210 THE UTOPIAN COMMUNIST
entertainments to raise money for the pension fund. New locals
of the Arbeiterbund appeared in various parts of the country in
1852 and 1853. A report selected at random from the May 8, 1852,
issue of Die Republik der Arbeiter listed total receipts of $1,536
since the last issue of the paper. These contributions varied from
larger amounts, such as $175 from Cincinnati and $330 from New
York, to $1.00 from Madison, Wisconsin. In addition to such pay
ments, a number of individuals made deposits for membership in
whatever colonies might be established. The issue of September
11, 1852, reported $462 in deposits and $154 in dues collected by
the New York Gemeinde alone. Of this total, $577.50 was paid
into the central treasury. Cincinnati, at the same time, collected
$296.71 in deposits and $124 in monthly dues and turned over
$356.94 to the treasury. Figures for eight cities revealed contri
butions to the treasury of the Arbeiterbund ranging from $106
to $476.50.
The first annual report of the treasurer reported receipts com
prising deposits, dues, and loans, made either with or without in
terest, of $14,629.87 and total expenditures of somewhat over
$12,000. The figure for expenditures included more than $7,000
for the colony in Iowa and $2,000 for "propaganda." Under the
latter category were included $274.28 "for editorial services,"
$690.88 for typesetting and printing, $111.08 for the printing of
membership books and the new constitution, and $24.15 for print
ing a new kind of paper currency. Two months later, Weitling
estimated the membership at 500 and the capital stock at $17,000,
including the assets of the colony. Loans in varying amounts, be
ginning with $100 and totaling $6,000, had been made for ten-year
periods without interest by a number of members who thereby
automatically acquired the status of trustees of the Bund and its
property.
Weitling's personal membership book bore the number 1,025,
and he carried it with pride. He was even prouder of the many
workers' halls that were opened as the result of his movement, thus
providing social, intellectual, and cultural activity for his fellow