Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-01-09

the detection of their few children,
most of whom leave the community,
and through their failure to attract re-
lcruits. In all probability Shakerism
Twill soon dye a peaceful death. Other
societies founded similarly, by reli-
gioUs enthusiasts from abroad, have
already persisted yioiently. The Zoar
societies came from Germany at the
beginning of the last century and set
tied near Pittsburg. later moving to
Ohio. There, after the death of the
leader and the consequent decline in
religious enthusiasm, the new genera
ton, first suing unsuccessfuny in the
courts, secured finally a division by
agreement of the common property.
The Harmony socitey, with almost the
same eXperience-early struggles, hard
won success and then agitation for
diyision-has so far starved off disso-
luton, but is reduced to little close
corporation of nin2 elderly people The
Icarian, like man. another, failed
through lack of as. cement. With a
most fantastic history a inauguration
through the efforts of periodical jour.
nal, of badly managed enterprises, of
hard work and fierce dissension, the
= Ruskin community has lived a precari-
Gus life in Tennessee and Georgia until
now, after decline from $50 to lao, a
very recent newspaper report declares
its property has been seized by the
sheriff. The Christian Commonwealth,
composed like the Ruskin of well-edu-
Gated Americans. is in the hands of a
receiver. It's newspaper says: "Those
who attempt an application of the law
of love to economic problems find
themselves surrounded by every untll-
tered crankism adrift. Neither the
needy poor nor the bloated plutocrat
will tax love as severely as the ego.
tistical and narrow-minded crank"
1t mnst be admitted, however, in the
face Of these experiences, that spc-
cessful cooperation. however unlikely,
is not utterly impossible. The Oneida
Community, at first religious society,
after a stormy experience with their
neighbors through practicing free life,
adopted family life in 1880, abandoned
communism and formed a joint stock
company. In 1857 the community
wealth was $4,000; the 1900 the CAPT.
tai of the Oneida Company. Limited,
was 100000 and its surplus $150,247
with 219 stockholders. Though no
longer strictly Community" the
Oneida Company is undoubtedly a sue
cessful cooperative experiment, en-
ploying in its factories all stockholders
that desire to labor, but it is success.
full partly because it carries on bust
ness in the manner of any other cor
poration. The Woman's Common.
wealth, little group of women with
advanced IDEAS" is still in existence
at Mount Pleasant in the District OF
Columbia. Twenty-four celibates live
together tremendously. How long the
community will last it is impossible
of course, to say, bat thus far it has
proved successful But the bright par
ticular example of fourishing coop
elative community, the only one that
stands out as satisfactory embodi-
ment of the cooperative idea, is the
Amana Society, inhabiting seven vii
lagos twenty miles west of Iowa City,
in Iowa This alone has fulfilled the
hopes of its founders. Originally per-
Isecuted Pietists from Hiesse, the
Amanites to the number of 500 founded
Ebe1ezer Community in New York in
1913; in 1852. when they moved to
their c0.000-GcTc tract in Iowa, they
numbered 1890 and now 800 of them
carry on the farms, factories, shops
and stores of the Amana villages In
happiness and comfort. They hold all
property in common; they eat at com
mon tables. Each has an annual al
lowance for clothes. Each does his
share of the labor necessary to make
the community prosperous. Their per
capita of wealth is less than that of
Iowa county. but the system of COM
mon ownership secures equality of
distribution. Though not rich, then,
the community has grown steadily and
gives every promise of continuance.
The explanation of its success lies in
the preservation of the original relig
ious enthusiasm.
The communistic movement, how
ever, with this exception, indicates that
human nature is not adopted to COM
munity life; the invigorating shock of
competition is, after all, what wealthy
Americans most keenly desire.
| Sir Thomas Lauder Brunton de-