Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-14
A CELESTIAL CEMENT
Is Necessary, Say Economics, to
Make a Socialistic House.
NO MEAL TICKETS OR CHECKS
Issued to Members, but All Who Can Work,
Must, or Be Cast Out.
PARALLEL WITH BELLAMYS DAY DREAM

clad mansion In Economy. Yet anV fltts-
burger who reads Bellamy's Looking
Backward" involuntarily asks himself the
question, "Is it possible the famous author
could have stolen some ideas from the
Beaver county Economics for his marvel
GUS day dream?" The book is all the rage
now. 1t describes the sensations of Bos-
ton man who is supposed to lie in a trance
from 1887 to 1000 A. D., and is generally
accepted as unique in the plan proposed for
the distribution of the worlds wealth among
all, requiring each to do his best for the
public veal and giving the hedger and
ditcher equal rank, if he does the best he
can, with great genius. Most Pittsburgers
would tell Bellamy that there is really no
difference between the methods OF the Econo-
mites and that pictured in the ideal republic
of A. d. 1000, except that each proposes to
reach the same goal impelled by different
motives-one celestial and the other terres-
tial.
WHAT THEY THINK OF IT.
To ascertain what the Economics them
selves thought about it DISPATCH re-
porter went down to their village yesterday,
where the odd $50 families working for the
old members live in true communistic style.
Mr.. Bellamy draws a picture of state of
society where. after the world has become
disgusted with selfshness and tyranny, the
ideaI state is produced by the various agen-
cies that now oppress and enslave the masses
for the benefit of the few, monopolies, trade
combines, labor combines, etc., making the
evil .ure itself like an eruptive disease, by
giving it free vent. The authors argument
in favor OF equal pay for all kinds of
LII Sc do ~ I'd ho for
drawing burden ten times that of a goat,
but whip him if he does not Each is ex-
pected to do all he can, and if the duty is
honestly performed they are entitled to
equal credit. The idea sought to be con-
veyed is that in the parable of the man who
hired people to work in his vineyard, or
something approaching it. The reward Of
merit is to be sought in the higher grade of
employment furnished to competency and
honor the preferment. Where want is un-
known and ambition can be satisfied with
out putting the burden thereof on toilers and
in a society where il is not necessary to
"tread through slaughter to a throne" to
win the applause of an unthinking multi
tude, of course motives that at present
impel will have no force. Were there
NEITHER GLORY NOR HONOR
In prize fighting there would be no prize
men to risk life in the defense Of their cour-
try would impel them to labor ior the COM
mon veal in the coal mine or elsewhere
were all useful employment equally hon.
ored.
The author, supposing he lives in the
year 1000, he tells how all citizens are
armed at the beginning of each year with
credit cards, similar to meal tickets now
given by some restaurant keepers, and as
they receive groceries and drygoods at the
one common storehouse for all communistic
Boston, a number on the card, representing
value, is punched out. They then have no
such thing as money. All employees being
part owners of the industries are paid in sup
plies from this common storehouse.
The material portions OF Mr.. Bellamy's
plan were read to Messrs. Ernest Wolfie
and Jonathan LEM, prominent members of
the society, and they were asked how it cor
responded with theirs, which has certainly
been a financial success, though the mem
bership has nearly died out. They shook
their heads incredulously, and said the ideal
republic could not be made work.
NO CREDIT SYSTEM.
Said Mr.. Wolfie: eve have no credit
system in our dealings with each other.
Each gets what is necessary for his comfort,
SO much cider, sugar, food generally and
clothing, but no allowances are made for
superfuities or recreation of any
kind not enjoyed by all. We give
to each according to his neces-
tiles and regard each other as equal men,
bers of a family. Those who work hard get
more than those who do not, as the necessi-
ties of the former are greater than those of
the latter. We have had trouble with
shirks. We have had men who did not try
to do their duty, and we have ALWAYS some
VINO iasist on working harder than they
should, so hard that they are unable to
properly attend to their spiritual wants.
Some work so hard that they are unfit for
spiritual meditation and improvement,
work SO hard that they cannot sleep with
comfort. While they are good members, we
had rather they did less for material and
more for spiritual benefit. There are no
tasks set. We expect persons conscience
to be his monitor and keep him up to his
duty. When man shews that there is no
possibility of inducing him eventually to
do his duty, we expel him. There is no
doubt that the world could be
RULED BY OUR SYSTEM
as comfortable as is Economy, but not
under any system not based on Christianity.
We expect Christ to come at any time, and
our endeavor is to prepare for His coming
and to prepare the world therefor, as far as
OuT doll1Iy e1Ienus. 10ere is no IunQ Tor
anyone to use for travel or pleasure in our
treasury, though we pay the way Of anyone
who may travel for the benefit of the
society. We find means in abundance to
subsist all, whether they work or not, but
they must work If they are able. We are
simply a family, and each is concerned for
the welfare of the remainder.
Mr.. Jonathan LEM held the same views.
and said no society proposed by the author
above quoted could succeed. He holds that
celestial cement, not terrestrial, is necessary
TO hold humanity together for its good. He
thinks man is naturally too selfish to spend
himself for his fellows unless guided by
counsel from on high.
There was third gentleman pointed out
by an emploYe of the society as good man
to talk to, but he seemed to think the theme
Improbable, considered in a material as
pect He, too, held that all socialistic
schemes, based merely on temporal profit,
were abortive. This gentleman's conversa-
tion was interesting, but he would not tell
his name, and rather intimated that he
thought the reporter prompted more by idle
curiosity than from better motives Said
he: "Our knowledge of each other is too
incomplete to allow me to discuss the sub
ject with you or give you my name"
PIATT'S Chiorides as disinfectant is rao