The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-11
UTOPIA TO BE REALIZED.
Free1and the Name of This Central
American Republic


American Republic.
The third and final exploring expedition
OF the American Freeland association will
sail from New York ON March 16 for Central
America in search of some high, level tropi-
cal garden spot in which to plant the germ
model OF the nations of the earth The party
will be led by J. w. H. Emmert, Phi. D.,
young social economist, about twenty-five
years old, says the New York Herald.
The spot they will journey to is a certain
lair plateau in Central America, six or seven
thousand feet above sea level about a hundred
miles from the Atlantic coast, but with
convenient water path to the sea. This was
merely the choice made in Philadelphia by
hunting through atlas. If the plateau
should not have all the advantages that the
coNnists hope to find the exploring party
will travel up the gulf coast, and may hunt
through South Mexico.
Chairman Jacob Naschold of the American
society, who is Philadelphia architect will
not d1vulge the spot on which the colony
hopes to settle, because the concession of the
government in whose territory it lies is still
in negotiation. The party led by Emmert
Will go first to Carthagena, in the United
States OF Colombia where it will find reports
left with and forwarded to the American
consul by the two previous parties.
Inc hrst party went out in October and
the second party in December. Nothing has
been heard from them. The two detachments
together numbered six men, a DOCTOR me-
chanics, carpenters a gardener and two farm
ers. Whatever spot is chosen the society ex-
poets to send out an expedition of $50 or 200
American and European families by August
The society has today, its officers say.
membership of about 5000 persons ranging
from three to four in some places to fifty or
sixty in others. The larger membership is
In Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Philadel-
phia, New York, Boston Wheeling. w. Va,
and San Francisco. Chairman Naschold says
that there are twenty earnest "Freeland''
families in Philadelphia and twenty or thirty
in New York, all ready and anxious to start.
"Freeland" will be founded upon the teach
ings of DR.. Theodore Hertzke Of Vienna
The main idea Of the venture is cooperation
of individual rights and liberty. The laws
and rules will be as mild and simple as
possible. There will be no individual owner
ship of land. Farmers and workmen will own
the product OF their labor, and will buy and
sell among themselves in the coin of the
country in which they settle.
Cooking and housekeeping will be done
by the community; all work places will be
apart from the home section Homes will
be separate, and in the center Of plots 100
feet square.
Women may work for their living If they
want to, and will thus be saved the perni-
cious necessity of marrying for the sake
Of home and support. The community will
give them employment.
The department of education will be the first
and most important of the twelve portfolios
into which the control of the colony will be
divided. Education will diverge from the COM
mon line because its great object will be to
instill a respect for the rights OF others.
infringement on these rights will be pun
ished.
The Hertzka system does not favor prison
punishment, however. The board of control
Will award punishment for both direct in
fringement and for bad example, menacing
the welfare Of the community. The society
bases its hope of a higher civilization on
raising a people who are versed in econom-
les. and whose moral and ethical standard
will have the stamp Of true Christianity
practical Christianity, rather than the Christi
anity Of the churches" The "Freelanders''
ah1 haf fho
jectors expect to have little trouble
The community will not control labor or
its product, but will furnish funds for any
trade associations that may be formed. No
interest will be charged-interest taking will
be illegal. The board of control will look
out for monopoies or combinations, and either
There will be no employers and no proprietors,
and no chance for iders' profit.
There will be no luxury either. From
the standpoint of comforts the life of the
Freelanders will be better than that
of the working class here, but will not ap-
proach that Of the rich. There will be no
servants. Servants work will be done on
the cooperative plan, paid by the commu-
nifty.
The Freelanders will live for as much en-
Joyment as they can get out of life, and art
galleries. concerts clubs, theaters baths
gymnasiums and the best and highest forms
CT amrsoments will be arranged by the COM
mun1tl when everything is at last running
smoothly and prosperously. For the first five
VI
The society has sought spot where the
land yields all the year round, and they ex-
peet to get four crops a year in Central
America. HertZka said a man ought to work
all the year round, and that he was not made
for a country where there was a winter
Under such conditions it is believed that even
in int the first few years six hours work day
will be more than enough for prosperity.
Later on it may be reduced to three.
The community will supply money for
public needs or lend money for public i'm
hIIf mill vANh e.
churches. Every man may believe and wor-
ship as he pleases, but different sects must
build their own churches. Church and state
will have no connection.
There will be no attempt to euualize the
pay and labor of all men; the only effort
at equality will be the education system and
the cooperative departments. Wages will
nave to find their natural balance, and the
Freelanders emphasize natural"
The expenses for public needs will be
raised by income tax, there being no land
ownership. Thirty thirty-ive per cent
may be levied during the early stages of the
colony.
Many articles and supplies will always be
wanted from the outside world-machinery
etc. Mr.. Naschold objects to the word out
side" because Freeland is to be as important
and as well known place as the Freeland-
ers can make it. Their experiment is for
the good of humanity.
This very modified Utopia is nothing very
new. Hertzka planned to start a colony in
British East Africa several years ago. He
put most of the money into it. was aided by
large subscriptions from rich Europeans, and
was prom sed the moral support of the Brit
1sh government Twenty-four men, under the
leadership of DR.. Wilhelm. started in Febru-
airy. 1894, and proceeded to Kenia, one de-
gree south Of the equator. seven or eight
thousand feet above the sea- five or six
hundred miles inland.
But once landed they met with many
distractions. Great Britain strenuously op-
posing their settlement. The opposition was
so positive that the plan had to be given
up. and the Freelander movement suffered
a great blow