The New York herald., 1878-01-14
THE SOCIAL QUESTION.

"LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT. OF HAPPI-
NESS" DEFINED BY PROFESSOR ADLER AT
STANDARD HALL-HIs VIEWS on THE LlQUoR
CRUSADE.
Professor Felix Adler yesterday delivered the first
discourse ON the "socia question" topic which he
,ntdhds to elaborate upon before his audiences ut
Standard Hall during the current year In dong SO
he the foreground that he did not claim any
extraordinary powers but merely desired 10 reflect
tho very thoughts that controlled the minds Of
those who tho members Of his society," In treat
ing OF this question nothing seemed to him more ire
lgious than the doctrine OF the depravy OF the hu-
man heart. On the contrary mans heart was gem
orally good, us mankind had always loved those who
were able 10 read the riddles OF their souls. Truo,
there was evil in human nature, but the world now
had reached that condition whore 1t could point the
finger directly at il, and II was COLOSSAL selishness"
II liberalism meant any hing ut all IT was 10 devise
new means and new TO assault this common
enemy-selnshness. Often he had alluded in his lcc-
lures to the high esteem in which he held tie He
brew prophets and this simply because they had
the and the courage 10 stand up before the
nob,es OF Jerusalem and denounce them ior thoir
pruclces IN robOing the people aud proners 10 bring
their sacrifices the priests 1t the same IN this
country when culture und reflnoment, only u low
years ago ranged themselves the sldo OF the ma.
tiopai oi sinvcry, and when lew brave men-
real children oil the prophcls-denouncou lie lime
wherever could "NeW Children Of lhe prophets
were now wanted in the pupits OF the country 70
cry ou 'Ihou art iase !" aud institute religion of
HE away the vei tnat hides the spots ol our
socla lie anu inquire wnethcr the natural aud IN
aiieuabe rights granted to The American people by
tneir great Charter OF Independence wcro truly Gu
loved oy lhem. These r,guta wore com prIsed the
grand sentence OF "Lifc, Liberty ana lhe pursuit OF
happiness. As to the Two nrst. they had Deen sue
cessa The people enjoyed them 10 very great ex-
tent Lie as secure here IN amy other part Of
the word and Americans enjoyed inr greater degree
o liberty than The people ol Europe. pursuit Of
,~i,, mt III tnls
10 guarantee 10 the people, was not sue
cessiuL IL MAS only few years ago tnat 1t was
considered An axiom ia this country that man
mere could help himself II he wantcd TO- The people
now know better rnousanus to-day were willing to
work III land, but there was no work. Great
populations we're suffering, and paupensm stalked
through the land. There evidently was something
wrong We were told that every one might attain
SUCCESS II he was Industrious, perscvcrng ana cncr-
ectic; but, much Us these qualites led 10 SUCCESS
they aid not IL. The avenues oi opportunity
were closed 70 many OF them Any amount OF talent
was lost by want OF opportunity. The brilliant
lew who succeed Ia this lie were heard Of but tho
futile Efforts Of thousands equally talented we're not
IDLEyEss AND CRIME.
The uncertainty OF labor was worse than low wages.
IL tnat winch led 10 shittessness, ~ was mat
which led 10 an unwholesome state oi MIND ana
brought about more Of the inteniperance so much
heard oi than anything else IL was the INCONSISTENCY
OF employment that llled the aramshops and he
knew of his hearers would throw the hrst stone
at who came homo late at nights overworKed,
seeing wiie la misery, his children Jaded, his room
cold aid cneeress, and his work uncertain ior the
morrow, IL to warm himself III tho dranshop.
.Put you rse IN his place., was the demand he would
make upon those who Instituted the recent crusade
against liquor. How much better indeed would II have
been II, la connection with the recent crusade, lew
hundred warm, cheerful reading rooms had bcen
opened in tins city, and hc Tor one would desire
to see those churches that had urged on
this crusade throw open their empty, gor-
gcous buildings nights In the week for
the benefit oil the workngmun. All he desired was
that the right hand fellowship should DO extended
to the workngman. No degradation, no line spun
patronage, but right down fellowship. He knew tno
society OF Ethical Culture could not 10 much but II
could give direction to the true religion that
was required OF to-day. Hep, help" was thcI
system "help, help, I" was their religion. Educate
the masscs and there would be less workin9men to
care Ior. 1t true that IN discussing these ques-
tious some people icarod that the req nag ol Com
bull to ne renzicd by any such aynary rag Their
aim was lit mtnkind up 70 noOier plane anu 70
pive II only u direction toward that pursuit vi hap
pincss which as yet had not been successful In Inns