The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11

sons of color, may become members of the
Preliminary Society"
Unlike Mr.. Debs's society, here no money
was needed. Mr.. Owen furnished lands,
houses and factories and schools Of the
highest order All the members had to do
was to go to work in their respective
places, work six hours a day, draw rations
from the community store, eat and live
luxuriously listen to lectures from Owen
on New Views of Society," on modern
history, and bellies letters from his gifted
son, Robert Dale; lectures on chemistry by
Dr. David Dale; on ancient history by Miss
Jane Dale Owen; on botany by Richard
Owen Besides these, there were many
other gifted lecturers, but I must not go
into details.
This wonderful society, that was going
to turn things upside down, was mainly
made up of Americans, though it had some
distinguished foreigners. Ii attracted the
attention of distinguished travellers The
Duke of SaxeWeimar, nephew of George
III, paid the community visit as did the
Prince of Neuweid. These distinguished
travellers spent some time with the COM
munity.
Now, with all it's wonderful advantages
for study and amusements, Mr.. Owen went
on the principle that all work and no play
made Jack dull boy; so there was a ball
every week and private theatricals, with
beautiful theater in which to display
their talent; there were bands of music
etc. The community held together less
than two years. and the citizens dropped
back into the old familiar ways of the
world.
Then came a restless spirit and es-
tablished an individuality society" To
this individuality he attached a time store
where goods were bought and sold on time
The prime cost of goods had to be paid in
money but the labor Of waiting on custom
ers was paid in time, labor for labor" He
charged so cents an hour for his time and
allowed others % cents for theirs Elabo-
rate calculations had been made to de-
termine how much time was expended in
raising chicken, how much in raising a
pig, hog, cow or pound of beef. This So
ciety lasted just so long as the stock of
goods lasted, and then went to pieces.
There were other schemes tried at New
Harmony to remodel society. but thew
soon came to grief, and the beautiful lit
tie town, with its magnificent library build
ing and art gallery, the gift of DR.. and
Mrs. Murphy, members of the old com
munity, remains in conformity to old views
instead of new views of society. In the
hourishing times of Mr. VS. individual
ity system, an Englishman and his wife
arrived expecting to breathe new life. by
their eloquence, into the social system"
but they found it too dead to skin The
next best thing for them was to challenge
Mr.. w for a debate on the merits of
the two systems. Robert Dale owen was
appointed chairman. W made the
opening address, and tried 10 illustrate So
cialism by stating that two men rented
rooms in a building. One had a room ON
the lower story, the other a room immedi-
ately above on the second story. The man
below kept up such a noise in his effort to
learn the French horn that the man over
him could not sleep, so he demonstrated
but was told by the musical man that ne
rented the room and intended to do as he
pleased. Next night the man above filled
his room with water, which ran down on
the man below, who quickly ran up stairs
and found the man sitting on his bed fish
ing. To remonstrance the Englshman
replied that SO far from being the effects
Of Socialism, ii was acknowledgements
one prosecuting the other Further that
W had a society," he was president and
had his time store which was the place
of meeting. W jumped up and said If
was lie. 1t began to look like fight. a
motion was made TO adjourn and the room
was soon emptied and the debate brought
TO an abrupt end.