The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-10-14

II is always q pleasure to greet
those who are interested ii the coop
erative movement, whether they are me
terested only in cooperative stores. or
whether their vision extends to that
state Of society for which 50 many Of
Us hope.
Those who have had any consider
liable experience in the. movement
know that long years Of propaganda,
as well as industrial development. will
vet be necessary before the final goal
is reached.
Strange as it may appear, the move
ment has developed many men Of great
learning. of extended experience, Of
sound judgment, along with others who
are limited BY their fixed IDEAS, their
positive theories. their uncharitabIe at
ltitude, their suspicion, and their abso-
lutte certainty that all who do not agree
with them are dishonest and unworthy
even though they have spent their
lives in the movement.
| Whether this latter class can be help
led to see that their attitude Of mind is
an obstacle both to themselves and to
the movement, is a question. How
ever, it is to them that we owe our
greatest service. Ii is they who need
Ito be helped. For, if they can be
lied TO see the error in their mode Of
Thought, and if their minds can be al
lligned with constructive instead Of de-
structive forces, then the movement will
Ihave gained in power and harmony.
and we shall have reaped harvest Of
10y that cannot be had without such
effort. In this spirit, we shall attempt
to point out the error made by Mr..
lWarbasse in his criticism of the Col
ony. He says:
They (the CoIony) attempt to set
aside the simple principles Of social
economies. Whether we like it or not,
these principles cannot be defied; they
are memorable.
THE people in such a colony either
produce more or less than they con-
sumo. If they produce less than they
consume, they will fail financially. If
they produce more than they consume,
|ihey VIII sell their surplus product to
the world Of consumers for profit. The
more profit they can make by exploita-
ton Of the consumers, the greater is
their success, But such success is cap
italistic success. If they once get a
taste Of it, the inevitable result is that
they make their group restricted and
! circumscribed. The fewer actual mem
bers, the greater the profit
The ideal situation. in which the
colonies produce all they use and need,
and no more. is impossible in the pre-
sent capitalistic society To reach that
point, they have to pass through the
gateway Of capitalist success; and that
gate leads to cooperative destruction. "
"* - 3 The Colony will continue to
live so long as people keep on putting
| in their ST 900 apiece. When this in-
flow stops, then the bubble will burst.
We only beg the victims not to exclaim
another cooperative failure!
"* : = The important thing to make
clear is that such schemes as this coll
ony are not part of the cooperative
movement"
The cooperative movement, to which
Mr.. Warbasse refers, is doubtless some
system of cooperative mercantile es-
Enlistment, such as he started in the
Central States after the Llano Colony
was started; which mercantile estab-
lishments, with his guidance and assist
ance. have already failed. Before ac-
cepting his conclusions as above quot
ed, it will be well for US to scrutinize
them; for there may be an error in his
reasoning as there evidently was err
ror somewhere in his cooperative
stores.
Referring to the second paragraph
above quoted. ne says:
If they (The Colony produce more
than they consume. they will sell their
surplus products to the world Of con-
sumers for profit. The more profit
they can make by exploitation IF the
consumers. the greater IS their success
But such success is capitalistic success.
Il they once get a taste Of it, the M
EVlIABLE result is, that they make
the group restricted and circumscrib-
ed. The fewer actual members Tie Y
greater the profit. T" But he says: Gap
italist success leads to cooperative de-
struction.
May We ask Mr. Warbasse if HE got
a taste of capitalist success in His CO.
operative stores that failedp If So, did
That kaeF. ssss,, 49, =, !. -