The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-13
invariably the WaX-


A story with a moral to It is printed
by the Paterson, N. j., Press. 1t con-
Germs the effort and the failure Of a
group of socialists to plant cooper
ative colony on a farm near Paterson.
Their object was to abolish extremes
of poverty and wealth The farm was
leased for three years. 1t was d fertile
farm admirably situated. 1t was pro-
posed that those members of the So
ciety who desired to do so, could live
in the COmmunistic state. They were
to work the farm and have all the prod
ucts so into a common storehouse, and
If any were sold to those outside the
society, the money was to go into a
general fund. When the members de-
sired any of the products of the farm
they were to go to the storehouse and
draw on its stores to the extent of the
labor they had performed. It was also
intended to buy the farm IN the event
of the experiment proving successful,
and grant each member an acre of land
upon which to build home. The house
IL
and in case h did not want to live in
it, he could ent or sell it. but the land
was to bu owned in common. There
were various other details radically diff
ferent from the usual social and busi-
ness methods In fact the object was
to make the colony an ideal commun-
istic community.
According to the Paterson paDer all
these alluring ideas got tangled up
when it came TO trying to put them into
operation. "All hands" we are told,
'wanted to be the head and front of the
concern, and the Industrious members
found fault with others inclined to
shirk their work, After the farm was
leased last fall, twelve members settled
down on the place and lived there, sub
sisting ugon what little means they
had and the small subscriptions that
We're paid into the fund by ether MEM
bers and friends of the scheme. There
were French and Germans On the place.
and they did not get along well To-
gether there being constant disputes as
to the way the place should be run.
and who was in authority. No work
was done during the winter, the mem
bers just loaiing about the place doing
nothing but dawdling their time away.
With the advent of spring weather they
began TO drop away the German mem
bers leaving first; then the French
members began to disappear, until day
before yesterday the remaining family
harnessed un an old horse that had
been, given to them by Mrs. Ward, the
owner ,of the, farm, loaded what little
effects they had on the wagon and
drove away. This heglra has wound
up the experiment for the present, and
the house is'closed."
In other words, "instead of an Utopla,
with'happy people enjoying an ideal ex-
istence; with no cares as to money
matters and the various other little de-
tails Of life that go to worry the av-
erage citizen, the Ward farm presents
desolate and damaged appearance
When. II was proposed that each mem
ber-pa 5000 for a share in the owner
ship of the farm when it was bought
and thatsin return for this he would
be'ailowed 90 draw So worth of produce
month from the general storehouse
there was general howl, it being
claimed that this would be Capitals
tic; the members wanted the privilege
OF 'going TO the storehouse and getting
what they wanted without pay; tha,
was trup rom r,nt,piop, Tnstaod - ~,
erything being lovely. there was a con,
staft jangle going on all the time"
We don't know that II is worth Will,
to ,Attempt ITO draw any deductions
-Fliaff taftss t'.