redeem, plenty
OF need for the produce and plenty
Gfefatani
THAT wouldn't relieve all the con-
gestion in the city, said Mr.. Coulter.
Hundreds of thousands of others
have to live near their work; and the
only way to get them out Of the con-
gested districts is to get their work
out. | would like to experiment with
one factory, taking 1t away from the
crowded East side and into one of the
comfortable suburbs. The logical way
to regulate this Is to have the num-
Der of factories In any given district
limited by law. BY this experiment
l could only indicate what might be
done"
Item No. 4.-EstabIishins a Manufac-
turing and Cooperative Real Es-
tate Association In the Suburbs,
$4,000.
Il understand that an up-to-date fac
tory for the manufacture of clothing,
knit goods or kindred articles, employ
ing 500 hands, could be established for
half million dollars. A million more
would be needed to house 1000 peo-
pie, counting four to the family or
each employe. This factory should be
run as a cooperative in which every
employe would share. There should
be sick and death benefits, disability
and old age pensions, and a. home
purchasing provision by which each
worker would own his own home. Two
hundred and fifty two-family houses
could be built at about $4,000 each, in
stead of $4,000 where they are built
singly and held for speculation. With
the plan in operation the employees
would not only own the homes, but
the mill as we'll, and could be de-
pended upon not to go on strike.
Item No. educational Training for
5000 Children, 100000.
THE most tragic waste in the city
Is the waste of boys and girls through
lack Of any economic opportunity. The
women of the Henry Street Settle.
ment have shown how $500 spent on
a youngsters technical training makes
him a successful skilled worker in
stead of failure or criminal. |
don't think l should give the chill
dren $500, but | should lend them
100000.
81 believe most Of the youngsters
world pay me back some time and
| know that they would return great
dividends to the city If the city would
make such provision for all its chill
dren.
so much for work. Now | would
like to spend a couple of millions on
just play.
Item No. Backgrounds, Recreation
centers, Cooperative Dance Halls
and Athletic Clubs, 100000.
These things need not be a dead
loss financially. The poor can and
do pay money for dancing under con-
ditions which they don't want. With
less money they can dance under con.
ditions which they can thoroughly en-
Joy. Don't ask me to make out a def
mite budget for this outlay. The city
should furnish most of the capital and
these institutions should bring the