The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-06-08
Reviews Several Experiment.
in Socialism in the United
States Of America.
PLAN LACKS SUBSTITUTE
For Motive Essential to Arouse.
and Make Constant Hu-
man Effort.
MEMORIAL DAY
spv AsseerArEp pRGsn

NEW HARMONY, Ind, June g..
Reasons for the failure of experf.
ments in Socialism were discussed BY
William H Taft today in an address
delivered at the centennial celehra-
ton of the founding OF New HARMONY.
This town prosahly Is the most ia
NOUS of places III the United states
wis : the exponents Of Socialistic and
community ideas tried to prove the
practical value of their theories. The
former PRESIDENT outlined tho history
OF these experiments here and Grew
his conclusions.
The most notable experiment at
New Harmony he said that OF Robert
Owsn, failed ~ all socialism mnsr
fall. because 1t found no substitute
for The motive essential to arouse and
make constant human effort that II
furnished by the institution of priyte
property and the shaping of reward
by competition and natural economic
adjustment. The plan was based on
the assumption that man was q differ
ent being from what he is. II he were
SO perfect that his love OF human kind
would Danish from everyone in III.
man form self1shness and retain Il
him the same energy, self-sacrifce
and industry in behalf Of others that
ne now manifests in behalf of himself
and those near to him, then there
would be no need for the organization
OF Soctaltstic community because We
would have 1t at hand. Until men are
perfect beings of this kind, Socialism
must either constitute tyranny 50
rigid as to destroy not only the right
OF liberty and to interfere with the
pursuit of happiness, or it must be q
q failure"
Rappite History.
New Harmony, as Prof. Taft de-
scribed, was the center of two exueri-
ments in Socialism of very different
types. The first Of these. started 4
hundred years ago by George Rapp,
Gernan mechanic, was in motive pri-
marty religious. The Rappites"
were classed by the speaker with the
Shakers, the zoarites, the Communes
TO- which their members devoted
and Aurora and the Oneida Commune
tty. They were all successful fdr
years" he said, lin the simple meth
DDS of manufacture and agriculture
to which their MEMBERS devoted
themselves. They are not examples
useful for the sociological student IN
considering present day Socialism be-
cause their members had not before
them the working out of new plan
for sobrjety and social progress. piit
rather a method of living a satisgac.
tory religious community cxistsnce.
IN the Intensity Of their religious mo-
tive was found spur to Industry ana
self-sacrifce and a substitute for the
institution of private property which
such communities abolished. Until
other forms of Socialism find such 4.
substitute, they are likely to prove
futile, as the history of seyeral
instances Of practical trials have DEM
onstrated."
The Rappites Of New Harmony sold
out their land to Robert Owen and his
partners in 1925. The commurttf
Rapp founded was heterogeneous
collection of many different elements,
Confusion finally resulted; the var
1ous factions asked Owen to exercise
his powers as dictator until thew
could reach satisfactory adjustment.
Five or six different constitutions
were adopted within two years. Then
Owen had an open breach with one
Of his principal partners over the
adoption Of the Pestalozzi method 81
school teaching. The Community
disintegrated but the owenes re-
NAMED in New Harmony and the fam
lily became leaders in the political ami
SOCIAL life of the state.
Or Short Duration.
The owendte community at New
Harmony" said Mr.. Taft, twas only
Continued on page tonr. !