New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-01

NeW-JereeN, anu WuCtuCt OOtpol otattcu'
or better msnaged-perhaps bOth-thAt AS
ISOLATION, after several years duration, IS
now in the enjoy ent OF a more vigorous
and promising existence than ever.
Along with these practical movements
there sprung up a violent controversy in
the public press, in which it was the lot of
this journal to bear its part. The doctrine
of social Justice, of equality of social
rights, of the right Of each human being to
education. employme2: and the fall pro-
duct of his labor, Of the goodness of mans
essential nature, and the possibility of
state of general abundance, intelligence and
happiness, provoked the warmest oppOsi-
ton on the part of the religious aud conser-
vative organs. Some Of these doctrines we
ourselves defended, others we postponed
for future consideration, but all Of them
were made the SUBJ ects of imprisoned ami
madversion, while scarce any calumny
was too piQuant or any extremity of ridi-
cule too severe to be pat upon the un-
lucky Fourierites. These attacks contin-
ued as long as the Associations lasted and
as the latter passed out of notice the doc
t1ines end their advocates were suffered to
20 undisturbed. 1t is now some time since
any journal has been reproached with being
FourieIite organ.
And yet the man who should say that
the idea Of Association had made no adj
vance during this period, would be mis-
taken. If its adherents have failed in their
larger and more glowing expectations in
this country and elsewhere, they have seen
it taking possession of departments Of So
ciety and succeeding in directions on which
they had scarcely counted. Witness the
working mems associations of Paris, of
Brussels, of London, and Of many places
in the United States witness tho Pro-
tective Unions of New and the Washing
and Bathing establishments of Old Eng
land, as well as the various forms of assO-
ciative combination for procuring the ne
cessaries of life cheaply and of good quail
~, which have been put into practice on
the continent of Europe. In fact, during
this time the idea has passed from abstract
theory into practice, and having been d.
verted of all speculative and Interior con-
siderations which had offended the con-
victions and the prejudices of large classes,
is now quite generally regarded as a good
thing. At the same time the philosophical
radicalism before connected with it, has
had its share of success in the world o.
thought, whether for good or evil, we do
not here inquire.
The reason why the idea of industrial
and domestic association, thus modified
has gained so many unexpected sufffages,
is, first that it satisfies common sense, and
then, that it meets a universal want of So
ciety. The old methods can no longer suf-
fee, and some new remedy must be found
for the evils threatening to overspread tho
face of civilization with ruin. Pauperism
extends with alarming rapidity, crime in
creases, and the laboripg masses are stirred
with fearful discomfort. Where wealth
and luxury make their gorgeous parade
misery on a vaster scale and Of deeper
wretchodness than was ever known before,
save in some time of pestilenco, glowers
from its filthy kennels. In France there
are seven millions of paupers out of thirty
five millions of population; in Belgium; the
proportion is still moro alarming; in Ger
many, hardly less so. Revolutionary COM
motions attest the power of these volcanic
forces beneath the surface of society, and
the instinct of self preservation has sent
the laborers in quest OF the means of bet
teriDg their condition. The same instinct
combined with a sentiment Of philanthropic
generosity, has caused some of the more
fortunate classes to help them, though IN
luckily, in the majority of cases, especially
in France, party spirit and social selfish
ness have united to oppose the attempt.
Still the workmeu have aimed at nothing
which ought to excite the alarm of any
ludicious mind, no matter Of what way
of thinking; their movement has been
much less radical and sweeping ia it's aims
than that of lS43 and "A in this country
But it is in England that the idea Of AS
ISOLATION has been most generally received,
though in highly diluted form, and has
met with the most successful practical
application. In England, too, the need Of
it was and is the most pressing. Nowhere
else has the contrast between wealth and