The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-05


the Mormon settlement at Nauvoo, ILL.,,
was killed, and Brigham Young had
led the exodus of the faithful to the
new Canaan on the shores of the salt
sea of the Rockies. The Icarian agents
visited Nauvoo, We're informed that the
lands and houses of the Mormons
could be rented for a very small an
nuity reported. their report was re-
ceived favorably and the remnant of
the Icarians set sail on the Mississippi
and landed at Nauvoo in mid-March,
lSi9. On the voyage the band was at
tackled by cholera, and dozens of VIC
Tins were hurled on the shores.
Saddened, but not yet discouraged, the
remnant Of the Icarians settle at Nau-
VOC. Within few years the Mormon
temple and other buildings were trans
formed into mills, workshops and
dwellings, propaganda newspapers
were printed in English, French and
German and sworn broadcast. as is
proposed by Debs and Bellamy, and it
seemed as though the dream of the
Icarians was to be realized.
Their dissensions arose. Success ex-
cited the poor ambition in some of the
Icarians to throw off the leadership of
society there should be no leader.
When the constitution was drafted it
was provided that Cabet should be die
tator for the period of ten years. Find
ing the machinery working smoothly,
and that some of his followers were
dissatisfied with his autocratic powers
CADET resigned, and the system which
is now in vogue of choosing president
n roh f,an hxyn nipt.i itxyx Of tn
stituted.
CADET TURNED DOWN.
CADET was soon found acting with
minority. His advice was set at naught.
The majority adopted new business
methods which were thought danger
Gus by the minority. There came a
day when Cabet sought to reassume
the robes of his omnipotence, but he
discovered that he had doffed his crown
for all time. He had accomplished his
three-score and ten years, and age
probably had a share in his desire to
maintain the dictatorship.
Cabet and his followers refused TO
recognize that the first requisite Of
fraternal community is the subversion
of self in all matters of business pro-
cedure, at least, and to accept cheer
fully the judgment of the majority
when there is a conflict of opinion.
The strife was so fierce that finally $50
adherents of CADET seeded with their
chief and went TO st. Louis, where
CADET died in a short time, his death
being FASTENED by the sad differences
between him and those who were
really his friends. Many individuals
and families separated themselves
from the community. The remainder
sought TO found a new community.
They purchased 1000 acres of govern
ment land in Adams county, Ia, which
is the site of the two Icarias now in
existence there. The new acquisition
had been entered in CADETS name, and
his death made ii difficult to secure
possession. After prolonged trouble a
deed was eventually secured, and in
1858 the Iearians abandoned Nauvoo,
and once more fitted to prospective
greener fields and pastures new. There
were no railroads nor markets at that
time, and for years the life Of the
Icarians was dreary enough, but their
existence has in the main been COM
Portable and prosperous, except for the
intrusion OF new discordant elements,
which split the community, and result
ed in the two organizations now en-
joying prosperity and peace, but with
out having accomplished more than
that toward the conversion of the
world.
WEAK SPOT IN THE PLAN.
When the writer visited the commu-
mites few years ago the president of
one of the communities, NJ, Bettannier,
| was a young man, who a few years pre-
yious to that time had left the commu-