The herald., 1896-01-30

In view OF the fact that the entire city of Los
| Angeles seems topsy-turvy regarding the wonder
| full work being done here by Il Shaker doctor, and
| thinking many readers might like short
/ sketch regarding who and what the Shakers are a
reporter of The Herald CALLED on Shaker DR.. at
the Natick House, and ON making his wants
| known, was given pleasant reception. We found
the doctor to be a hghly-edncated, courteous gen.
| tleman, and well informed on the general topics of
! the day, and kindly consented to submit TO an in
| terview which sure will prove Of as much
interest to readers as it was to the reporter.
| In answer to the question, "Who and what are
| the Shakers and in what do they differ from
Quakers of William Penns time?'' he said:
"The Shakers are seceders of the ouakers
and differ from them in many particulars The
Shakers are communists in The strictest accepta-
tion of this term, but must not be confounded with
anarchists, communism means to protect every
member of the community, while anarchsm
means to tear down the present state OF society.
Communism protects the most humble in health,
sickness, and burial of the dead. The property is
all held in common; man owns a dollar indi
first law, and our laws all unwrtten, is to give
your heart to God and your hands to labor-every
man, woman and child is placed in their proper
sphere according to their talents Some upon
farms, some on dariess and some in our workshops.
While the world has witnessed the rise, decline,
and fall of numerous organizations which have
proved failures, the Shakers of today stand
monument of the first fruits of communism"
doctor, what is the factor of their success?"
'In the first place our belief is following in the
footsteps of the Master we worship the same
God as the Hebrew and the same Saviour as the
Christian. AS Christ is our patron of all virtues.
among which is celibacy or not marrying"
"Do understand you to say the Shakers do not
marry"
"They do not marry. Neither they given in
marriage and will give you my honor there is no
free love practiced among them"
doctor, you surprise mel How do you main
tain your numerical strength?"
"We take children of worthy parents and edu-
cate them in our peculiar belief.'
"Whal stress do you lay celibacy or why do
you practice it?'
"They can lead a more quiet peaceful life as
celibates-"
"In what way?"
| "In this way. There are many passions aroused
| in matrimony, which dormant in celibacy,
among which avarlce, selfshness and jealousy.
In regard to avarce the Shakers believe there are
no pockets in shrouds. In selfshness, it has
place among us, as everything is equal foot
ing. We not Jealous, but proud when sis
ter or brother shows superiority to another"
other?"
"The relation as existed in your family
until you left your home. The positions of broth
ers and sisters. While you severed your relations
when you left home, we continue as long as life
lasts, with the relation of brother and sister"
"Can and women maintain their superior
ity to old age by living the life of a celihate?'
.sWere permitted, would refer with pride to
the number OF prominent men of America who
were raised Shaker and remained Shaker until
death. I might mention Samuel j. Tilden who
was raised a Shaker and buried as Shaker in
Shaker burial grounds. One of the judges on the
supreme bench today raised a Shaker and is
still Shaker One of the most prominent and
leading men of California was raised Shaker and
is still Shaker. Asa Gray, the botanist, was
raised a Shaker and died one.''
"Do you believe in education?"
"Yes, we believe in education moral, physical,
mental and musical Our system Of physical edu-
cation consists in regular habits, eating, drinking
ETC., and enables us TO show the greatest longevity
of any people on earth, as we have numbers who
have attained the age OF eighty, ninety and a hun
dred."
sWhat do the Shakers manufacture?n
"Brooms Jeans, satinets, Shaker fiannels pre-
cines."
''Why do you claim superiority 70 medcines?"
awe have taken the medical plants that are
rare from all parts of the earth and in botan-
ical garden by cultivation and acclimation have
brought them to the greatest perfection"
"What are the politics and who is the Shakers
favorite candidate for PRESIDENT"
1.-THE Shakers combatants, believing
that if you take their coat to give them your
jacket also. They are nonresistant opposed to
wars never fighting the battles of any flag under
which their loI may be cast as community. AS
| individuals, we furnished the Union army gen.
| erals who made their mark. We believe as Shak-.
| ers in living in peace with all mankind. We pay
our taxes; never vote Here is direct case of
| taxation without representation, and today the
| Shakers worth fifteen million dollars.n
"what do you think of the city of Los Angeles?"
| ~ have found its citizens warm hearted cour-
toous, and hospitabe people, and well represented
from all over the world by mine host. D. II Hart,
of the Natick House, that stands second 10 none az
| a homelike caravansary in Los Angeles, as he and
| his worthy assistants have Just what a travelling
man needs Just where he can find it, to make life
| pleasant and agreeable under his hospitabe roof
| Ye scribe not wishing to trespass further upon
the time of the worthy doctor, Withdrew with
many regrets, with many thoughts new to him.
and many thanks for the interview-Los Angeles
| Herald. ni.1,