The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-24
SUCCESSFUL SOCIALISM.
A Peculiar and Prosperous Community
That Has Stood tho Test of Time.

"A Peculiar and Prosperous Community
That Has Stood tho Test of Time.
Nostsccialistic experiments i'm this conn
try have fallen fiat, but there are few re
markable exceptions. One Of these is sit
uated in Iowa county, Ia, and is called
the Amana society, or Community Of True
Inspiration. This socialistic society has
stood the test of time, for it is very nearly
as old as the state of Iowa-indeed it
traces its early beginning back to the Ger
man Pietists Of the seventeenth century.
But In this country, and In Iowa, it was
Incorporated In 1850.
This society Is q shining example. 1t
has succeeded. 1t numbers now about
1,700 souls, and they are all healthy and
happy and fast growing rich. They own
some 25,000 acres of land, all cultivated
up to the highest notch and well supplied
with live stock, and they have mills and
manufactures of almost every description.
They carry on these many enterprises with
the energy and skill Of people who be-
lieve that all must work. Not even the
old are exempt from the universal law.
You may visit Amana society any day cx-
cept Sunday, and you will find everybody
at work, one equal 20 the other, men and
women, some In the fields or vineyards,
some in the factories and n large contin-
gent-most Of these women, as IL happens
i'm the large cooperative kitchens, where
the meals are served. They arc "brothers"
and sisters" together, IA they say. They
all eat the same food, weor the same blue
jeans or blue calico, live in houses equally
free from paint, and when they die each
one is given the same kind of wooden
slab TO mark his resting place. A few do
indeed possess their own families. hut
even this is discouraged, and n life of cell
bacy held up instead os the highest ideal.
They are simple, plain folk, but they
are always apparently contented and hap
py. A visitor will be surprised to find so
large n proportion of old people among
them, for very few die in youth or middle
age, and few arc ever sick. There are no
cases Of nervous prostration here, aud in
sanity and suicide are unknown. Nor has
any member of tho community ever filed
q felon's cell.
This appears like beautiful illustra-
ton Of the good things attendant upon
socialism and NJ. Zola's panacea OF sin
ccssant work" and IL seems too bad for
the sake Of the theory that tho Amanites
do not base their success upon these prin-
ciples. They claim rather TINT socialism
and "incessant work't are only the means
by which they attain higher good. This
higher good is freedom In observing their
own religion.
This religion Of theirs, however. IL 20
pure and beautiful that one readily sees IL
IA potent factor Of their success. Like
their lives, IL Is without embellishment OF
show. IL teaches them 20 speak tile truth,
60 do no murder, not oven in war, 20 love
one another and To listen often for the
"inward voice" Of revelation. Thus they
live, like the patriarchs Of old, "a pecul-
lar people, not for the sake OF experiment,
but because they desire 80 90 do. and With
all their popularity they find themselves
happy and prosperous.-St. Louis Repub-
ha