The New York herald., 1879-08-31
NO MORE COMPLEX MARRIAGES.
THE CONNECTICUT COMMUNITY ACCEPTS THE
NEW SYSTEM ADOPTED AT ONEIDA.


NEW SYSTEM ADOPTED AT ONEIDA.
wAILrNaFoRD, Conn.,. August 80. 1879.
Mr. woolworth. the representative head of the
branch of the Oneida Community. absent
when the HERALD representative called to-day
ut the Community Buildings. However. cour-
teous greeting was extended by Mr.. George N.
Miller. who by tho way, is vermonter and nephew
of Mr.. Noyes. head Of the Oneida Society Mr. Miller
engaged with his duties treasurer of the table
ware factory conducted by the Community. but
found leisure to walk up to the house, large
wooden building. OF modern style Of architecture.
Referring to the recent change at Oneida. Mr..
Miller remarked:-"I have just read the interview
in this mornings HERALD with Mr.. Kinds. OF the
Oneida Community. 1t is very straightforward and
fair and fully represents the views of the members
here at Wallingford. In fact, we closely
united in interests that there could be no diversity
OF views"
Oneida when the new order of things was decided
uponr
Certainly" RESPONDED Mr. Miller, "Mr. Kinsley
attended the meeting of the family at Oneida
the Goth inst. as our representative. He
voted for the change. and when he returned
here the following day we took vote among our
selves. The result was unanimous approval OF the
action, and this vote was communicated to Oneida" "
'what bearing upon the future Of the community
do you think this will haveY
"lt may possibly result in greater prosperity and
to that we have not thought much about the
future. see that the American Socialist, our COM
munity paper, prints the acceptance of the reform
by the Oneida Community, and in it is this signif
cant paragraph
The community viii look for tho sy%ps.hy and
case this change was ever mace
This has q significance in New York.
where the people living in the vicinity of
the community have for years been finding
fault with our system OF complex marriages.
Wo shall now see whether they give us credit for
aba our O a
of our communism which We have never regarded
as essential onc"
'The Wallingford society has been comparati vely
free from interference, believer
Every Free and We have been much pleased with
tain with outsiders here. 1t was more than could
naturally be expected from Connecticut people
among whom Puritancal ideas not yet eradicated
by any means Once in while small preacher in
some insignificant church has fired a broadside Mt
us, but 1t did us no harm One thing helps u.s.
There is Wallingford right there, only
half mile or so off. We see its people
daily. They know us; they have confidence in
us. and our relations are 50 intimate and friendly
that it would be impossible to raise storm against
us. Now the oneida family is four miles from the
town of Oneida, and hence il is all the more bug
bear because its people ana its premises are less
known Here at waliingford there never has been
any attempt ut bulldozing,
this changer
",rhe change as you term it, is that complex mar
riage is renounced aud members of one family may
marry live as ceibatos. Ii s optional with them
We are now ON the same ground regarding marriage
/
family only couple who were married
before they here. They can live together or
remain as colobates. Neither could marry CO.
habit with another without having a divorce. We
don't believe that there will be any rush for
marriage in community moro than there
would be In the outside world. Let me
say hero that there no sham about
this change. We 20 into 1t in all sincerity, not be-
cause we believe 1t essential but because we have
thought il advisable. SO far Wallingford IL
corncd there never was any necessity Tor change
but Oneida was prosecuted. and. OF course. we are
with them members OF u common family"
In what Light Is the change regarded by the
women of the Community !"
ait Is favorably accepted. may say that the plan
is quite new thing to us yet Individually we may
have thought of it, but II has not bocn subject of
general discussion among u.s..
'Other than in this single feature. then. there will
be changer
"As we understand IL, no. sIr. Noyes' circulsr
explains IT when IL says that. now we shall live
together in common household. eat at com
mon table, have a common childrcns department,
hold property and business in common. and
unite In our daily evening meetings and means OF
moral and spiritual Improvement This IL tho
essence of our communism. We expect TO get along
as pleasantly us ever with our neighbors. and to
have many new friends among those who may not
have approved heretofore our feature OF complex
marriages.