THE COLONY BUILDERS. 



THE LIGHT OP EXPERIENCE ON COLONY PLANS. 



BY WM. E. SMYTHE. 



In the February number of the AGE we dealt with the five 

 essential points for a practicable colony plan to meet the economic 

 and physical conditions of the West. The aim of the present article 

 is to show that these plans are justified by experience not neces- 

 sarily that all the principles presented have been utilized in any 

 single community, but that each principle has been thoroughly 

 demonstrated by the experience of some community and that all five 

 features may be expected to produce a satisfactory result when 

 brought together. 



ORGANIZATION OF COMMUNITIES. 



"A colony should be organized, rather than a matter of individual 

 settlement. " 



Out of many instances which might be quoted in justification of 

 this principle, we will select two from the west and two from Europe. 

 These four instances illustrate three different methods of controlling 

 the organization, by a priesthood, by a town meeting, by the power 

 of a national government. The first method is represented by the 

 Mormon experience; the second by the Greeley Colony of Colorado; 

 the third by the labor colonies of Holland and Germany. All of these 

 undertakings are so thoroughly seasoned and established as to admit 

 of no question as to the value of the experience they represent. 



The Mormons built up settlements in the midst of deserts and 

 mountains, with an aggregate population of 250,000, They were orga- 

 nized from the beginning, root and branch, working always under the 

 guidance of a strong central authority. There is no reason to believe 

 that they could have got their first foothold, gone on to prosper, and 

 waxed ever stronger with the years save for the quality of their orga- 

 nization. Emigrating in considerable numbers, working together in 

 building canals and improving lands, co-operating in all their manu- 

 facturing, and commercial affairs, they were ever like a trained army, 

 with officers and discipline, and never like a mob. It is true that 

 Brigham Young was in many respects an autocrat, but he could not 

 have transmitted his power if he had not succeeded in forming a per- 

 fect machine which extended to the remotest hamlet. Great men 

 may formulate plans and initiate movements, but those plans and 

 movements cannot enjoy perennial vigor unless they are sound nor 

 unless they are thoroughly organized. 



