The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-03
THE WARFARE. OF GLASSES.

From, the N. Y. Times. .I
In both hemispheres there are being brought
to the front problems of society which
threaten sooner or later to supersede existing
problems of politics. AS q pioneer of this
movement among ourselves, Wendell Phillips
may serve as type; as its best representa-
tive in England, we may accept John Stuart
Mill. On the social aspects of the insurrec-
ton of the French Communists, we have
already sufficiently enlarged. The coming
difficulties of the great Anglo-Saxon nations
are the result of forces in some respects iden-
tical with those which have conyulsed Paris;
but they present nevertheless, features which
give them characteristic individuality. OF
the many radical movements which are fast
obliterating existing party lines in England,
and which will shortly compel en- entire change
of political front, the most decidedly aggres-
sive is that which relates to the tenure and
distribution of land. To appreciate the i'm
portance of the change aimed at by the re-
formers of whom Mr.. Mill is the most
influential spokesman, it is necessary to bear
in mind the immense power of English land
owners as a social caste, tho tedious and COM
plicated legal forms which appear to have
been designed to obstruct the transfer of
land, and the distinction which property in
the soil, apart altogether from mere wealth,
confers on its possessor. Something less
than one in every thousand Englishmen has
share in the ownership of the soil on which
he was born, and of the thirty thousand actual
proprietors rather less than one-third own at
least two-thirds of the kingdom. Mr.. Mills
doctrine is that land can be appropriated only
by the consent of society, and that society
reserves the right of revoking its consent at
any time con giving due compensation to
the interests that it has allowed to
grow up" The application of this doc
trine is thus illustrated by an organ
| ofz1S-- English radicallsm. suppose
an estate which yielded an original rental of
| 5000, o00 The State need not disturb the
owner in his possession of the land, and in
his right to enjoy in perpetuity its present
annual rental; but if, as result of the
general progress of the country, another
| 5000, 900 should accrue to the possessor, it is
due of right to the country at large and not
to any individual. Once apply principles
like these to the existing fabric of English
society, and its present foundations will GER
tainly be removed. The reconstructed edi-
fee might be more harmonious in its details;
but there can hardly be doubt that the fall
of the old one would carry with it good
many more things than its destroyers in.
tended 1t is not very easy to see how
hard and fast line of division could be main
tanned between property in land and property
in any other form. To the average democrat
the distinction would certainly be impercepti
BILE. The privileged classes" In England
understand this pretty thoroughly and hence
the loosening of existing party ties befor,
the advance of this portentous social revolu
ton.
Thanks to our freedom from feudal tradi
tions, to our boundless resources, and to tn,
sound republican foundation on which ou
social structure has been reared, we hav
little reason to fear any such coming delug
of Communism as this. If, however, in tn,
enormous industrial expansion that is befor,
J us, the minds of our citizens become leav
ened with the theories of Mr. Wendell Phil
: lips, we shall hardly escape having to face
movement only less threatening. The reso
lutions written by the indefatigable agitato
for the Boston Labor Reformers are skill
fully adapted to enlist the prejudices, and T.
warp the Judgment, of the class to whom
they are addressed. What, for instance
could be more transparently Opposes
to the plainest teachings Of politics
r economy than this? ga reduction
: of the hours of labor will increas
, wages, and will also cause a corresponding
reduction of the future accumulations OF tbs
3 speculative classes, and thus secure NOR
equal distribution of wealth" Or what i
, pIetentious want of meaning could be devise
0 to exceed this statement7 Through tn
Y wages channel all Of the wealth regularl
y secured to the masses is distributed, and
increase their share of this wealth thei