The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-10-05

TIE NOrth American Phalanx In New
Jersey Disbanded.
HISTORY OF IT'S RISE AND FALL.
AUCTION OF ALL ITS REAL ESTATE.
&C., &c., &c.

We have the dissolution of the last of the pha-
anxes. The domain of that known as the North Ame-
rican Phalanx situated in Monmouth county New Jer
sey disposed of Wednesday and Thursday by public
auction. few Of the members still remain the pre-
misses until they have made up their mind which way to
turn their faces the majority of them already dis
pefsed far and wide.
And so ends the last the best conducted and the most
promising of the attempts to practicable the ideas of So
cialisn this country or dozen of similar nsti
buttons established in various parts of the United States
within the last fifteen years. this the only which
exhibited marks of vtality-the rest gradually waned
and fckered out. And this too which was regard
ed the last stronghod-the citadel-o communism has
fallen not by the attacks of its enemies but by the in
hereot faacy of the principles which IL based
1t suits not here to go the history of the ncpen
and attempted realization Of the theories of Fourier
Owen Fanny Wright, Brisbane and other socialistic
writers and lecturers in this country II is enough to
say that efforts we're made fifteen years ago to
transplant the wild ideas Of socialists into community
and 70 reestabish society such bases as these vision
aries laid down. The doctrines took root however only
among few weak-headed or wrong headed anatcs-the
idealists Of the TiJe school-and confined almost
exclusively to such persons Experiments in
some ten twelve different places to institute commu-
nistc establishments but of them survived one
years probation with the exception of that Of Brook
Farm in Massachusetts, the Ceres,o Union Wisconsin,
and the North American Phalanx in New Jersey; and
these too only destined TO last for time, to
prove concusvey that the sociatc principles
which they based at variance with the eternal
principles of our nature.
The North American Phaanx of New Jersey was estab
iished in 1s43 1t incorporated an association
the 18th Of August of that year. its capital stock being
limited to $500 000 divided into shares of 80 each To
commence business there capital subscribed of $685.,
070 and the whole of stock issued up to Janua
ry, 1854, was 81, 100.
The objects of the association described in its char
ter to be to promote joint stock property cooperative
labor association Of families equitable distribution of
property mutual guarantees honors according useful
ness, integral education and unity Of interests To at
tain these objects association formed and
tate of 6sO purchased in Monmouth coun
ty New Jersey distant in straight line from the city of
New York some twenty Eve miles For this property
there was paid the of SIS, 000 The land poor
and barren in the EXTREMIST degree and nothing but
constant application of labor and fertilizers could make
it at all productive. The community being at first but
small consisting Of not more than sixty persons,
including women and children there sensible def
cheney in the number of field hands but there was no
lack of ferzng applications, mari of fine quality
being found the farm in nexhausbe quantities The
community struggled compa poverty for some
years until the land began at length to requite their In
Dor somewhat And then instead of economizing their
profits which is said to have averaged between 5000
and Sc 900 year, they commenced to erect buildings
and to make mprovements-no doubt necessary to en-
nance the productveness Of the estate-whch have
eventually swallowed up not only these profits but the
large amount of stock subsequently issued besides
failing them debt OF some $50 900 It iquidate
his debt and because it became evident that tine expert
ment failure that the society at length determined
Of its nj 1;s,
the or ganization.
There were two distinct though not opposite sets of
Interests represented in the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, namely
Of the large shareholders-ew of whom were &C.
tuai members Of the communty-and those of the actual
Acale The interests of the former confded to
President and Board of Directors elected in the usual
manner and those of the latter to chief and council
chosen in peculiar way. The members classified
into groups and SERIES Several groups constituted
ries and the several series constituted the whole com
nunty For instance in the agricultural series there
would be comprised market group, laboring group
herdng group, &c Each of these groups elected its
own head these heads elected the heads of series
these latter in turn elected the chief happens that at
the present time the ceshp of the community and the
presidency OF the financial corporation are in the
hands-those of Mr.. Chas. Sears.
The system Of remuneration carried thus: At
the commencement Of year there a regular est
mate formed of the expenditures and receipts per cent
age Of say Az per allotted the estimated
profits to capital and the allotment to labor based
80 cents per day or cents per hour Ii the profits
fell below the estimate, these figures redu led pro
priated to the fund for mpovements. All of labor
were almost absolutely equazed The sewing girl or
waiter got for her work within tre of much the
farm servant got for his and he in turn received within
a few cents per day Of that which the Of skill and
experience received foI HIS As might be expected the
wrong of this ndis elimination after the novelty of
the thing off became evident to all, aud
produced great deal OF dissatisfaction The community
which at periods numbered some leo persons chief
H from the New England States gradually diminished in
number and at its dissolution did not count than
1t did at It's organization But to alter this system Of
unifor nifty Of remuneration would be TO repudae the
very soul Of the principle on which the theory Of COM
munion rests.
Strict accounts kept in hours of the labor per
formed by EACH and his or her earnings offset by
the charges for board and lodging which averaged about
$40 monthly. At first there was common tdle d'hofe
where each helped himself 10 what he chose, and |
where the person having the largest or most fastdous
appetite consumed undue share Of the feast II be-
came evident too that this was unfair and the sys
tenn wss changed for resembling that of
restaurants where each pays for what he To
ne Sure this entaled complication in accounts but 1t
was palpaby fairer and more equitable plan.
Another matter which produced conflict of opinion
among the community, the provision for families.
The idea thu o. shns % ss
rates OF all sorts OF labor equazed and where that
remuneration is low only to be adequate to the
support Of single person 1t is evident that the only
way get the difficulty in regard to families is to
make them common charge. But the bachelor and
maiden classes Of the establishment decidedly objected
10 any such arrangement, and the head Of the family
was responsible for it's support. The consequence was
that the OF experience-he who in the world might
pendent poston-found himself in this society inmea
surably beneath the condition OF a. common laborer
who had no charge to maintain. He could not
possibly earn more than five OF six dollars
per week and on this he had to rent larger apartments
aud pay for the board Of say from three TO four pers
Could any palpable proof Of the utter iaacy OF
sociaise doctrines be adduced than thisf The mem
bers of the phaanx recognized the greatness OF this OBJ
sace but could not remedy IT, Another serious cause
of complaint that they were constantly victmized
by sick and nhrm members, who were common charge
And now after twelve years OF labor and misdirected
energies these themselves forced anew upon
the world at time Of life and under circumstances,
when they are least able 10 make their way.
II you ask themselves the their dissolution,
they will not attribute II TO fundamental error in the
principles which the institution based for though
they acknowledge tho existence Of the obstacles
citation which We have named they do not deem them in
surnountabe They win tell you, perhaps that their
numbers were large enough for prosperous and happy
association-that fthey were more numerous and
in apod financial condition there would have been more
sociA harmony and liberaty OF action amongst
them. But they win also tell you that the immediate
use was the casualty which befe them last fall in the
burning OF their grain mill on which they had made