e Colony. This store, in its management and organization,
follows the co-operative Rochdale system, which has attained strength in
England and is growing in the United States. The store is incorporated
in the State of California as a co-operative corporation, and holds a
membership in the State Rochdale Wholesale Co. It has already extended
beyond the limits of the Colony and counts among its members others than
colonists. The colonists also take active interest in local affairs of
all kinds. In one colony, the rural mail carrier is a colonist, and the
school teacher the wife of a colonist. At Ft. Amity, a colonist is now
sheriff of the County for the second time.

Social and religious life is also fostered in the Colonies. A variety of
religious sects is represented, and no compulsion is exercised towards
any one of them. At Ft. Romie the Army has an organized corps, which
holds meetings once in the week and once on Sunday, also having a
Sunday school for the children. At Ft. Amity similar conditions prevail.
On both colonies a good moral influence is found and there are no evil
surroundings; hence in neither colony is there a local officer of the
law. In the contract which every colonist signs on taking his land there
is a temperance clause to this effect:

"And party of the second part hereby agrees to and with party of the
first part that, in consideration of the benefits derived from this
contract, he will not bargain, sell, barter or trade upon said land
any intoxicating liquors, or otherwise dispose of as beverages any
intoxicants, at any place upon said premises or any part thereof, or
permit the selling of the same, or any illegal traffic or any act or
acts prohibited by law."

The same clause goes on to provide for the return of the land to the
Army in case of its being violated.

From this brief description it is seen that much of the success of these
colonies must rest on the management. The manager must be large-hearted
and broad-minded. He must be supervisor, instructor, moderator,
counsellor and friend. The Army has been very fortunate in placing fit
men in these positions, and if in other things it had been equally
fortunate, its colonies would have made a better showing.

As regards the financial methods of the Army in dealing with the
colonists, the following extract from a memorandum of information issued
by the Ft. Romie Colony, California, gives typical information.