The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-17
BELLAMY,S IDEAS.
Present State of the Ruskin Co-opera-
tive Colony in Central Tennessee.

tive Colony in Central Tennessee.
Atlanta, Nov. 1.-THE Rusgin Co
operative colony now numbers about 220
persons who have associated themselves
together on the economic basis of life
pictured in Edward Belamy'S book,
Looking backward" Their purpose IS
TO place all men on a footing of abso-
luLe economic equality, making power
" and extreme wealth alike impossible
70 an Industrious person, however hum
pie or however great his abilities may
be. The colony has chosen for its home
15OO acres in a fertile little valley of
central Tennessee, six miles from the
nearest railroad. In spite of the defec-
ton OF ABOUT One-third of the entire
numDer VINO have at various times be-
4OhSeu TO II, from mere handful OF
members at the start the colony has in
Ihree years grown to its present size
Ihe people have come from every di-
rectlon, and represent several national
tiles, and as whole are highly intelli-
gent. They have started newspaper,
The Coming Nation, which is devoted
to the Bellamy theories, has already
reached paid circulation of 10000 cop
les, and has proved the financial main
stay of the colony
The rules governing the colony leave
unolSIuFDed the family relation, relig-
lous worship, and ordinary habits of
NE, and relate only to property and la
Dor. All real estate and all industrial
enterprises are the common property
OF all, subject to the general manage
ment OF an executive board elected
yearly by the vote of all shareholders.
Every head of a family, on admission to
the colony, contributes $500 to the COM
mon capital, which makes him a share
holder under the legal organization of
the colony and an equal owner with
every Other member of all property of
the colony Every able bodied person.
man or woman, is obliged to work, and
TO work at anything that may be as
signed by the executive board. Women
VINO have large families are, at the
discretion of the managers, exempt from |
work other than the care of their chill
dren, and sick persons enjoy undimin-
fshed rights during the period of dis
apllty. In the assignment of labor the |
members are put to work on the lines |
for which their training and ability |
promise the best results, but no differ |
ence in the value of one persons time |
from that of another is recognized, the |
theory being the absolute equality of |
value OF the labor of all persons. For |
example, the editor of the paper the !
physician, the teamster and the SHOW |
eIler OF sawdust in the mill, all work on |
equal terms.
Every family is provided at the COM !
mon expense with a dwelling house, |
food, rations, or a maintenance fee for |
medicines and fuel. Clothing and pin |
money purchases are obtainable at the |
colony store by the exchange of a GER
tlt1cate of performed labor Gan hours |
labor being the unit), which is handed |
out every week to those who earn it /
and also to those who have been too i'll !
to work. This certificate is the only |
me01um of exchange used within the |
colony money being an unnecessary ell
ement. The certificate price of articles |
at the colony store is so adjusted as to
deliver the goods without profit thus |
eHecting the remarkable situation of !
checks passing at greater purchasing
value than gold coin. The colony has a
successful sawmill and grist mill and is
building up a profitable industry in the
of suspenders. and also of
a health coffee made of wheat. Some
farming is DONE and there is an oppor-
tunity for more but there are few farm
ers among the colOniSts.
In its dealings with the outside world
the colony comes into contact with the
competitive system, and is obliged to be |
a close buyer and competing seller;
but within the colony the competitive !
system is eliminated as absolutely as in |
the world pictured in Bellamy'S book |
So long as one performs the assigned
labor there is no fear of getting out of
a job, and illness brings no terrors in
the way of loss of necessary comforts
or supplies.
The question suggests itself what
provision is made for the lazy man ?The
of Ruskin made the rule that
when a man is able to work and does
not work, he is charged upon the col
Onys books as a debtor for the number
of hours of labor that he has refused to
perform, which debt must be wiped out
by the full equivalent of work before
the issuance of any certificates of labor
The deficiency is charged up against
the S0OU payment maze at the time of
admission to the colony, and if the
debt becomes fully equivalent to the
$780, the membership fee is forfeited
and the delinquent is expelled from the
colony.
It is a community of busy workers. en-
by an unwaVering belief in
the practical working qualities of their
system. They have cheerful faces, and
in private many of them express their
satisfaction with the progress of the
colony, while in several days spent
among them not one was found by the
writer who regretted his connection
with the association. Thee are not yet
much ahead in resources, and are oblig-
ed to live in cheap cottages and on a
simple fare. But nobody is in want of
necessaries, and their property is ad-
vancing in value. They have a good
school, where painting and music as
well as the necessary branches are
taught. In the way of amusements J
they have many outdoor frOlics, and an
assembly room furnishes them oppor-
unity for frequent plays, concerts, and |
dancing parties
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