Where to Begin

We, the “seekers of the truth” have now set things straight with each other and are confident that as we seek for the truth, we are under higher protection than the laws of trouble-makers and the anarchistic social order offers. If this is so, then where should we first and foremost direct our attention to, in order to be consistent from our first steps onward? Does not a settler first test the quality of the soil as well as the climate before he starts sowing? Doesn’t he also want to find out the fauna of the region, beasts, insects etc. and doesn’t he just as well want to know what kind of people he will find himself among? If the answer is yes, we must surely act the same way.

It is clear to each one of us that without the greatest possible freedom we cannot begin building something new. Wherever there are everlasting fences disturbing freedom, there will be such huge disputes as we begin tearing down the fences that our entire work force and energy will be lost in arguments.

There is no doubt that America is the right country for carrying out our ideology. In North America, however, there are two countries, which both have a free society and conciliatory, enlightened people – the United States and Canada. We can choose between these two. Against Canada speaks naturally the fact that kingship is still in force in the country, although in name only, since the British parliament has more power than the king. On the other hand the thing that worries us about the United States is the immense power of the tycoons. The whole country will soon be shut inside a heavy iron web, as the railways become the property of one single man. All large factories will be in the hands of a single, tightly organized bloodsucker-trust, which means that smaller factories must fall and farmers are left at the mercy of the trusts with their products.

This rule in a country as free as America is only temporary. It prepares ground for socialistic joint production, where the ruling trust will be replaced by a parliament. But in circumstances where matters in the United States are obviously leading us, a peaceful solution seems impossible. A great, shaking revolution will most likely be able to achieve it. For we have to remember that it is skill and genius that rule the world and everywhere in current America it can simply be bought. How many of the Finns that have had a little more schooling have stayed as pure friends of the workers in America? As soon as it has been noticed that the man is capable of influencing and convening others, he is called in to worship the golden calf and by then he is a goner.

If we want to follow the teachings of our Nazarene teacher, and do not reach for the reins of the current society as normal socialists do, we should settle and begin building our society as far

away from the nests of the trusts as possible. And – let us put it clearly- we need to settle in a place where

a) we can become independent from capitalist production
b) we have free transportation
c) we have enough land around us for as large groups of people as possible

We now know that there are still several areas in Washington and Oregon that would have the above-mentioned features. It would not have shown lack of consideration had we found our colony there. But as we compare the so-called Sound-area in Washington to the vast lands of British Columbia, we can notice that here on the Canadian side land is almost entirely free, whereas in Washington the coastal areas have already ended up in the hands of private owners (as far as we have been able to get information on the matter). Besides, it is impossible to get the government’s support for a co-operative effort in Washington, because its danger to capitalism is already well known to the ones in power. In British Columbia, however, the population is so small (approx. 150 000) and the need for farmers so great, that even if the government officials should like to sneer, they cannot refuse the increase in population, which a vital colony is bound to bring.

Canada is for now better protected against trusts than any American state and from the Canadian provinces British Columbia is the most distant and independent. Since its population is so small, it is fairly easy to gain influence over common matters. Aren’t there therefore several facts, which urge us to choose this country?

When, in addition to this, the mild winters and cool summers are taken into account, as well as the rich mountains – which most likely hold a possibility for vast industry, waters rich of fish, and a beautiful archipelago which reminds us just as much of old Finland as it does of Greece, we really have nothing to keep us from building a harmonious, ideal home of our people in this country.

Since Canada also happens to have two equally strong languages, namely English and French, it gives us protection against linguistic oppression, which is characteristic to the English. Since the common school law grants parents splendid benefits, but at the same time doesn’t oblige children to be put into state schools, we can organize things so that during the first school years teaching will be in the mother tongue. Older children will move on to an English speaking school and will thus get all the benefits that a “universal language” brings. Nothing will stop our children from

singing the songs of Kaleva in our own circle and at the same time being able “to talk” and “to speak” the common language just as anyone else.

The most active member of the ministry has given his word that we are to receive the area of Malcolm Island, altogether 15 000 acres, for free, and tax free for three years. The state will also cover the costs if we build roads across our own land. Could we ask for more? As soon as we have gotten a good start it’ll be easy to obtain land. The most important thing is to keep the high aims of co-operation in mind from the first steps onward.

We should hardly remain doubtful about the right place for our new, joint home.

A new question, however, has been raised, and for a good reason. The government is – as usual- slow at handling our case. Meanwhile large groups of our citizens are with worrying hearts waiting for the moment that the Kalevan Kansa will be found and the road will be opened for the first farmers. Therefore we have no time to waste. On the one hand it is very probable that we will get Malcolm Island, which is located at the northern end of Vancouver Island, but on the other hand we will also be needing a smaller base in the south, in close proximity to the big centres. It has been thought out that we should obtain a piece of land in the Nanaimo area, either from the archipelago or from the coast, and start off there. We have heard that even on the nearby Big Island there are farmers that are ready to sell their homes and fields at a fairly low price. We could buy a 160 acre farm or two and put them into shape. This could give work to the first willing to become members of our company, we would get useful experience and we could get things started by this summer. Besides, herring fishing, which will be an important source of income for us, is more profitable here in the south than in the Malcolm Island area, where other fishing, however, is very profitable.

Let us hold a meeting right away, where this matter will be thought out thoroughly and a committee can be chosen to dig into it. Whenever the decision on Malcolm Island then chooses to come, it will not be in conflict with this matter