The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-01
COMMUNITY OF RUSKIN
A SOCIALISTIC SETTLEMENT THAT
FLOURISHES IN TENNESSEE.
The Plan Originated with an Indiana
Editor, but He Withdrew Early
All Property Is in Common.
Springfield Republican.

Springfield Republican.
Socialistic communities continue to be
started Notwithstanding that so many
have failed. The idea seems too attractive
to be given up as illusory. Three years
ago there was nothing but state OF ma
ture" where the community of Ruskin now
is in Tennessee-a beautiful, grassy valley,
a rich soil and a clear, running stream
To-day, according to recent visitors, Rus
kin has 213 colcnists, men, women ana chill
dren, and their joint holdings of property
have expanded from almost nothing to
100000
The initial impulse was given by an In
diana editor who had socialism. as we say,
ION the brain" He called for volunteers
to found a socialistic city, and he selected
for his Utopia a desolate. God-forsaken
tract of ten thousand acres in Tennessee,
which slick Chicago land agent foisted
upon his impractical, unsophisticated ma
ture The Indiana EDITORS connection with
the scheme ended soon after the first irate
settlers reached the new Utopia; he mad
done his work of propaganda, and re-
treat to civilization and Indiana, where
bread and water were not prime luXuries
in life, marked the decline of his social
istic enthusiasm. But, as it happened, this
Hoosier dreamer had drawn to his support
a few men possessed not only of sociallsuc
principles, but of the stern qualities of the
pioneer. They resolved to stick, ana, not
disheartened by their failure to plant
colony on the original tract of chicago
land company acres they set out along the
banks of Yellow creek 10 ma new ana
more promising site for their community:
The valley where the colony now Is locatcd
was finally chosen, and the real work or
up-building began.
The results tell the story to date. The
colony has a hotel, a steam laundry,
blacksmith shop, shoe shop, bakery
tin shop a general merchandise store,
printing office a machine shop and cabi-
net rooms, a flour and corn mill, saw
mill. suspender factory, a drug store
photograph gallery, nurseries Tor chlldren,
a cotton gin q barber shop, a paint Shop,
a chewing gum factory, doctor notary
public, schools q kindergarten, professors
of music languages and the fine arts, and
it's own system of noney. A building Tor
a college has just been begun.
THE UNIT OF VALUE
The standard of value is not disc of
some metal, which may rise or fall in value
as compared with some other commodity
not used as money, but one hours labor.
And an hours labor by one person is al
ways worth much, can buy as much, as
any other persons hour, which is where
the equality comes in. All are obliged to
work, or they receive nothing in products,
but the bookkeeper's labor, or the music
teachers, or the association presidents, is
worth no more an hour than that of the
scrub woman in the laundry or the black
smith or the hostler. The money used con-
sistS of paper certificates, reading like this:
This certifes that the bearer has per-
formed ten hours labor for the Ruskin Co.
operative Association. This certificate is
redeemable in labor or the products of Ia
Dor in the keeping of the association, but
not in cash. And it is good only when pre-
scented by a member of said association,
"a hnf
families"
There are other certificates of various de-
nominations, for one hour, three hours,
five hours, etc. At the store the price lists
for members of the community read: