Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 8.djvu/697

 THE RUSKIN CO-OPERATIVE COLONY 677

drawing at times. A manual-training school was talked of for the future. Men who worked at trades were, as a rule, not afraid to show anyone how to do the work. This is quite a con- trast with the competitive system, in which it is sometimes very hard to learn a trade, because skilled laborers are afraid that they may educate someone who will afterward displace them.

PHENOMENA PERTAINING TO BELIEFS.

There was, first of all, a deeply rooted belief in the efficacy of the principles of socialism. Some of the members even valued the theories of socialistic authorities above practice. Contradictory as it may seem, there were a few socialists with a decided leaning toward anarchy; who would have abolished all rules and regulations, and depended upon established custom and the sense of right of the members to carry on the colony, if they had been able to do so. Their optimism blinded them so that they could not see the disastrous results in store for the colony.

The religious belief of the colony was like Jacob's coat. Nearly all the chief religions of civilized races were represented. Protestantism, however, was more in evidence than any other cult. There were a number of freethinkers. " Mental Science" had quite a following, and was reported to be responsible for the death of one member. This man was a student of the "science" and also wished to learn the art of swimming. He was told by one of the leading "scientists" that if he firmly made up his mind that he was able to swim, he would find that he had no difficulty in swimming. One morning, soon after this, he was missing, and his body found in a deep place in the creek. It is reported that another "scientist," when she caught a bedbug, would place it on the porch, headed toward the gate, and say : "Now, you go away, and don't you ever come back again." It is not reported that her plan was efficacious.

MORAL PHENOMENA.

The ethical views of some of the leaders were somewhat hazy. A number of people were induced to join the colony by the printed statement of the officials that the net assets were over