THE NEW EARTH 



fundamental principle; they were business 

 men and, as business men, they had no fight 

 upon capital. Monopolies they would fight, to 

 the death if necessary, but organized, legiti- 

 mate capital, established and administered in 

 honesty, they welcomed as a desirable ally. 

 Indeed, were they not in a sense capitalists 

 now themselves? 



They had no pet theories to exploit. They 

 were not socialistic nor altruistic nor commu- 

 nistic ; they were not populists nor farmers' alli- 

 ance men, nor grangers ; they were not theorists 

 in any degree. Individually, they might hold 

 to any opinion they wished, but collectively, 

 they were a plain, matter-of-fact business firm. 



In the fifteen years that these farmers have 

 now been in business, they have prospered far 

 beyond their expectations. They have con- 

 quered, absolutely, every monopoly that has 

 lifted its hand against them. Their actual work- 

 ing capital is twenty-five thousand dollars; 

 it is never allowed to be more than this. 

 Their total indebtedness can never be over 

 five thousand. Two -thirds of the members 

 must give their assent before any money may 

 be borrowed, never rising above five thousand 



370 



