, 1899-08-10
is 1T SOCIALISM?
A SUCCESSFUL COOPERATIVE
COLONY IN INDIANA.
Tell City Has Been. a FIourIshing Manu-
featuring Town for Forty Years-Au
Its Industries Are Run on the CO.
Operating Plan.
(Tell City Letter.)

In this city of 5000 busy souls hid
den away between the Indiana knobs
and the Ohio river and SO situated hat
it escapes attention and meddlIng, is
being worked out the only successful
colonization scheme in the country. 1t
is neither the cooperative theory of
Bellamy, the industrial plan of Debs
o the social dream of Owen, but
rather a modified and greatly altered
combination of the three. The theoret-
ical has been laid aside and the practi-
cal and successful made dominant
Forty-four years have tested its
strong and weak points, and weather
ing them all, ii stands to-day, not only
as the only successful cooperative in
dustrial colony in the nation, but also
as possibly the most prosperous munic-
ipality in Indiana, enjoying among 9TH
er distinctions that of being the India
ma city in which is found the largest
percentage of home owners I'M the
fewest drcnes and leeches on society.
Ninety-three per cent of the home oc-
cupants W their own homes. More
than this, they own twenty-six manu-
facting concerns and work in them.
They select their own officers and SUI
perintendents and set their W scale
of wages. The plan thus carried out
In the manufacturing plants is preva-
lent to a greater extent in the manage
ment of municipal affairs. The city
was founded in 1856 by the Swiss Col
onization Society of Cincinnati, an Or
ganization of wealthy Swiss citizens of
that and other American cities, who
sought the betterment of their fellow
countrymen who had come to this
country, but who had not made a sue
cess in securing remunerative employ
ment. They purchased the present site
because of its location on the naviga-
BILE Ohio n its rather isolated situa-
ton. In the knobs. 800 yards back
from the Ohio, was found an almost in
~eXhaustible supply of the best camel
coal. 1t was named Tell City, in hon
or of William Tell, whom many recall
as the gentleman who shot an apple
off his sons head. In selecting the
c~olonists they sought only to assist the
worthy. They first inquired into the
morality of their man, and then as to
his industrial inclination and ability.
Found acceptable in these points, with
his family. he was sen down the river
to Tell City and put to work clearing
the way for the settlement on more eX-
tensive plans. When enough had been
thus gathered at the point, the society
effected the organization of the first
colony manufacturing company. 1t
was put upon p strictly cooperative
basis. h nee we're brought together
and permitted to enter into a working
and managing agreement to their own
liking. When their plan was once
drafted it stood. From the first the
policy was to organize small compa-
mics from 10 to 100 men. The men Sc
lected their own officers, image and
superintendent and bosses by popular
ballot once a yea and made themselves
Subject to the orders issued by these
selected heads. If the administration
Of affairs did not suit them they knew
they would lave a chance to make a
change the following election. The
Colonization Society advanced them
funds and they erected their first fac
tory in 1856. They were almost all ex-
pert woodworkers and joiners in the
old country, and they selected furniture
as their bent. The plant which they
erected in 1856 is still standing. 1t has
been enlarged almost annually, and is
today the largest chair-making plant
in the United States, n possibly in
the world. The cooperative plan, as
thus worked out. vas found to be sue
cessful beyond all anticipation. The
men at first divided the earnings at
intervals among themselves, but as
10 as they had discharged their in
debtedness and established themselves
in homes. they began to fix a weekly
scale of wages. They set their
wage at the annual meetings, doing so
by popular vote. By popular vote they
have always adhered to a plan of grad
uating wages. on a basis of efficiency in
work and excellence. The finest work.
men were thus given an advanced fig
ure over the others who were not so
proficient. All work vas put on a piece
work basis, and 1t is claimed this was
one of the first plants in the United
States in which this plan was intro
duced. By a graduated scale every
workman was urged to best effort. By
every man having an interest in the
plant. as well as a desire to earn his
weekly wage for the support of him
self and his family, all attempted to
make the output excel in workmanship
and style, and in the furniture markets
-
A.