Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-26

Successful Colony Down in Jim Me-
ISenzie's DniiiwlcE.

hthgAth hliilhA'as
NJ. c. De Varigny, Frenchman,
gives an uncommonly interesting ac-
count of socialistic settlement in
Peru. nearly forty years in existance,
and said to be successful, at least in
material ways. 1t Is an extreme ex-
ample OF state socialism wherein the
tastes and rights OF individuals are
scattered to the community, and even
what are u ually supposed to be primal
humHn sentiments are disregarded.
Don jose Rodriguez, IA sociallstic PERU
Wan, obtained In 1858 from the govern
ment OF Peru a luige land grant on the
CJt1to river, and established there with
slXty-tlve others the colony of Buenos
Amigos. As he furnished most Of the
money for the experiment he became d.
rector and lawmaker
The colony now has 1000 members,
mostly Of Spanish races, but including
Germans, English and Americans. The
increase has been chiefly from births,
though recruits are received upon evil
dsncc of good character and the pay
ment of $500 each to the common treas
ury. Negroes ard Indians are exclu-
ded and religious proselytlsm is for
bidden Lands, tools and products are
the property Of the community. and ali
surplus products are sold abroad, the
proceeds going 10 the common treasury.
Ratiuns are distributed alike to all.
but whose viii pay for luXuries, wheth-
err OF food, clothing or household furnl-
ture, may ATTAIN them from the COM
mon store, The imperlshable portion
Of such things, however, remain COM
mon property even when in the hands
OF the individual.
The community Is divided into de-
partments, divisions and sections. Each
section chooses and may remove its
own head, and heads of sections nom
mate division directors, who In turn
choose department chiefs. These last
are removable only by majority vote
OF the community. They are, In effect,
minister Of works. education, trade and
health, those being the titles of the
departments, and collectively they con
stitute a tribunal dlscharging duties
elsewhere opufded to ministers of jus
tice and finance. The department of
works looks after agriculture. stock
raising, mining, manufactures, and all
public works. That Of education deals
with schools, music and the mechanic
arts; that Of trade with exports, and
the distribution OF products; that +
health with houses, hospitals and
young children.
An hours work is tho unit of the
financial system. and the monetary
table runs thus;
60 minutes one hour.
s hours one day.
days one week
2-5 weeks one month.
IL months one year.
State notes Of equal size but different
colors represent each OF these demons
nations. The hour is arbitrarily fixed
for the purpose OF outside trade a. a
value OF about 2s cents Minute notes.
worth about l-2 cent, are given in ex-
change for work done The time notes
are guaranteed by reserve bullion
exceeding the face value of the whole
issue. A member quitting the colony
may exchange hts not for Peruvian
money and In addition he will receive
his share OF the profits. Although the
tull working DAY Is eight hours, only
four hours and for only five DAYS a
week, are cNacted. From that no pdult
in snund health can escape. Any pew
son failing to work twenty hours in
the I'VE days that constitute the work
ln6 week must make up that tine ,u
saturday or Sunday. Under tue eve
or an oYerseer armed with a lenther
strap. II this enforced labor Is done in
a sloYenly fashion. the culpit Is beaten
with the strap. There Is no marriage
law, man and woman can live To-
gether in free union. and either innv
find another mate when tired of the
arrangement. a woman at the an
proach of childbirth goes to a hosnitnl
and stays there with her child until
II Is weaned. Then She leaves IL In
the hospital to the care of trained
nurses
From the hospital the child goes to
a public school, where It lives night
ana Gay until grown to the age when
work Is cNacted OF all. Then the new
member Of the working community is
set at whatever task his or her apti-
udee, as developed at school. seem to
point out as the proper one. The nay
Is the same for every kind Of labor.
PriNate houses at Bueuos Amigos are
plain, but airy, according to the New
york Sun. A large common building
Is handsomely built OF free stone and
marble taken from the communIty's
quarries. The streets are wen made
ana clean' ana an aqueduct to bring in
water from tho Cototo river is nearly
completed. An these public works arc
carried on by the labor OF s--l-.,,,,-
munity, under the direction OF the de-
paftments. When one department has
more Workmen than 1t needs they are
turned over TO such departments as are
shcrt Of hands. Thus everybody is ler,t
busy at least four hours a day. and as
nlueh longer as he will. with pay for
John Most would approve Of at least
s.S point IN this scheme OF living-the
marriage Arrangement Most. consIst-
e ey enough, considering his posses
Sous, usually refuses to indicate what
tort OF common wealth he eSpecls 10
&c established upon the ruins Of thinrs
- they are, but he has declared Tor
- " love and the care OF children by
s Az community. This gets rid az a
ult9eulty that advocates Of free love
etlaer present social conditions have
Mho shall be responsible for the chill
IN tae. may come Of these easily dis