The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1901-11-14

in the study of transportation. The difference,
between the antiquated stage coach and the
Empire State express is very great, and is due to
unlimited opportunity to study, invent and ex-
pertinent. The sincere effort of the Oneida
community, made at great cost, was to establish
a better and larger home, and one that would be
both a church and practical school for improve
ment of character.
Like the author of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, the community considered at the outset
that ga decent respect for the opinions of mar
kind" required that it should give its reasons
for the enlargement OF the home. 1t therefore
explained that it regarded its society strictly as
an experiment in which the public could and
should take a deep Legitimate interests 1t made
no secret of Its manner of life, but sent all its
publications to the governor and leading men of
the state, and carefully gave its reasons for
association to every candid inquirer. During
80 years, it spent over 100000 in publishing
an absolutely free paper, which contained Il
frank record of its daily life. This candid
course met with generous approval, and the
community enjoyed for long period Of years
the friendship of the best people in America.
This it was which finally broke up the COM
munity as John H. Noyes conducted it; a
general assault was made upon it, led by such a
strong man as Bishop F. d. Huntington of
central New York, and the result was an end to
the experiment, and the going away of the
founder to Canada, with some followers, while
DIR. Theodore r. Noyes became the reconized
head Of a different society. The select mating
of men and women by decision of the community,
the consideration of the children as the child
rem of the community-this was the "enlarge-
ment of the home," and many thinkers desired
its continuance, since the conditions which pre-
vail in ordinary society do not produce ideal
results. 1t is, however, at an end but while it
lasted, this, and the very original system Of
"mutual criticism" in addition to the practical
success of the industrial policy, commanded the
close and generally friendly interest of Ameri-
cans and English who were specially concerned
with reform of social condition.
This pamphlet in very brief paragraphs men-
tions sundry of the things that were essayed by
the community which made its success as nten-
sive work in horticulture, the canning or bott-
ling of fruits and vegetables, the making Of traps
for hunters, Of steel chains, the invention Of
many labor-saving machines (now in general
use, and SO on; whereby there was achieved u
position of real prosperity, in which factories
gave employment to hundreds of people, outside
of the members; the houses and the grounds
grew beautiful as we'll as useful art, music,
letters science were cultivated, and many of the
young men were sent to the New England COL
leges. No mention is here made of the COM
munity at Wallingford, Ct., but this was one Of
the outposts of the industrial work which il
appears is now carried on by the remodeled
community. 1t is noted that one of the young
women who was sent with others to learn sill
spinning in New England mills is now superin.