New-York tribune., 1877-09-20
BRITISH TOPICS.
GoLDwIN SMITH ON THE STRIKERS.

THE RX-PROFEssOR TAKES A CHEERFUL VIEW OF
THE SOCIAL CONDITION or THIS CoUNrRY-hE
COMPARES THE FRENCH AND AMERICAN sYs-
TENS OF REPRESSION, AND CONDEMNS GOVERN
MENT ARBI CULLEN AND THE
PRESS
iFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRihuNE'J
LONDON, Sept. 1.-The article by MIR. Goodwin
Smith on "The Labor War in the United States
opens the September number of The Contemporary
hcrW. 1t is not mere recapitulation OF facts but
an attempt to discover the causes which underlie
them and to suggest some practical remedies for the
evils which the riots disclosed. An attempt OF that
kind is useful in enlghtening English opinion; 1t
would be still more useful in America ITSELF hr'
Godwin Smith writes as the partisan OF no class,
and the advocate of no prcconcered theory' put as
thinker who has studicd the social and pohtlcai
life of America, and is animated by sincere good
will TO all classes of the American people, Not the
least beneficial effect of the paper VIII be us re-
minder TO European critics that great riots are not
peculiar TO the United States that. i'll fact labor
riots have been less frequent and general there than
under the less Democratic governments OF Europe.
With this belongs the other fact. already under
stood to some extent, that for the Communstic ee-
ments of the riot not American institutions, but the
maadies European society and the shortcomings OF
European governments are responsible. With an eye
TO these French writers who have taken the riots as
text for sermons on the duty of political repression,
Mr.. Goldwin Smith points out with what success
"the authorities of New York, IN the midst of the
late riots feeling themselves masters of the sitla-
ton ventured to illustrate the difference between
the policy of America and that of French Govern
ments bv allowing a mass-meeting of Communists
to be held" In France no meeting would have been
allowed, and no proof could have been had Of the
emptiness of the boasts put forward by the Com
nv IL -1,nl.
ought thinks Mr. Goldwn Smith, to dspel the ap-
prehensons of those Americans who believed they
were living over n mine of social and industrial dis
content, with which the power of the Government
would prove inadequate to DEAL The mine has ex-
ploded exploded in the most perious circumstances
of industrial Distress and in the hour of the Govern
ments weakness The effects were terrible enough,
but we see how far it has been from blowing soci-
ety. or any considerable portion Of it, into the AIR."
To those who, under this apprehension. have allowed
themselves Ia toy with the idea of Imperialism, the
following passage may prove instructive:
The French Empire, to which at one time few wisi
fu ewes w-re turned especially among Americans who
had undergone influence Of Paris kept foot or at
least paid for keepng on foot tior the acnnistratiye
corruption times than in the Stltesl, an
army Of s0O 90 men, besides vast police and pes
lent Of SPIES A comparison between this force
(sctug down fair proportion OF the army 10 the ac-
cOun. OF internal represson and the force Oidlhdry
used rrTr,ssiyc purposes by Government IN the
United States, Will approximate measure OF thc
comparative souudness OF society under the two sets OF
| Institutions.
Nevertheless. Mr.. Goodwin Smith is of those who
think that till the existing force is no longer needed
for the wretched work of fighting the Indians, some
additions will have 70 be made TO the army to enable
the Government to keep order The militia, save IN
York, proved inadequate, or unfit for the work
required of them; and 1t is the foreign element from
which the danger of disorder arises, not from the
offspring OF Republican Institutions 1t is suggested
also that moderate force of central police should
| be maintained by each State This would enable
! the State Governments to furnish local authorities
with the of TepreSsing any local disorder, and
would diminish, though it would not entirely ob-
vate. the necessity of augmenting the Federal
| army" Mr. Gollw Smith urges, moreover, that
the time is proved to have come for committing to
the National Government the guardianship and con-
rol of the railways, the canals. and teegraphs-this
though he avows himself hearty adherent of State
Rights must refer the reader the article itself,
for the development OF its authors views on
this and other points adding that he declares
strongly agains; the mischevous proposal of gov
ernment arbitration between laborerS and employ
ers. Government cannot properly lend its au-
thority to any arrangement which it cannot under
take to enforce, and no government can undertake
10 enforce given rate of wages"
The same periodical, under the title "The Newest
Thing i'll journalism" publishes vehement protest
against the class of papers to which have some
times referred as Boulevard weeklies. The list III
cludes Vaaity Fair, The Uorld, Punch, Mayfair, The
!IbiiehaU Recic,r and London They are roundly de-
nounced as mere organs of the SnOb. filled with
tenth-rate fiction, haslp articles indecent sugges
tons and ptiable scandal; and numerous samples of
these wares are given. But the force of the con
demnation inst in itself, is weakened by the writers
extreme violence as well as by some declarations
against journalism in general. which, whether just
OF not is out of place in an article undertaking to
deal with particular phase of journalism.
The floods are out in Staiorishire, and pastoral
from Cardinal Cullen is out in Dublin. This ecclcsi
astical meteOroogis has found out why " the skies
ram their plaques on men like dew" His opinion is
simply Lord Byrons opinion-it is the " "uneradi-
cable faint of sin." With Lord Byron it is sin in
general but with Cardinal Cullen it is more partcu-
lary sin IN the newspapers "infdel newspapers
and reviewso-in which Atheism is preached every
day. and defended without let OF hindrance" Every
day "the name of God is openly blasphemed." Every
day the doctrines and practices of the Church are
scofed at with impunity" he Irish Inquistion being
Just yet u working ORDER consignment of racks
and thumbscrews having been delayed by the bad
weather.. Every day attempts are made 10 bring
I'D children without religion, and TO bauish God
from the school" / thought it was the priest whom
the "inlels" had tried to Danish from the school,
but the Cardinal seems to make distinction.
There strong preacher i'll front of my win
dows the other day who had gathered crowd and
was making noise, and whom l politely requested
TO choose more suitable spot in which to pursue his
ministrations. He complied, but not without leav-
ing an anathema behind him. "Its not the noise
You object to-" said he; "it's not me you send