The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-25

ing found theideal tract, 4,000 acres or rich land in a country almost utterly inhabited Cabet came out, examined the situation and ordered the land pre- empted and purchased, This was in 1858. The first case on the court docket of adams county is record of matters concerning this community made in 1853. The new community grew fast and prospered; after the division of the Nauvoo community it grew still more rapidly. But the troubles of the Nauvoo society involved the Iowa branch. A mortgage was given on the 4,000 acres in Adams county to William Shepherd of St. Louis. In time it was foreclosed. Shepherd was friendly to the colony, and suffered it to occupy his land. In 1859 an arrangement was made where by the community bought back 2,00O acres from him. Before doing this there had been @ strong movement in favor of removal to California. The wise old men viewed with despair the advance of American civilization with it's dis tracting individualistic notions, and foresaw that the experience of Nauvoo would be repeated They wanted to re- move to the heart of the unknown West as the Mormons had done.
 But already the younger element was in control. By a majority of one vote in the great council of the colony the proposition to remove to California was rejected. The community enjoyed several years of comparative prosperity and growth after this decision. The people were devoted to agriculture. They ir- troduced the French methods of grape culture and the wonderful success of grape growing in Southwest Iowa to this day is placed in large part of their influenie. They lived in true communis- tic style; like the Spartans of old, they dined from a common table: the com- munity was charged to large extent with the proyer raising and education of the children. All property was own ed by the community and partitioned in accordance with the requirements of the individual, the community always reserying a store for the common safe ty. At this period it it's history the col ony seemed destined to success; in- deed, it may be fairly said that it was success, if not in material way, at least in the respect of promoting the happiness of its people, safeguarding them against poverty, assuring falr education to the young, and removing much of the temptation of seltlshness and injustice. Do unto others as ye would that others should do unto you" the golden rule of the Saviour, was the fundament of Etienne Cabets theo- ry of life, and he applied it so far as possible in the rule of his communities But once more the delicate plant that must draw it's nourishnlent from such intangible sources as belief in the ap- straction of human equality, or a deep- seated conviction that one's neighbor is as good as one's self found it's roots crowded and starved in the soil of sell fishness and ambition and individual ism The younger Icarians looked around them and saw that while they had but an indefinite and indivisible stake in their community, there were men among their neighbors who, with seemingly less work and toll and effort than they were required to put forth, in few years came to own lands as ex- tensive as all the estate of Icaria. They longed for the freedom of compe- tition and individual effort and individ- ual merit. Each was jealous of the other, for each felt that he was contrib uting larger share of labor than was compensated by the proportion Of the whole product which came to him. And so, in 1886. there was another divi- 1 sion. the lands were divided and the community partitioned off. After this there was the Old Tcarian community and the New Icarian community.
 l The members of the new community ! had desired to admit yail who might ap- ply to the advantages of membership in 4 the community. Failing to carry their point, they brought action at law to set aside and invalidate the charter of the settlement Tn this they succeeded, and then came the division The new com- munity did not incorporate, for the ex- periences with charters had not been { satisfactory. After year or two the old community disbanded and divided the property among the surviving members; the New Icaria fourlshed for a number of years yet. But it could not withstand the disintegrating infiu- ences from without. Troubles arose. disagreements which could not be set tied; the younger and more capable | members WllHuTeW, aIlu at IaSl, OF February 16, 1895, application was made for the appointment of a receiver Flu gene F. Bettannier was named and te him were turned over about one thou sand acres of land and other property Iaggregating about thirty-six thousand dollars in value.
 Since that time MT. Bettannier has disposed of the property, divided the proceeds in accordance with the orders of the court, and, finally, month age filed his statement showing the dispo- sition of everything. Mr. Bettannier was himself member of the communi- ty. Still a comparatively young man
 he remembers seeing Etienne Cabot and still regards him with sentiment
 of reverential affection. Tt was not
 failure" declares Mir. Bettannier. "It
 is right in principle, and it will be rec.
 ognized some day as the only right so. cial order. r.'-Corning Iowa) Cores
 pondence of the St. Louis Globe Demo.
 crat.