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BY J. HOWARD GORE, PH. D., COLUMBIAN UNIVERSITY. (a)

The poor colonies here described are not a creation; they are a development. They have not been elaborated out of speculation as to what they ought to be, but forged into their present organic form under the fire of criticism and the shocks of adversity.

General van den Bosch, very soon after the devastating war which was terminated by the battle of Waterloo, saw in Holland thousands of families reduced to helplessness and poverty. He realized that workhouses as well as poorhouses very often feed pauperism; that they systematize it, place their stamp of recognition, if not approval, upon it, and by so doing increase it. Moreover, these provincial or municipal agencies were usually located in large cities into whose overcrowded streets the released or acquitted paupers were cast adrift to again become amenable to the poor law.

The problem, therefore, that presented itself to General van den Bosch was how to help the poor in their life struggle, not merely how to help. them to tide over the demands of a single week or month. The first point that received decision was, that in whatever shape his hopes might be ultimately realized the location at least should be in the country. If the land is improved by man, he reasoned, then man can be improved by the land.

Through his influence, and chiefly through his instrumentality, there was organized in 1818 the Society of Beneficence (Maatschappy van Veldadigheid). Very soon thereafter the society purchased a large tract of

a Dr. Gore was the United States Commissioner-General to the International Exposition at Amsterdam in 1895. The information embodied in this article was collected by him during a visit to the poor colonies in July of that year.

320-No. 2- -1

In 1843 a reorganization was effected. Prince Frederick of the Netherlands accepted the presidency and secured such special favors from the Crown, such as the contract for making all coffee bags used by the chartered Dutch India Company, that the financial condition of the colonies rapidly improved. This, however, not only awakened hostility on the part of the factories throughout the kingdom, but it also transformed the agricultural colony into a manufactory and made mechanics instead of farmers. The usual result of a combination of such diverse purposes soon came and the society found itself in 1856 in debt to the amount of $3,000,000.

The State realized that it had been greatly benefited during this period, and also gave the society $1,500,000 with which to pay private creditors 65 per cent of their claims.

A complete reorganization followed. Ommerschans and Veenhuizen became government property and a complete disunion of the beggar and the free colonies took place. Naturally this experiment was looked upon as proving that agricultural colonies can not succeed. This prejudiced opinion should be kept in view in order that one may fully realize how handicapped the present organization is in its struggle to do good.

Still, the experiment had attracted the attention of philanthropists and even of other governments. During this time the colonies had been visited by official commissions from France, Austria, and Scotland. The organization as at present constituted dates from September 15, 1859.

The underlying principle in the revised scheme seems plainly to be to assist the destitute in meeting his wants, and the wants of all who depend upon him, without suggesting a feeling of dependence and without disturbing the family relations.

It is likely that the affections as well as the exigencies of life, which have so effectually kept the Dutch families intact, have been potent in forming the conditions under which they began to dispense their benefactions; nor is it at all improbable that the large Jewish population, among whom the family ties are extremely strong, has been instrumental in giving directions to the elaboration of the systems now in

Vogue.

The entire conduct of the affairs of the society rests with a commission of five persons, one of whom is designated as chairman and another as secretary. This commission meets at regular intervals, either in Amsterdam or at the colony. It fixes the salaries of all employees, but selects only one, the director, who, being responsible for the faithful discharge of all duties by his subordinates, has the right to choose them. All contracts are made by the commission, and, in short, it has all the rights and privileges of an ordinary corporation. It realizes that it is administering the affairs of a company to which a large number of persons make annual contributions, consequently it considers with

can spare the time, even going outside of the colony with the consent of the director, and has a vote in electing a delegate to the colonial council, while the only added burden is the rent for the land and a somewhat larger payment on his debts. The rent of course varies somewhat with the condition of the house and the fertility of the land, but the average annual rent is $20. The payment on his indebtedness is only $4 a year. In addition to this, he must each year put on the land $14 worth of manure, but this item is remitted in case he owns a cow and is duly saving of all manure.

