The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-28
THE SOCIAL QUESTION.

PROFESSOR ADLERs VIEWS OF COMMUNISM AND
SOCIAL EQUALiTY-THE NEW woRKiNaM MS
lYCEUM.
'.Wnilc the scene upon which this drama OF lilo Is
enacted remains forever chaugoess We alone, the
actors IN this DRAMA changc said Professor Adler ut
Standard Hall yesterday. II proves that We not
mere atoms never really isolated; that belong
past we'll the future. But he continu ed,
We not only channels through which the past
goes to the future; We had not only the right to
accept but also the right reject whatever had been
bequoathcd to us by our ancestors. We were children
u mighty past not only but fathers OF a migh.iei
future. No better illustration of that lie Tor the
could be furnished than the sentiments enter
tanned by the founders OF the American Republic, ali
of whose utlerances were accompanied with dignity
that added peculiar force TO their warnings AS early
IVA IL had been declared in their organs that thd
least deviation from the acts oil Congress would Vi
treason only 10 tho Colonies, but TO the mIllOus
yet unborn" Bcsldcs mankind In America has not
very great past to look at; all tho therefore
should II look to the future The social problem
regularly an American question, AS in the distant
future, when populations would SIT close together
the yet sparscy inhabited Stacs every vice that now
stalks through the viii have Increased hundred
tunes, and every virtue now planted In the soil Will
have become great.
SAVE DORMANT TALENT
Tho discussion OF 'socia equality" would bring out
the fictitious distinctions among men. IL would show,
II carried far enough how some men who ought 10 be
philosophers we're carrying the nod how some states
mon were laying bricks. HIS own experiences n tho
colleges universities Of tho country had taught
HIM mat there was hardly any class but he could
point his nhger 10 ths or that man and tell hun,
s.air you ought to b. "a shoemaker or s.Sir, you
have no business hero IN this seal OF learning, nature
has not ntted you Tor It," All this was wrong; society
should step IN anu pick out from the best Ia iterii
the public schools those talented minus which tho
country sands III so much need OF and place them
where in later years they could benefit mankind gen.
orally. "We have lie saving Stations along our COAST,
exclaimed the Professor, 40 bodies those
about 10 drown. why not have stations along our cities
bc lost to mankind ~ This might DO called demand
The part OF "those dreamers VINO preached the re-
iIson Of humanity" but he begged leave to read an
extract from petitions 10 various Legislatures by
tho National Board of Trade, asking that art anu
science schools be established tue various states,
80 That skilled labor might DO abundant. better
labor was demanded 10 increase tho quality Of the
product, hunanitarans AT least had the right de-
mand II. SO that the dignity OF the producer nght bd
increased.
This train Of argument, while clamoring for the in.
creased dignity Of the avOring mnn and Tor greater
social equality, might be construed as placing him in
sympathy with tuose communists who believed IN
roboins the rich for the benefit of tho poor ~ was
below the subject o these discourses Tor hun
even TO touch tneso subjects And still he did not
entertain the Same dread OF communism as most peo
pie had. He had sympathy whatever with tho
Communists OF France who burned the Tuileries and
killed tho Archbishop Of Paris. But he had
Too great respect Tor many Communists to
sneak slightly OF thor philosophy. He knew Plato
was communist. so were tho Hebrew prophets,
whose views Of property rights could not to-day
stand The test oil the Manchester school Of political
economists was Jesus OF Nazareth, and 50 was IN
fact every true family where among brothers aud
sisters there was mol ninc and thine. Aad still no
was not a communist himself, for the simple reason
that we were not yet all lambs IN This world Thero
were too many wolves abroad who would got the bet.
ter OF the lambs IN this contest Perhaps thousand
years hence this subject might De more easily
bronchod For the present they had only 10 do with
The practical work oil Improving the social standing oI
the workingman In TINS connection Professor
Adcr explained at length the various modes by which
ihdustra progress could be promoted aud referred TO
the laie wee President Wilson authority To show
That u only partial Interest Ia the profits vi iabo
were vouchsafed to the aboring man. ms condition
Is at once improved The profits, however, were the
very last lie cared 10 look the happier homes,
the ncater children ana The contentcu mothers lac
cared 10 contemplate IL brought hght III their homes
ana hght Ia Their souls. These were the questions
wat should interest the true servant OF religion, and
he was appy TO that already the Cath Ole aud tho
Episcopal churches were touching upon the social
question: He feared not their competitions ho hailed
Their doinss with delight and regarded their action
great step In advance.
Alter the conclusion of his lecture Professor Adler
he had alluded some ume since, q reality.
several meetings OF workngmen OF various trades had
been held and the proper organiz ton ected Tho
newspapers would shortly announce the sphere of
their operai ions, but IN they had begun
by organizing free circulating library. certain
gentleman lad donated u thousand dollar bond Tor
that purpose, but the interest that sum was moi
sufficient TO establish the library II every one of his
hearers would donate ono book only the nucleus Of
library would he formed that would be a prcal boon
Tor the work ,ngmeu OF Now ork