.

Here we have the essential characteristic of Utopian Socialism as
distinguished from modern, or scientific, Socialism. The Utopians regard
human life as something plastic and capable of being shaped and molded
according to systems and plans. All that is necessary is to take some
abstract principle as a standard, and then prepare a plan for the
reorganization of society in conformity with that principle. If the plan
is perfect, it will be enough to demonstrate its advantages as one would
demonstrate a sum in arithmetic. The scientific Socialists, on the other
hand, are evolutionists. Society, they believe, cannot take leaps at
will; social changes are products of the past and the present. They
distrust social inventors and schemes. Socialism is not an ingenious
plan for the realization of abstract Justice, or Brotherhood, but a
necessary outgrowth of the centuries. Owen, then, was a Utopian. He
regarded himself as one inspired, an inspired inventor of a new social
system, and believed that it was only necessary for him to demonstrate
the truth of his contentions and theories, by argument and practical
experiment, to bring about the transformation of the world. He
conducted a tremendous propaganda, by means of newspapers, pamphlets,
lectures, and debates, and established various communities in England
and this country. In face of a bitter opposition and repeated failure,
he kept on with sublime faith and unbounded courage which nothing could
shake.

In 1825 Owen began the greatest and most splendid of his social
experiments in the village of Harmonie, Indiana, in the beautiful valley
of the Wabash. The place had already been the theater of an interesting
experiment in religious communism, Owen having bought the property from
the Rappites. In February and March, 1825, the brave reformer addressed
two of the most distinguished audiences ever gathered in the Hall of
Representatives at the national capital. In the audiences were the
President of the United States, the Judges of the Supreme Court, several
members of the cabinet, and almost the entire membership of both houses
of Congress. Owen explained his plans for the regeneration of society in
detail, exhibiting a model of the buildings to be erected. It is almost
impossible to realize at this day the tremendous interest which his
appeal to Congress awakened. His vision of a re-created world caught the
popular imagination.

Among those whose minds were fired was a bo