Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-12-29
PASSING OF ICARIANS
END OF A ONCE FAMOUS COMMU-
NlSTlC EXPERIMENT..

For Half IL Century the Organization
Founded by Etienne CADET Had En-
listed, but DdiyidunIism FinnIly
Destroyed It-History of Icarians.
The longest lived and undoubtedly
the most nearly successful experiment
ever made in the western hemisphere
with pure communism came to an end
when, late the other afternoon, Judge
II. M. Towner, in the district court, en-
tered an order discharging the receiver
of the New Icarian community and
formally declaring the business of the
community wound up.
CADET, a scientific communist, tried to
found his first colony in France, but the
government Of Louis Philippe was op-
posed to such experiments, and its op-
position forced the lcarians, as the adj
herents of the new communistic doc
trines called themselves, to go to the
new world. The Icarians went first to
Texas, where they were offered an area
as large as a good sized French depart
ment for their experiment. Their ennis
s%aries, after looking over the prospect,
decided against it and went back to
New Orleans. Here they were Joined by
others, and at last, when the Mormons
left their seat at Nauvoo, Ills, the lea
rians, who had brought considerable
money with them, bought the old Nor
mon holdings and secured from the II.
linois legislature "A charter granting
them special privileges and %immunities.
About 2, 600 French enthusiasts joined
them, CADET at their head. He was
practically dictator of the community.
For years 10 question was raised as to
his authority, and so long as he was in
charge all went we'll. The community
grew and p%rospered and there was peace
and plenty.
But the country rodnd about was set
tied up by people who saw no charm in
the oommunistic doctrines. Shrewd
Yankees, who, far from believing that
the community should own everything,
considered it their mission to possess
themselves individually Of the largest
possible wealth, pressed about the little
settlement. The new generation of Icari-
ans was brought up constantly confront
ed by the striking contrast between
their own plain, simple, frugal living
and the comparative luxury and indie
pendence of the better classes of their
neighbors.
Discussions arose. CADET had given
up his dictatorial powers and granted a
charter under which the community by
ballot annually elected a sort of direct
CRATE. After experience with this plan
he found it a failure. In%dividualism
was everywhere creeping in. He de.
manded that the elected directorate be
abolished and that he be vested with
power to appoint directors. But he was
defeated. The rising tide of individual
istic ideas beat ever harder and more
fiercely upon the little islet of commun-
ism. At last a schism came. CADET and
his minority of followers withdrew and
established another colony at Chelten-
ham, Mo-, a few miles from St. Louis.
1t lasted a few years and dissolved.
Two Or three years before this schism
CADET, realizing that his social order
could never be maintained in the midst
of a great community inspired by what
he considered the selfishness of individ-
ualism, had concluded that he must
transplant his communistic seed to some
new region far beyond the confines of
civilization, and fondly believing that
civilization would not penetrate far be.
You'd the Mississippi for generations to
come he sent agents to western Iowa
seeking a location. They came to Adams
county, and three miles east of what is
now the town Of Corning found the
ideal tract, 900 acres of rich land in
a country almost utterly uninhabited.
CADET came out, examined the situation
and ordered the land pre-empted and
purchased. This was in 1853. The first
case ON the court docket of Adams coun-
ty is a record Of matters concerning this
community. The new community grew
fast and prospered. After the division
Of the Nauvoo community it grew still
more rapidly.
But once more the delicate plant that
must draw its nourishment from such
intangible sources as a belief i'll the alb
straction Of human equality, or a deep
seated conviction that ones neighbor is
as good as oneself, found its roots
crowded and starved in the soil of am
bition and individualism. The younger
Icarians looked around them and saw
that, while they had but an indefinite
and indivisible stake in their communi-
ty, there were men among their neigh.
bors who, with seemingly less toll and
effort than they were required to put
forth, in a few years came to W land
as extensive as all the estate of Icaria.
They longed for the freedom of compe-
tition and individual effort and indi-
vidual merit. Each was jealous of the
other, for each felt that he was con-
tributing Il larger share Of labor than
was compensated by the portion Of the
whole product obtained by him. And
so, in 1886, there was another division,
the land was partitioned, and the com
munity divided with it. After this there
was the Old Icarian community and the
New Icarian community. After a year
or two the old community disbanded
and divided its property among its sur
viving members. The New Icaria -four
ished a number of years, but it could
not Withstand the ~disintegrating infu-
ence from without. Troubles arose, dis
agreements that could not he settled.
The younger and more capable members
withdrew, and at last, on Feb. 16,
1896, application was made for a re-
ceiver.
The essential principles of CADETS
communism were equality and fraterni-