The New York herald., 1878-11-22
THE LECTURE SEASON.

THE LECTURE SEASON.
SIMON srERSE GIVES HIS VIEWS on THE AD-
yANTAoEs OF FREE TRADE AND THE CHANGES
WHICH HE CONSIDERS DESIRABLE IL OUR
LAWS AND INSTITUTIONS
Mr.. Simon Sterne last night delivered, at No. 81
West Twenty-fourth street the second lecture in
established by the New York Free Trade Club
for the purpose OF enightening the public some
OF the phases of economic reform that it Is the object
OF this club to promote" Among the lecturers
gagged Horace White, President NJ. i. Anderson OF
Rochester University; Professor W. g. sumner Of
Yale College; Dr. II. W. Bellows and parke Goodwin.
and, said, Mr.. Sterne delivered the second lee
ture last evening. His subject was:--..Ihe Causes
Which Retard the Adoption in This Country OF
Financial and Political Rcformatory Measures" He
maintained that III all such measures this country
does not keep pace with the nations of Europe.
That the of people better of than those
OF Europe is due to independent OF legislation.
and that people better OF than they is
due TO naptitde 10 carry out the reforms other
nations have accomplished Oar national wen being
is due to SOIL climate cheap lands and the facili
ties of intercourse between states rather than to
methods and institutions At The time Of the organi
zation of our government we were not cursed with
castles and class privileges and the guild system had
not taken root in country. Mr.. Sternc then spoke
at length OF the guild system and the establish
ment of the Zollyercin which system Of
free interchange between the States Of Germany He
sketehed the condition of Germany. France and Eng
land and conrsted it with that OF America. showing
the advantages possessed by tEe latter in its start
Yet, he said Notwithstanding this and the
enormous additions to Americas material pros
badly managed that individually we are
not much richer than the people of Europe.
America has nnlsed vast public debt; her civil
laws have been discrcditcd by every nation in
Europe; she has protective tariff and has placed
upon her statute book act which will speedily de-
monetze gold and place us below the level of Italy
as to our standard of values One cause il the forma
ton the class of politicians which really governs
the country The lecturer then spoke at length on the
practice of legislatures OF passing private bills
and the growth OF the lobby Our apprehension. he
said of the abuse Of political power in this country
and the fear Of its becoming III the hands of ono
class overwhelming in it's influence to crush ont
other interests has induced to. frittcr away all
political power. either By its subdivision into differ
cnt departments dspe rising it i'll the division be-
power is really and clearly held responsible for the
non-performancc OF the duty of introducing ncces-
sary remedial measures.
THE FREE TRADERS WANT TO CHANGE THE GOVERN
For example. though we We're on the verge OF civil
war in 1876 because OF our inalen uate and wrctched
machinery for the election OF President yet two
sessions of Congress have intcrycnel without the
passage Of any law to prevent such calamity in tho
neglect Of duty. To charge any being to blame
would appear ridiculous that duty really devolyes
upon one. Our existing system Of representation
retards the adoption of rcformatory measures The
voice of educated thinkers cannot be heard against the
voice Of those who think and feel public questions
matter Of instinct. Our political parties made
up OF compromises This part of the decentralization
consequent upon vicious system of representation
can only be cured by changing the system from
majority to totality plan, which would act
dissolvent Of political parties. On
this, however / shall not dwell this evening.
To up the referred to they may be said
be first. party system, which is caused by the
division OF employmcnts and the vicious organiza-
ton of our laws, which place representation we'll
control in the hands OF majority only; second,
the extension Of the suffrage to matters of municipal
administration to which elections not applicable
then the absence of any large interest that viii make
head against the specially sinister interests which
sencc Of any law regulating nominations to Office;
of legislation especially with regard private bills
and last, the absence of civil service of reform.
II parties could be disintegrated; If responsible
Ministry could repa cabinet officers; il private and
public bills could be properly separated; If the suf
rage could be confined national and State really
political questions il the minority could be cmanci
patcd, might be led to adopt those elements Of
success which distinguish other nations and enable
thcnl by better distribution Of wealth. to
the that they far behind ia it's creation.
We haye still to learn that much depends
upon the akilful distribution OF human wealth and
of happiness upon those bountics Of nature
which enable to produce more largely than any
other nation that has ever existed.