The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-02
New York, Oct. o.

-NcN io'h oS's -
No more unpromising soil for the
termination Of such schemes OF social
regeneration rs are occasionally bruited
In the West could reasonably be looked
for anywhere than in the metropolis.
Ihe isolation OF the monastery and the
narrow horizon of the socialistic com
munity seem equally repugnant to the
genious of its civil life. And yet there
is that in its conditions and traditions
which is touched responsively by the
rumors of &C Cooperative Utopias and sec
tarianArcadias forming or experimenting
In the unsettled regions of the arid belt
and tho mountainous districts of the
southern Alleghanes. The doctrines
of practical communism are sometimes
exnounded on the lower East side, aud
half a century ago more than one colony
OF enthusiasts was sent out from this
Sity.
The most active and effective propa.
gsnda of & socialistic idea that was ever
put in motion on tnis continent was in
augurated here by Horace Greeley in
slreading the teachings of Fourier To
that movement nearly forty separate
communities owed their birth. The
founder of the most persistent set of
American societies. Anne Leo, called
"Aure tho Word" lived for two years in
Pearl street, whence she went forth TO
establish the first villages OF tho Shakers
along tn. upper roscLes OF the Hudson.
Not once. hut several times tle pious
ad.erents OF her eccentric creed have sent
provisions TO the roor of the metropolis
n seasons OF public distress. The most
audaclous OF all successful colonies. the
Oneida Community, has thrse Offices in
this city, where the prouducts OF is
members find their way into tho markets.
And tho development of tho cosmopolitan
character of the several populations on
Manhattan Island has been accompanied
ty an underlined but tangible return to
M earlier form of living whereby each
people, many occupations and to degree
each religion find domicilo in distinct
district that tecomes colony or quar-
ter. :"
SFPARATIST FAILURES.
Tho renewal of projects of social rogen-
GRAFTON and reli gions purifluation through
isolation of environment "ad co-opera i've
effort comes, however, but tardny upon
the field OF human ondeavJr. Ii surveys
q plain on which the skirmishera of So
oety and rel gitn left their faint trail
generations ago. and over which the plow
# civilization has now drawn its ondur-
ing fuIrow. The territory OF the United
States is a graveyard of so iaiistic exper-
iments For more than hundred years
communities wero led out of kCrol o to re-
construct rev paradise on tho untried
soil of America A dozen countries of
the old world have sent out their col
onies consecrated TO nm idea first from the
British Isles and the Baltic Sea. thon
from France and Russia and now from
tho lower slopes of the Alps. Save this
latter emigration. which ia directed
toward the mountains OF Tennessee and
North Carolina the movement of social
enthusiasts bither has ceased. .,-Occa.
sionally "A colony IL planned in Mexico or
In south America. but the domain Of ex.
rerimont In society has shifted finally TO
the new continent OF Australia. where
villages which excmplify an idea have
thriven and decayod in the Bush. In the
United states nearly nil have disappeared
or are In decay.
The instinct to institute peaceful re-
volt against tho conventions Of society
and leading off a boscn pooople int) the
wilde-Ecss. there To 'remold them
nearer 20 the hearts desire" is n familiar
one In that instinct the New England
colonies found their origin. and two cen.
tu les later tho Brook Fam the most
iiyiic 81 cial experiment OF n odern timer,
nd its propulsivo force. But the lessons
o time have pronounced almost uni
formly against theso experiments
a brief career has teen allotted TO most
of them. aud the societies that survive In
various arts Of the country have MT in