Evening star., 1901-08-15
THE PASSING OF ZoAR
AMERICAS OLDEST COMMUNE SET
ELEMENT DISSOLVED.
Faithful Remnant wfstfully Fol-
lowing the Star Of Empire
Westward.

Westward.
Ida Rose MeCabe in ~ Y. Evening Post
Communistic living in the United States
has received another blow. The Zoarites
have turned their backs upon the luxuriant
valley Of Tuscarawas for the untrammeled
wiids Of Minnesota, where the faithful
followers of the dead king Joseph Bimeler,
dream of founding q new colony. Not by
OK cart, as came the founders to Ohio
more than three-quarters Of a century ago,
but by steam cars-arch enemy of COM
munfstic tenets-was the exodus made. 1t
Is two years since the formal dissolution
OF this oldest and most successful COM
munistfc settlement in America. Since
then the division Of property has been
slowly going on. The, 1856 members In
good standing have received their share.
amounting In cash or property to about
5000 each But only seventy of the IS6
have gone to Minnesota. where the lead
ers have purchased 6,OOO acres Of land.
Fast middle age are the members Of the
new movement, which includes only those
VINO are willing to take upon themselves
the oath of cOmmunism-an oath to work
shoulder to shoulder SO long as they live.
without individual gain save food and
women have refused thus to commit them
selves. they are left behind. This sever
ing of family ties is suppressed tragedy,
not unlike that Of the civil war, for It is
father against son, brother against brother.
The Dissolving Touch of Modernity.
The self-confessed failure of the Zoarites
coming as 1t does at time when the views
OF Edward BeIlamy continue to attract at
tention. is peculiarly significant. The fer
ment Of discomfort has been working at
Zoar for the past ten years The rising
epc.Va l~-
the outside world through railroads, tele-
graph and telephone, began to chafe under
the societys restrictions. To have their
earnings so into the common treasury rob-
viduality they quickly learned to admire in
their non-commnnistfc neighbors. Never.
perhaps. has communism had longer trial
under more favorable conditions than at
Loar. ct decline In membership from
800 vigorous young persons to seventy mid
dle-aged. and In property from 81. .J00,0O0 to
6,OOU acres OF unimproved land. is their nu-
merical and financial story, while as a
spiritual force they are practically dead. To
quote young Bimeler. the revolutionary
grandson of the founder: Those who say
they have lived and are now living to Sc
cure the satisfaction proceeding from the
faithful execution Of those principles and
duties which the Christian religion de-
mands, are the worst hypocrites existing"
The Zoarites came to Philadelphia from
that hotbed OF religious discomfort, Wur-
temberg. Germany, in 1917, finding well
come among the Quakers, who furnished
them with funds tn migrate the following
spring to Ohio, where they purchased 5000
acres OF land-a military grant In the will
derness Of Tuscarawas county. At first
there was no intention Of a communistic
settlement. Time revealed. however, that
they were unequal in age. strength. ex-
perience and enterprise. The leaders saw
that the undertaking would fail unless 1t
was established upon different basis. A
community Of goods and efforts was in con-
sequence effected. To possess property was
not essential to membership. but no one in
debt was admitted. Never was an Ameri-
can known to join the society.
The Rule Of the Oligarehic Three.
The community was governed solely by
three trustees. who had unlimited power.
They provided board. clothing and dwelling
for each member. irrespective Of person.
They managed all the Industries and at
fairs Of the society. They appointed each
member to his special work. but never
without consulting his personal inclination
and peculiar ability. Aside from the truS-
tees. there was an agent general. who con-
trolled the society's dealings with the out
side world. This Office was held by Joseph
Bimeler, founder of tho Zoarites and born
leader of men. until his death in 1853, after
which 1t remained vacant. Bimeler was
practically king, and his house Is known to
this day as the kings palace"
Notwithstanding that Bimeler lived In
better house than his fellows. and rode In
his own carriage, no usurpation of author
ity or appropriation of goods was ever
charged to him. and his memory Is still
revered. He was spiritual leader and lis
diseourses never translated = abound In
hints which sometimes seem curiously to
anticipate the modern progressive theo-
logian.
The traveller who alights today at Zoar
leaves today's civilization behind. 1t Is
practically German village of century
ago. Seventy-fve buildings of varied size
nd Shon ctr in0 oicyhf mir
streets, comprise the village. Water Is
piped from a spring on the hill to two
drinking troughs In the heart of the viii
lage. Notwithstanding the absence Of
every modern convenience. the town is i'm
maculately clean. Log cabins of pioneer
days stand beside frame structures rarely
exceeding story in height. All the roofs
at one time were formed of red tiles, the
making of which constituted an industry in
which the community thrived. Without
garrets or cellars. the houses are comfort
often placed high up Rigid plainness and
monotony In mode of living prevail. as be-
hooves a people with a common treasury,
each possessing no more, no less than his
neighbor however superior may be his skill
or his money-making capacity.
The Luxuriant Garden OF zoar.
The houses stand close to the street. with
spacious yards in rear or on either side,
and are luxuriant In fruits. vegetables and
old-fashioned flower gardens. Flowers are
the one esthetic indulgence of Zoar. In the
center Of the village Is more than an acre
of luxuriant floral bloom. This garden
which suggests that of Elizabeth, is the
Mecca Of visitors. the admiration of art
ns sse s"s ersea sss sn. tra. a
plant shade treea Ia the streets It touches
one's poetic sensihility TO stroll the streets
Of zoar In blossom time. From the rich
garden rise Imposing white steps TO the
palatial home OF the dead king II was
erected In 1884, and waa looked upon as a
magnificent and costly mansion.
Celibacy was advocated by the 1oarites
until Joseph BtMeler auecumhed to the
charms of a village maid. Then marriage
became honorable IN the community.
For some years the "king's palace" has