[Editor: An article from the newsletter of the Cosme colony (of Australian socialists) in Paraguay. Published in Cosme Monthly, June 1895.]
Hardships:
We make no secret whatever of the fact that we have many hardships to endure, and that we are working in the face of many difficulties. Things are gradually improving with us, but everybody who comes realizes that vegetarianism isn’t pleasant, and that to work on a sweet potato breakfast is not the easiest thing in the world. We have to count every penny we spend, and to deny ourselves many of the things generally regarded as the necessaries of life. We have to see our own womenfolk deprived of well nigh every comfort, and to realise their uncomplaining heroism without being able to help them. And we who are married have to see also the patient endurance of strong and healthy unmarried men, mostly in the prime of life, who are living sober, manly honest, self sacrificing lives that might well make sworn celibates blush in self-conscious shame. But no matter what our own hardships may be, or what our self denial may be, we personally want neither help nor pity from anybody.
We pity those who prefer slavery to a brave try for freedom, and who cannot see that without faith all effort must fail.
And we want to help those who think as we do, and who are less able than we are to help themselves. Of course if there are any who want to help in building up Cosme, that is a different matter.
Source:
Cosme Monthly (Cosme, Paraguay), June 1895, page 4
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