The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-02

church of Germany and came to Anaeri- ca In 1893 and 1894, settling in Butler coun- ty, Pennsylvania, under the leadership D Of George Rapp. Once they moved to In diana, but later sold their settlement with all it's Improvements to Robert Owen who had for awhile the world-celebrated colony of New Harmony that failed. From Indiana the Harmonists went back to Pennsylvania and improved great tracts of land near Pittsburg, calling the village Economy. They had community bakeries, dairies and meat shops, and became a hard working, seemingly prosperous, peo- pie. Somehow they fell in hard ways, false prophets arose to confuse them, much of their funds went in speculation, and by 1893 the community was in debt over million and half dollors. In 1905 the membership had dwindled to five. and the houses, vineyards, farms and orchards were let to outside~s r'hese were eel ibates and must elr mem bers from omtsid
 The Separatists ginally from the province 1Sl7, and under the lea Bau- meier settled in first prosperous, amas Of money, but after sr the property see in value. As the you up they wanted to as Ility, they wanted life ; com petition and the O. proving personal merit. The jelieve that the socialistic theory al division Of labor and earnings lair. At the re- quest of these younger members the com munty feature was abandoned in 1898, and the holdings of the colony carefully di- vided, with the result that each individual received property to the value of Sl5o9 and Zoar, as a community settlement, be- came a part of past history Marriage was permitted in this colony, though the children were raised by the authorities and not by the parents.
 The Oneida Perfectionists had success- full existence as long as they remained a community. but when the individualistlc crept in they decided to become a joint stock company instead The community was founded in 1S4S by John Humphrey Noyes a member of a family that has supplied physicians, statesmen and con- gressional representatives to New Eng land for several generations. They en- couraged industrial rather than agricul- tural pursuits as a means of living. But that was not all they taught, and because of other theories and practices they fell
 into disfavor among the people or New York They advocated free love and com plex marriage, and sought converts to their faith. Finally the Presbyterian min istry of the state led in a revolt against their ethics, and society in general ordered a reform. They progressed industrially, but in 1881 by mutual agreement Of all members abandoned the community ldea and became joint stock company
 Twelve years ago the Brotherhood or the Cooperative Commonwealth set about establishing a socialist colony, believing in a concentrated move that would capture some entire state for their creed. They selected the state of Washington as the most possible one, and 150 colonists took ID GOO acres on Puget Sound and estan- lshed the settlement known as "Equa'- itv." In 1904 this was changed to "Free- land." and the communal idea was aoan- doned to the extent of allowing each worker share of the profits in propor- ton to his work Many of their views soon changed and while the colony pros pered the soclalistic Idea diminished more and more until the plan to capture Wash ing to the uses of that body was hnally abandoned
 -rav,or-or The Birthday of Idaho