The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-18
A Socialistic Colony FIOurishes
In Bourbon County.
Has Been In Practical Opera
tfOn For Two Years.
FOURTEEN FAMILIES.
All Members Are Married Save
One Person.
Every Man Is Allowed 75 Cents
Per Day In Script.

Fort Scott, Aug. 18.-Quiet1y and I'M
assumingly little socialist colony has
been in operation in Bourbon county
for about two years without the knowl-
edge of the newspapers or the general
public. 1t is located on the Usage river
bottom between Fulton and Mapleton,
and is a most interesting study in
sociology. It has a half dozen public
institutions and hopes to become a big
colony in a few years.
The colony was organized about two
years ago by a man named Bailey who
had previously published a small week
~ paper in his city known as the
Farm News. The plan upon which the
colony was founded was organized by
a man named B. D. Be Nardi of St
Louis. Mr.. Bailey, the organizer, is
now living at lola where he is keeping
a hotel, and is not a. member of the
colony. There are IA families in the
organization. J. w. Fitzgerald is pres
ident and J. A. Howard is secretary.
Their names appear on the artiStically
Autographed script which they use for
exchange They call the colony a Ia
Dor exchange" and own $50 acres Of
land in common. Some of the members
live on land owned by individual mem
bers. Money is treated by them merely
as a odity-exactly as they treat
their produce The industries are farm
ing, the manufacture of sorghum, a
saw mill, a grist mill, a blacksmith
shop and a threshing machine. Their
sorghum mill is said to be the best in
coal shaft on their place. The colony
is composed of an honest, industrious,
happy class of people who believe that
the whole Of the United States will
soon recognize their plan as the only
satisfactory solution of the great labor
and social problems that now confront
the nation.
Every man is allowed rs cents per
day in script for his labor. Tt is figured
that the product Of every mans labor
is worth about "a per day, and that this
is the only plan by which he can reap
the full fruits of his work. The rs
cents in script is to sustain him and
the proceeds of the crops, when raised,
become a part of the general fund.
When money is needed for the pur-
chase of new machinery, etc, it can be
purchased with script. 1t is a fact that
some people, not members of the colony
honor the script to an extent This is
true of one store in Fulton. The script
will buy the product of any of the col
ony's industries. Every product OF any
member of the colony becomes the pro-
perty of the exchange and if the pro-
Queer desires to retain any of it for his
own use he pays for it in script. OF
course he is part owner OF the whole
and according to their way of thinking
gets the full benefit of his produce as a
member of the colony, whose general
possessions are gradually increasing
In order TO aNOlu connecting Win the
laws of the United States the exchange
script is printed in denominations OF
'One-half," "One-quarter, " "one-tenth,"
"one-twentieth," etc, representing an
equivalent to dollars and the fractions
thereof. The plan of financiering and
of exchange is somewhat complicated
to a person not used to the system and
is dificult to satisfactorily explain.
All the members of the colony. except
one are married. There are about 40
souls in the families of members, all of
whom live on the socialistic plan.