Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-11-25
THE COMMUNAL LIFE.
ATTEMPTS IN THIS COUNTRY TO Or
cANIzE COOPERATIVE COLONIES.


tho strongest community ever found
ed aud the one that seemed most
prosperous. But the Zoar community
has gone the way that all must tread
In the course Of time.
For eighty-one years the Zoarites
have held together, having a religious
bond of union, the founders being a
sect from Wurtemburg, in Germany,
called the Separatists.
According to Professor Ely's "The
Labor Movement in America, they
owned several thousand acres Of land,
had several manufacturing establish
ments and property valued at 81, ,500,-
900, with a membership Of 800 souls.
There are so many of these attempts
to put socialism Into practice. and for
the most part they are so insignifi-
cant and unostentaiions that statistics
are difficult TO secure. Yet the best
estimates are that two hundred or
more serious attempts of the kind
have beeu made in Americ, and not
more than half dozen are in exist
ence. For the most part these are
religious communities, tuat at Rus
kin, Tenn. being the exception.
These religious societies have been
dwindling in membership, the Shak-
ers having decrels d in numbers from
5000 in isl7 to less than 200U today
Dissensions amoLg the Amana colon
lists in Iowa seem to he frequent and
IN Ia Ia,
There are also the colonies of Ann
helm and Riverside in California aud
at Greeley in Colorado. recently
made, that have had an auspicious be-
ginning, though their future is nm
certain, Judging by the experience of
other organizations Of the same kind
in the past.
A review of the various expert
ments that have been made in Ameri-
ca would require a good-sized book.
America has been a favorite ground
for such attempts, largely made by
those from the old world, who sought
more freedom and relief from the
burdensome conditions Of the old
world life in a new country. Among
the earliest were the Labadists in
Maryland, 1634-l722; johann Kelpius
colony of ''The Woman in the Wilder
ness" in what is now Philadelphia,
l695-1704; tue bunker celibates at
Ephrata in Lancaster county. Penu-
sylvania, 1713. aud community at
Snow Hill, near Harrisburg.
The Shakers in America date from
1774 and maintain their organization
to this day, though their complete
success is questioned and there have
been desertions recently and few con-
verts. The Harmonists, established
in 1857, first settled in Pennsylvania,
then went to Indiana, and later to
Economy, Penn, where they remained
until a split in the society few years
ago.
The Oneida, or Perfectionists, es-
tablished by John Humphrey Noyes,
at Oneida, N. y. in 1881, dissolved,
and now exists only as a joint-stock
company for managing its wealth. OF
other religious communities that have
not been significant there are scores
such as those at Brockton, n. Y;
Hopedale. Mass; Mountain Cove,
the Oakesites, Aueora, Oregon; Beth
ell, Missouri, and others that are not
of great interest.
Fourierism, or the doctrines Of
Fourier, the French socialist, who be-
lieyed that industry should be carried
on by isolated communities, made a
great impression through the brilliant
writings Of its founder. Over thirty
four phalanxes were organized in
America and they have all failed. The
most brilliant was Brook Farm, which
will live in literature as we'll as his
tory, because its members included
Emerson, Charming, Cana, Margaret
Fuller, Theodore Parker, William
Curtis and other geniuses scarcely
less well known, who in the enthusi-
asm of their youth believed they were
about to reform the world. Begin
ming as cooperative farm, it became
a Fourieristic community. The best
brains of New England discussed
philosophy, MIXED cows and hoed po-
tatoes until the members tired of the
life after five years Of the monotonous
existence.
A different class are those commu-
mites that have been founded during
the last thirty years. These number
about sixty, and have been for the
most part formed by socialists who
wished to put their theories into prac-
tice on small scale. Lacking the re-
ligious bond, though, they have some
times succeeded for while, in the end
they have failed. The Icaria colony,
one of the largest. founded by the
French and dating back twenty years
before the period in which it is prop
erly discussed, dissolved in 1895.
Founded by CADET to embody the So
cialistic ideals embodied in his "yoy-
age en- Icarie, it existed on the Red
River in Texas, then at Nauvoo, III.
then at Corning, la. Their existence
was marked by every sort of trouble
and finally death.
Kaweah, founded in 1884, in Tu-
are county, California, had good
9fospects, out the coiohists couiu not
lwell in harmony. Topolobampo was
'ounded in 1886 in Mexico with
ll6 persons, aud the members by hard
work managed to make a living and
lwell together in peace until year
igo, when there were dissensions such
Is have wrecked previous communi-
les OF the same kind.
Ruskin was founded in 1894. II
itill thrives. Its organizers are good
men of business and its prospects are
brighter than those Of most.
Field and His Fun.
Eugene Fields earliest attempts at
authorship were embodied in the Tri-
oune Primer, published at Denver in
QQD Hare ara f.vn ht.n..ror. .-..sl.