It has been the purpose of the society to have all the houses alike and each plot of ground as desirable as any other. But this is impossible. Some of the houses are comparatively new, yet the older ones in many cases are more favorably located with respect to school and church. As is usual in Holland, the stable, barn, and house of the small farmer are all under one roof. One can step directly from the barn into the house, but the former is kept so clean that one would hardly notice that the rooms were put to different uses were it not for the surrounding furniture and utensils. The barn is large enough to house the entire products of the farm, the cow naturally not requiring much space. The house itself has two rooms and an attic-one used for a kitchen and dining room and the other for a sitting room and bedroom. The bedroom feature is not apparent, for, as is usual in this section, the beds are shelves in a closet, so that during the day when the closet doors are closed no suggestion of a bed can be seen.

The local department has the right to designate who shall be sent to the colony from its district, and the colony must accept the family sent. But the board of commissioners can, whenever it deems it best, dismiss or eject a tenant, whether he be laborer or farmer.

The department is responsible for the debts of those persons whom it placed in the colony, but it must receive from the society's officers quarterly reports of all its wards. These reports must indicate whether or not the conduct of each family concerned was satisfactory, how much it owed the society, and what change took place in the account during the preceding three months. If in any case the indebtedness should persistently increase, the department can announce its intention to withdraw all further assistance, but this does not exempt it from the payment of all accrued debts.

A man ordinarily can not remain in the colony as a laborer more than two years. If he fails in this time to give evidence of the possession of those qualities demanded of a farmer he must leave. But once admitted to the farmer class he may remain so during good behavior. There are several cases in which, after the death of the head of the family, the widow continued as tenant; and in one instance at least a son, after having attained majority, married and retained the farm. That the conditions are regarded as favorable may be seen from the fact that of the 284 families residing in the colony in 1894 three classed

All the wage-earning members of this newly arrived family are at once put to work on one of the society's farms or in some of the shops or factories operated by it. Idleness is not tolerated. The children must either be learning a trade or be at school. Although the free-school system originated in Holland, the spirit of individual liberty is so current that no successful attempt has been made to institute compulsory education. But within the colony the people are subject to the regulations of the colony. Even if a boy's parents intend that he shall become a farmer, he must learn some simple trade, such as basket making, because there is so much time during the long winters when the farmer can not be at work in the ground. It is therefore well when he can occupy himself at this time with some profitable indoor occupation.

Wages, such as are current in the vicinity of the colony, are paid weekly, after having deducted: The installment on the debt incurred upon arrival; house rent, not exceeding 20 cents; 1 cent infirmary fee for each person; 4 cents for the clothing fund; and a reserve for the family emergency fund, equivalent to 10 per cent of the gross earnings. That all transactions may be thoroughly understood each debit and credit is entered in a pass book.

In this connection it is interesting to note that the boys and girls, even while serving as apprentices, are paid for each merchantable article they make. If a boy makes a good basket he knows exactly how much he will receive for it; but should the work be defective, his compensation will be less. This of course furnishes an important stimulus to put forth best endeavors and also tends to hasten the coming of the time when faultless jobs can be turned out.

After two years of probation, if the head of the family has given evidence of industrious habits and a commendable desire to pay his debts, he is promoted to citizenship, and is called a "vrijboer," or "free farmer." If there is a place available he is put on it-a farm of 7.7 acres-apparently a small one, but it is so fertile that it will readily support an ordinary family. This plot of land is either one just vacated for some reason, or else it has been in the hands of the society; therefore it is not barren, but is provided with such planted crops as would have been in place in case the tenancy had begun months before. If the occupancy should begin in midwinter, the farmer is furnished with fodder for five months, enough rye to sow 2.4 acres, and 33 bushels of potatoes. Again, these are not gifts; he becomes responsible for their cost as well as for the cow which was provided him. His wants are not magnified by the feeling that all he receives are gifts. He has just passed through the ordeal of paying debts on the installment plan, and fully realizes the pressure of debt and the slow and tedious process of removing it.

In return for the improvement made during the probationary period the farmer is admitted into new privileges. He has the full enjoyment of his farm, cultivates it as he deems best, can work for others when he

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