THE COLONY BUILDERS. 



ANNOUNCEMENT. 



WILLIAM E. SMYTHE. 



Beginning with the November number, the AGE will publish as a 

 regular feature a department under this head. It will deal with the 

 subject of home-making for the masses in the unsettled regions of the 

 world, particularly with the problem of developing homes, farms, and 

 institutions in the reclaimed valleys of the West. The department is 

 specially designed to serve the needs of those who would like to im- 

 prove their condition by settling in such colonies as may be well lo- 

 cated and wisely planned. It will also prove of interest and value to 

 the managers of irrigation enterprises, but it aims to be much more 

 than a directory for settlers, or a chapter of suggestions for managers. 

 One of the most striking economic facts of the time is that there 

 is throughout the world surplus land, surplus people, and surplus 

 capital, millions of acres need men; millions of men need acres; mil- 

 lions of dollars need profitable employment. Those who control the 

 land do not command the labor: those who control the labor do nt 

 possess the capital. The result is suffering and discontent, which 

 threaten grave social and political consequences in course of time. 



The evils resulting from these conditions are worldwide. They 

 :are felt in every town and city of every country. The remedy is col- 

 onization. This alone will absorb and utilize the surplus land and 

 other natural- resources, the surplus men and surplus dollars. But 

 colonization is itself a problem, and a problem of the most difficult and 

 complicated kind. No other work touches human natures at 

 more points, or deals with interests more delicate and precious. Noth- 

 ing involves more chances of failure, more possibilities of bitter dis- 

 appointment. Nothing calls for more knowledge of all the factors to 

 be dealt with, nothing demands more devoted and unselfish leadership. 

 Sound industry and social plans are essential, but hardly more so than 

 -a certain indefinable quality of direction and management, which may 

 be spoken of as the personal equation in the colonists and their leaders. 

 This quality is not conceived with the commercial aspect of the matter, 

 but belongs to its higher atmosphere, to its ethics rather than its 

 economics. 



There is and ever must be, however, a strong commercial side to 

 the work of colony- building. Colonies cannot be made without capi- 

 tal. Capital cannot be had without security and profits. Security and 

 profits cannot be assured without responsible and able management. 



