THE RUSKIN CO-OPERATIVE COLONY.
THE writer has spent some five months at the Ruskin Co-operative Colony at Ruskin, Tenn. This colony had become known throughout the world as an example, as far as a partial centralization of productive and distributive agencies could make it so, of the socialist's ideal. The colony had some 600 acres of tillable land and 1,000 acres of land almost worthless. They had a sawmill, a printing and publishing establishment, where a weekly paper, expounding socialism, was printed. They made leather suspenders, had a tailoring shop, a cereal coffee manufactory, a general store, a gristmill, a bakery, a tin shop, a blacksmith shop, a laundry, a photograph gallery, a carpenter and joiner shop, a vegetable and flower garden, a kitchen and common dining-room, a hennery, etc. All of these industries were owned by the association. They, as well as the farm, were operated by the members of the association almost entirely. These members received "hour checks" for one-half of the time they worked. The week's work consisted of fifty hours, the remuneration for which was a " twenty-five hour check." Children not full grown, women who were exempt from labor by reason of nursing a child or of being sick, and men who were unable to work also received an allowance in the form of hour checks. These checks were redeemed at the store in goods, or by the treasurer in United States currency on demand, at two cents per "hour." Meals, rent of house room, laundry service, mending of shoes, schools, and medical attention were free to all members and their families, and the mending of clothes and care of rooms were free to all bachelors. Goods were sold to members at the colony store at wholesale rates.
The colony was sold out by a receiver a few years ago. An association was organized to succeed the old one. It has carried on the colony since, at Ruskin, Ga., but not successfully. The colony rapidly disintegrated and is now practically extinct.
It will be of interest to consider the phenomena observed,
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