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Show 76 Utah Academy of Sciences, Ac:ts and Letters the whole es tima ted a t also 2 mares, 9 years old, each valued at (78) do 2 colts 4 months old, valued at $30 each and so on $ I 00.00 (90) ------------ $168.00 $ 60.00 th tit tn itemized list of all they owned, including 10 through a brewing apparatus on small scale, a double ba,j ·l fowling piece, household and kitchen furniture, and wearing apparel, all total ing $855.00. It concludes with the promise that they "will war- (al rant forever defend the Same unto Said Trustee in Trust, his or: successor in office assigns against the claims of our heirs, assigns, Irl or any person whomsoever," and is then duly witnessed and rr notarized. iti The reason for the failure of' this experiment is clear on the or face of it. While' some of the most zealous would deed over all they had, down to the last pewter teaspoon, the majority would not-not even. to the church they loved. The plan was quietly fa dropped, and the faithful who had been willing to make a sacri- w fice were never called upon to make it. Still another social experiment was begun in 1874, when the United Order was set up in about a score of the small towns of the state. It was a type of socialism or communism in which all property was owned by the group. Each member gave into the undertaking all that he had of land, cattle, machinery, etc., and contributed according to his skills and ability. All were counted equal, mechanics, musicians, teachers, day laborers, all sharing alike in the profits of the undertaking. One story of the workings of the United Order is told of a lanky, fast-growing boy who had 'Outgrown his pants. Sensitive about his appearance, he worked after hours stripping the bits of wool from the docked tails of the sheep. He contrived to get it washed, carded, spun, dyed, woven, and finally made into pants ( without neglecting his regular duties. When he appeared at the I dance in this gorgeous habiliment, proud that the lower eight inches of his legs were covered, he was called in and reprimanded \" for false pride and covetousness that should make him want to have a new pair of pants when his associates had none. He must turn the beloved trousers in to the Order, to be worn in turn by other youths who were also troubled by too long legs. As an ideal of equality this was a brave and daring experi ment, but unworkable in a democratic society. People found that what is every body's business is nobody's business; they did not want to share alike, but to reap the benefits of their own initia tive and industry in a free enterprise system. Except in the town 'Of Orderville, the experiment was short lived, rarely surviving the second year. So it was abandoned, "until the people should become unselfish enough to live it." Why exhume these dead bones, some ask. Who cares about experiments that failed and were discarded? Why think now of an |
