New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-11

port in the lessons Of experience and the sugges-
tons Of common sense. We all love TO listen 10
descriptions Of Paradise on earth, and to seek
oblivion from the actual disorders Of society III e
many-colored pictures of fancy. The most Ieoeu'
dream of Utopia may be found IN the present "'i'
liant volume Mr.. Ruskn paints his rhap,ou'eH .,
secular perfection in the gaycst rhetoric. Tue "iiu
fields Of political economy are clothed WIN az
yerure al his touch and present foretaste oi INC
fruits of the millenmm. His fondes' ole"i'' 'ii'V
from earnest conviction, though he takes couiiseI
with hone and fancy. rather than with reason.
The volume is i'm the form of familiar letters adj
dressed To one of the English wOrkngmeu, ana treats
of certain reforms in their condition which have not
vet been demanded in Parliament. One OF the
points which Mr.. Ruskin urges, as essential TO q
sound social economy is the restraining of the prop
critics and income Of the upper classes within certain
fixed limits. Thus. by removing all temptations to
The use of every energy in the accumulation OF
wealth higher ideal OF the duties OF life would be
created in the national mind: the Withdrawal from
commercial competition of those who had attained
the prescribed limits of wealth. would insure to the
young earlier worldly success and earlier marriage,
with all its benefcent moral results while the older
men of active intellect. whose sagacity is now alb
sorbed in the furtherance of their own mercenaiy
interests would find unselfsh occupation IN the
snperntendence of public institutions the promo
ton of the public advantage. The members of the
legislature should be chosen from this class. They
should be rewarded with peculiar honors which
wond repay them for the loss of superior wealth.
The first duty OF the State is TO that every child
born therein shall be well housed clothed, ted and
educated till it attans years OF discretion. ms I'M
plies an authority in the Government of which now
we do not even dream. Oyerseers, or bishops IT you
will, should be appointed over every hundred fami-
flo Sfaf0 who Clnull
Of the life of every individual in those families. They
should exercise such care their interest and con-
duct that no person. however humble, could suffer
from unknown want, or live in unrecOgnized crime
watching with the patience and gentleness OF true
Christian pastors over their fiOcks but with full
legal authority OF interference on due occasion. such
overseers should be not only the bishops, but the BIZ
ographers Of their people, rendering to n
superior State officer an annual written state
ment Of the principal events in the life OF
each family. These records laid up IN
public Offices would show the suitable candidates
for advanced position or distinguished honors thus
furnishing a powerful dissuasive from crime, and
stimuant to worthy conduct. No OdiouS espionage
is implied in this procedure. No visits should he
made in any house without invitation unless the
law had been violated. No record should be made
against the will of any family, except OF what was
inevitably known of its publicly visible conduct,
and the results of that conduct. Whatever else was
written should be only by the desire of the head Of
the family In this way it would soon be felt that
the history of nation was not OF Its wars, but
of It's households Men would desire to obtain some
conspicuous place in these honorable annals rather
than TO shrink behind closed shutters from public
sight.
Mr. Ruskn believes that the necessity of some such
arrangement is inevitable from the circumstances of
the present times. The imminent danger to which
England is exposed by the downfall of its arstOcracY,
fine substitution Of the mOney-pOwer for military
force, and the increasing prevalence OF the mob
spirit and the chances of insane war, founded on
popular passion, demands untried means of safety,
and the counses of wisdom rather than the ntrgues
Of the demagogue.
The first acts Of legislation under the regime
should be directed against the practice of thievng,
in all its branches but chiefly i'll its occult and polite
methods Above all, the making and selling of bad
goods-the most criminal form of theft and the most
deadly 10 the State-shoud be inexoraby suppressed
The fercest punishments should be directed toward
its utter extinction there is hope for the social
state No religion that ever preached on earth
has proclaimed any salvation to the sellers of bad
goods. No laws can be too severe against subtle
knavery. With this enemy no truce should be kept.
For hight weights and false measures for adultera-
ton and dishonest manufacture of commodities, the
penalty should dc Oh BOOus DdlSll-
rnent from the country. The standard Of sound
articles should be fixed by te guild of every trade
in it's own manner to which III proposed improve
ments shonld be submitted. All puflery and self
proclamation on the part of tradesmen should be alb
solutely prohibited as much the making of any
other kind of noise or disturbance STILL this law is
TO apply only to tradesmen who have volunteered to
carry on a better system of commerce. Outside of
their guild, the rogue might puff and cheat as he
chose leaving the public to be gued at its own
sweet Will Ii people preferred to buy Of those who
had refused to join an honest society they should be
allowed to do so at their pleasure and their peril.
The prices for all articles warranted by the guild
should be annually fixed for the trade throughout the
kingdom; the wages of the woIkmen should also be
fixed so as to define the masters profits; and the
affairs OF every firm should be annually reported to
the guild, every firm whose liabilities exceeded
its assets by hundred pounds forthwith being dc
elared bankrupt
The elements Of State education should I've calcu-
lated equally for the advantage of every order Of per-
son composing the State. From the lowest to the
highest class every child should be required by law
10 receive these general elements of discipline, and
ito be baptized not with drop of water its fore
head. but in the cloud and sea Of heavenly wisdom
and of earthly power" The purposes of State educa
ton aim al making the body as beautiful and perfect
IN its youth as it can be- wholly irrespective of ute
rior purpose The laws of health should be relig-
onsly observed Hence, the schools must be in fresh
country and amidst fresh air. with great eXtents of
lands attached TO them in permanent estate. Riding
nnning and all the honest personal arts OF oiense
and defense. and music, should form the principal
heads of this bodily education.
Next TO these physical accomplishments, should be
Taught the two great mental graces of reverence and
compassion These sentiments. il rs true are innate
in human nature but they require to be developed