The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-06-09
CENTENNIAL
At New Harmony To Be A
Big Event
Senators And Governors viii
Be Present
A History Of Founding OF
The Community

New Harmony, Ind, June Omitted
States senators, governors and other
men of national prominence are to
gather in this little town on the Wa.
bash during the week beginning to-
morrow to take part in celebration
Of the centennial anniversary of the
founding Of New Harmony, which was
the first notable attempt in America
to establish community based on the
theories of socialism and cooperation.
The attempt was failure, though
some of the principles Of the founders
have been carried out by the mem
bers of the community down to the
present day.
The community was founded origin
ally by the Harmonists, sect which
originated in Wurtemberg about 1880
The founders were George and Fred.
erick Rapp. The members of the sect
held their property in common and
considered marriage civil contract
In 1905 the Rapps and number Of
their followers emigrated to America,
and settled first In Butler county,
Pennsylvania. In 1914 they moved to
this section, where they purchased
1000 acres of land and founded a
community which they called Har-
mony. Ten years later they sold their
land to Robert owen, and, returning to
Pennsylvania, settled at Economy, a
few miles north of Pittsburgh.
The New Harmony movement
which attracted worldwide attention
dates from the time that Robert Owen
acquired control of the community
and sought to put into practice his
theories of socialism. Owen, native
OF North Wales, was one of those un-
| fortunate men who lived in advance
cf his time. His entire life was de
voted to various plans for the benefit
of his fellow-men, and yet he is re
membered as having been a failure
He is known as the founder of En-
glish socialism. His views were the
result of his own practical and sue
cessful employment of men iu large
| factories, during which he came to re
aIize the desirability of better rela
tions between capital and labor Owen
was but 19 years old when he became
manager of cotton mill employing
500 operatives. Under his direction
the mill became noted for the excel
lence of it's work. The first American
cotton ever sent to England was used
by him.
Mr.. Owen married and settled ir
New Lanark, Scotland. There he be
came the possessor of one Of the
largest cotton mills in the couutr!
and began to work out his theories IL
in regard to labor. He viewed will
dismay the social conditions amoni
his people and began to plan reforms
He built better homes for them, in
duced them to become cleanly and t.
spend their money to advantage. HI
established a store where they coul'
buy the best goods at the lowest pos
sible price, and he strongly urged
self-respecting spirit among them.
New Lanark became one of the nc
table places for statesmen and re
, formers to visit, and among the NJ
table persons who went to see Owen
work was the future Emperor Nict
olas of Russia. When Owen began
I propose plans for the establishment
of cooperative colonies, the Duke
Kent, father of Queen Victoria. wa
one of those who became deeply il
terested in his projects.
To carry his plans into effect Owe
himself came over to America.
g 1912 he purchased the town OF Ha
Y many from the Rappites and here b
5 established the first non-religious con
: munity in the New World On Jan
= airy /, 1926, a constitution known
L "The New Harmony Community
}. Equality" was adopted. On july
J. the same year, owen delivered h
|, famous Declaration of Mental Ind
|, pendence against the trinity of man
:, oppressors, Private Property, lrratto
I. al Religion, and Marriage"
7. But the men and women attracte
a to New Harmony we're enthusias
il like owen himself, persons with e
Il tirely impractical ideas and adya
d tages of every sort. After sever
}. years of hard work Mr.. owen aba
r doned all hope of success here. He
d turned to London and spent the
ID mainder of his life in writing al
IS working for socialism and cooper
ton. He brought about shorter hou
for factory workers and served to U
a lift the working classes by his co
r stant and generous labors.
DESPITE the failure of his first pla