The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-07-09
EACH LIVES FOR ALL.
TENNESSEE'S COOPERATIVE CoMMu-
NIFTY REoRGANlZED.
Little socialistic City Was Slow Paced.
Editor wsyisnd Was the Jonah Who
Had to BE Thrown overboard-Now
coIonists Hope For Better Things.


In the cooperative town OF Ruskin
Tenn. there are few dyed In the wool
socialists left who have determined not e
give up the ship. and. though their prog
ress toward the ideal city has been at d
snail's pace, their determination shows a
remarkable zeal. which in some respects i:
worthy Of admiration.
That only thorough socialists can re
main IN the society was shown by the de
posal of Robert Wayland, the lndianian,
who founded the colony Wayland did not
at ali suit those who invested in the stock
of the association He was too shrewd, II
Is said and was not inclined 20 practice
what ne preached He as charged with ef'
forts 40 self ACKNOWLEDGMENT az the expense
Of his fellow reformers, an action that is
diametrically opposed to tho principles OF
socialism Wayland was a newspaper man
and trenchant writer.
When the colony was first organized, his
Office in the community was TO edit and
manage the newspaper, The Coming Ma
ton. besides being "high cockalorum" in
general. His scheme for the promotion OF
the town was visionary in the extreme,
and the collapse that was inevitable from
an attempt TO conduct the town on such a
plan soon came.
II was then decided TO have a change,
and an organization TO practice social
ism" on a more practical basis was form
ed. Wayland was president Of the society
and retained the editorship of the paper.
His associates discovered that be expected
extraordinary rights on the ground that
he had founded the colony and had brought
his printing presses from Indiana. Way
land claimed that he should have the lion
share of the profits of the paper. He was
willing that there should be cooperation
in everything else, but claimed that what
the paper made was his.
The other socialists did not agree with
him at all. They insisted that everything
should be i'm common if they were TO be up
TO date socialists. AS the paper was about
the only thing in the town that was flour
ishing this probably lent emphasis 10 their
view and demand upon Wayland. The
printers, who We're setting type for Way
land for almost nothing, and others who
were working for him on socialistic wages
were especially insistent THAT he should
divide the profits. Wayland was firm,
however, and as a result he was deposed.
He shook the dust of Ruskin from his
feet, and soon after his departure the Rus
kin Cooperative association was formed.
There are about 100 persons there who
claim 10 be socialists of the practical sort.
Their doctrine is that land and capital be-
long 20 all men, and that every son and
daughter of man is creditor to society for
equal opportunity to live and grow and
debtor of society TO improve the opportu.
nifty and render an equivalent service.
The object of the association is "to own
and operate manufactures, acquire land,
70 build homes for its members, 10 provide
educational and recreative facilities and to
maintain harmonious social relations" A
share of stock costs $500. A member can
only hold one share, which is nontransfer-
able, except TO the association. The asso-
citation is governed by a president and
board of 10 directors. The board meets ev.
cry Wednesday, and on the following morn.
ing a report of the proceedings is posted IN
the presidents Office If 25 per cent of the
stockholders object TO any of the transac-
tions, they may demand by petition that
referendum vote of all the stockholders be
taken concerning the matter. The board
sells and buys goods-in fact transacts all
the business Of the commonwealth.
Besides the printing shop the town has
suspender factory and has laid the corner
stone for college building.-New York
Herald