The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-23
THE PASSING OF THE zoAR.
Americas Oldest Commune Settle
ment Dissolved.
Ida Rose McCabe in New York Even
ing Post.


Zoarites have turned their backs upon
the luxuriant valley of Tuscarawas for
the untrammeled wilds of Minnesota,
where the faithful followers of the
dead king, Joseph Bimeler, dream of
founding a 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
munistic tenets-waS the exodus made.
| 1t is two years since the formal dis
solution of this oldest and most sue
| cessful communistic settlement in
| America. Since then the division of
| property has been slowly going on. The
| 1876 members in good standing have re-
| ceived their share, amounting in cash
| or property to about $4,000 each. But
| only seventy of the 1856 have gone to
| Minnesota, where the leaders have pur-
chased 5000 acres of land. Past middle
| age are the members of the new move
| ment, which includes only those who
| 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 clothing. AS the younger men and
| women have refused thus to commit
| themselves, they are left behind. This
| severing of family ties is suppressed
| tragedy, not unlike that of the Civil
War, for it is father against son,
brother against brother.
| The self confessed failure of the
Zoarites, coming as it does at a time
| when the views of Edward Bellamy
continue to attract attention, is pecu-
| liarly significant. The ferment of dis
content has been working at Zoar for
| the past ten years. The rising gem
Grafton, having come in contact with
the outside world through railroads,
telegraph and telephone, began to chafe
| under the society's restrictions To
have their earnings go into the com
mon treasury robbed them of the in
| dependence and the individuality they
| quickly learned to admire in their non
communistic neighbors. Never, per-
| haps, has communism had longer trial
under more favorable conditions than
at Zoar. Yet decline in membership
from 500 vigorous young persons to
seventy middle-aged, and in property
| from $780, 900 to 5000 acres of unim-
| proved land, is their numerical 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 liv-
| ing to secure the satisfaction proceed
ing from the faithful execution of
those principles and duties which the
Christian religion demands are the
worst hypocrites existing
The Zoarites came to PHILADELPHIA
from that hotbed of religious discon-
tent, Wurtemberg, Germany, in 1917,
finding welcome. among the Ouakers
who furnished them with funds to mi
crate the following spring to Ohio.
where they purchased 5000 acres of
land-a military grant in the wilder
ness of Tuscarawas county At first
there was no intention of a communis-
tic settlement. Time revealed, how
ever. that they were UNEQUAL in age
strength experience and enterprise. The
leaders saw that the undertaking would
ran unless it was established upon a
different basis. A community of goods
and efforts was in consequence effect
ed. TO possess property was not es-
sentlal to membership, but no one in
uept was admitted. Never was an
American known to join the society.
The Rule of the OIigarchie Three.
The community wac governed solelv
by three trustees, who had unlimited
power. They provided board clothing
ana dwelling for each member, ire
spective OF person They managed all
the industries and affairs of the So
clety. 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
controlled the society's dealings with
the outside world. This office was held
by Joseph Bimeler, founder of the Zoar-
ties and born leader of men, until MS
death in 1858, after which it remained
| vacant. B!meler was practically king
and his house is known to this day as
the kings palace"
Notwithstanding that Bimeler lived
in bett3t Rouse than his fellows, and
rode in his own carriage, no usurpation
of authority or appropriation of goods
was ever charged to him, and his mem
DRY is still revered He was spiritual
leader and his discourses-never trans
lated-abCund in hints which sometimes
seem curiously to anticipate the mod
ern progressive theologian.
The traveller who alghts to-day AT
Zoar leaves to-day's civilization be-
hind. 1t is practically a German viii
lage of century ago. Seventy-five
buildings of varied size and shape
struggling over eight or nine streets.
comprise the village. Water is piped
from a spring on the hill to two drink
ing troughs in the heart of the village.
Notwithstanding the absence of every
modern convenience, the town is i'm
maculately clean. Log cabins of pion-
eer days stand beside frame structures
rarely exceeding story in hight All
| the roofs at one time were formed of
red tiles, the making of which consti-
tuted an industry in which the COM
| munity thrived Without garrets or cell
| lars, the houses are comfortable hav-
ing large rooms and windows, often
placed high up. Rigid plainness and
monotony, in mode of living prevail,
as behooves people with a common
treasury, each possessing no more. = no
less than his neighbor, however supe-
rior may be his skill or his money MAX
| ing capacity.
The LuNuriRnt Garden of Zonr.
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,
wcih suggests that of Elizabeth, is the
Mecca of visitors. the admiration Of
l artists. and the village pride. AS every