The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-09-03

hnu hfterwhruh h SIX mn WAS esthb- lished. Printing was introduced in 1864 and became n very large and prof itable business. book binding and cleo trotyping being also conducted. The printing business was abandoned in 1878, and a small business at spoon making was conducted for some time afterward. when, upon the dismember- ment at Oneida, the whole property was placed on the market.
 The Wailingford Community became very popular with the people of the town. who were disposed 10 let them regulate their domestic affairs as they thought best, but who were enthusias- tic in their praise of the honorable bus mess methods of the concern. Claims for damages by fiowage of the large pond of the concern were cheerfully paid without resort to litigation. some thing like twenty thousand dollars be- ing expended in this manner.
 Another cause for their popularity was the introduction of the Turkish bath and the marvellous effect 1t had in curing the fever and ague, which at one time threatened not only 10 break up the community. but to depopulate the entire region. For some years ma laria obtained such @ hold upon the Communists that they seriously thought of abandoning the locality even at a great pecuniary loss. With out any suspicion of It's favorable ef feet upon the cases of ague, the Turk ish bath was introduced into the com munity as a luxury, when It's wonder full efficacy in curing the worst cases of ague was discovered. The commu- nists had a peculiar medical system of their own. When a member fell sick from any cause they called the mem- bers around his bed and began to dis sertate upon the faults Of the afflicted, taking turns, and administering their linguistic therapeutics in allcpathic doses. By the time the brethren had finished their keen analysis of the character of the victim. precipitation broke out upon the patient and conva- lescence followed. But criticism failed entirely to work in fever and ague, and but for the timely discovery of the Turkish bath cure the Walling- ford Community would have been aben- doned long before 1t was.
 The benefits of the Turkish bath were extended to the townspeople by the community, a public bath being es- tablished, and the "shampooers" had their hands full in treating the crowds of people from all the country round who came shaking and dumb with ma laria In various forms, and went away raioioino O Ptar yl,p uipg g in this mol of Bethesda, and taking the prescribed rubbing and sweating incident thereto. The Turkish bath was godseni to the whole region, and the memory of the Wallingford Community will always he tenderly cherished in the hearts of many a relieved sufferer during those dark malarious days in the seventies.
 In diet flesh, narcotics and sttmu- lants were tabooed. Meals were eaten only twice a day. The men wore crdi- nary clothing, but the women were dressed with short skirts and trousers of the same material, There wn"e no set forms of religious worship or ordi- nances observed. and there was no re- gard for the Sabbath, only as they re- spected the opinions of others.
 The farm and factory of the commu- nifty were models of neatness and or der, and the interest and energy iis- played by the members for the general good were inspiring to all who came in contact with them.
 The one great blot upon the institu tion was the peculiar system of mar riage practiced, which, like many othe, horocioo hoSod tho Rth1a The argument with which their "com- plex" system was sustained, reduced to syllogism, was that the kingdom of heaven was to be established on this earth, according to the scriptures; and was so established in the year 70 when Jerusalem was destroyed. In the king dom of heaven the marriage relation, that is the exclusive possession of one woman by one man, was to be abol- ished; therefore being in the kingdom of heaven, the marriage relation was ignored by them.
 It is a remarkable circumstance that nearly every attempt at communism made in this country that has succeed ed has been conducted by some society that had peculiar views as to marriage. The Shakers and Harmonists are celi- bates, the Oneida Communists were free lovers. Duly one society, the Scar ians, a small French community, have successfully existed with ordinary mar riage. There seems to be something in the home life antagonistic to commu- nism which calls for a complete sacri- flee of self in order to admit of it's high est development.
 One fact concerning the Oneida Com munity, however a fact admitted on every hand, was that the eight or nine hundred members were better fed, bet ter clothed, better housed, better in formed, and in better health, than the same number of people in ordinary so- ciety. MILO LEON NORTON.