The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1897-08-11
THE RJSKIN COLONY.

THE RUsKIN COLONY.
Last week we concluded long arti-
Gle from the Chicago Times Herald, de-
scrtrtive of the socialisric or co opera
tive colony at Ruskin, Tenn. 1t gave
very interesting account of an eff
fort to improve the present conditions OF
the world. which we felt sure our read
ers would be glad to see. We have the
most profound sympathy with that ex-
pertinent, and the noble and heroic lnen
who are conducting it, in the face of
the greatest obstacles and difficulties
At the same time we do not wish it
understood that we would advise our
readers to sell out their homes and
cast their lot with the colonists. If they
do anything of the kind they must do
it en- their own responsibility.
The difficulty in all such matters is
the obtaining of harmonious action
among multitude. Under our present
individualistic system every man, in his
own home, is king Of his own empire.
however humble it may be- He is re-
sponsible to no one bat h,mself-if his
Judgment Is bad he must suffer for it.
But Imagine farm CONDUCTED by hun
dred persons and their wives; no one
of whom has decdi1g voice as against
the rest 1t would require the greatest
| moderation and wisdom and forbearance
(Which all men AMI women do not have)
if the common home did not become a
bedlum; and in a little while a veri-
table Hades on earth
The divorce courts teach us that even
partnership CT two persons, drawn
together by the overriding sexual in
stinct, and beautified by all the attrac-
lions of the Senses cannot always long
! endure. Indeed, 1T many times ends in
violence and even murder. And if love
! cannot hold two persons together, in
the close intimacy of married life, how
can mere theories or desire of the gen
eral good, hold two hundred or two
thousand together in an almost equally
close relationship, If all the members
! of such colony were wise and good
it would be possible; but we know that,
as Carlyle said ofhthe English people,
the human family are mostly FOOLS
And if they be- not fools by the original
construction OF their minds they may
become such under the operation of
[ their passions, their prejudices, their
self-interests, their vanities, etc. And
| one fool will inoculate dozen with his
| own folly; it is as catching as small
pox; and no Jenner has yet discovered
a vaccine matter that will head it off
And so it has always seemed 20 us
| that the remedy for the evils of society
| was not to be found in experimental
colonies, groups like Ruskin, but in such
use of the powers Of government
through the ballot box, as would secure
! a series of reforms, following one after
| the other, during a course Of years, and
thus beating down injustice and oppres-
| sion, and gradually establishing "a new
heaven on a new earth"
| liz DCS, VI 81 Wi Ii -il-INdl Sul
| walton is in our judgment, THE HOME
"a piece of land, be it big or little, on
| which the owner is master. which be-
! longs to the FAMILY IN PEkPETII
| TY, and upon which no sheriff Of con-
stable or creditor or taX-gatherer can
| set his foot. Give this, with just laws
| direct legislation and an adequate
| money supply, chained to no metallic
| commodity, and mankind would ex-
| pand and become glorious beyond the
dreams of the poets and sages; and the
whole earth eventually transformed
into one continuous "Ruskin colony"
| The Peoples party should make THE
| HOME the cornerstone Of it's whole
| structure. AS we gave homesteads, as
| long as the supply Of fertile public
| land lasted, to every applicant, so the
powers of government should be di-
rected to furnishing every Industrious
sober citizen with a home, by the con-
| estates of corporations and aliens, and
| their division among the people.
We cannot maintain a republic among
| nation of tenants. When we permit
| the yeOmanry to be stamped out we
must begin to build armories for the
standing armies that are to be-
Never was there greater need for a
Peoples party than there is today; and
any man who tells us that the whole
aim and end of such party should be
to open the minis to free silver, COM
mits crime against God and man.
| The whole great 'amphitheater of hui
man rights waits for the coming steps
of the true party of reform; and the
weeping and waiting millions of the
earth cease their lamentations to look
upward for its advancing banner.
q