The New York herald., 1878-12-30
STANDARD HALL.
SOCIAL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES BY PROFESSOR
FELIX ADLER.

SOCIAL CONSERVATISM BY PROFESSOR
FELIX ADLER.
Professor Felix Adler ectured yesterday on Social
Conservatism" He said:-rhere Is reformer
who is always successful. Hc kills kings. and no
tribunal of justice arraigns him. He overturns
pres and sweeps away the powers and potentates OF
the earth the wind drives chat. He is liberal in
religion. He breaks down the power of the most
ancient herarchies and the mishtest religious
systems to crumble The name OF this reformer
is Time Among Ill the changes which Time
brings the most important religious and social
propose to speak to-day Of social change and social
conservatism. The human is poor. 1t appears
We have not food enough to feed all mouths nor
rament enough to clothe every back Under these
circumstances. II expend on things not strictly
necessaries must have good reason for the outlay
There such things. of immense Importance to
the race I mention in the first place culture.
Whatever social changes contemplated we
must preserve the highest intellectual culture.
II only q thousand human beings remain
and there be wealth sufficient among them to give
comfort to all, provided all devoted themselves to
manual labor. should say let 800 work harder than
their share--let some OF these 800 be poor;
that ten men be set apart to do nothing with
their hands, only to think greater thoughts and TO
experience subtler feelings and to live for art and
music, for sweetness and light" There is great
outcry against. what Is called by. patry name.
.kid glove learning" No shall study Latin and
Greek; the universities shall be pared down TO the
level Of Peter and Paul every shall learn
handicraft to make him MS member society;
the discoveers and the teachers and the singers
OF songs and those who create the tranquil beauty OF
scuptured marble were not useful.
MEN BENEFITED.
/ should insist ON bringing the heaviest sacrifices
for high culture. even il the mass of mankind were
not directly benefited thereby for the whole il
interested i'll introducing noble specimens OF itself.
| Every human being receives an added dignity, II
justify all expenditures in behalf of culture that
this superior intelligence shall bethat the III
the persons OF these hbred excnplars shall rank
higher in the face Of the stars and sun. But. in
reality. all benefited by the exclusive
| speciallsm Of great thinkers Abstract knowi-
edge has its practical outcome. Railroads.
telcgraphs, electric light, moral speculations.
give comfort in the home. make intercourse gentler
prevent jars. are valuable to say tho least,
fauItless upholstery and frescocd ceilings and spa
apartments. The moral teacher builds up the
home you than the architect the builder
Then, too, the degree to which the people per-
mited to share in the results of scientific investeA
ton depends upon the maintenance OF the highest
thoroughness The popularization OF science is not
for beginners but for adopts People are vitality in
terested ia maintaining scientific thoroughness.
MASSEas SOCIALISM COMMUNISM.
In the second place we desire TO preserve what Is
coroory OF cultured manners Manners depend on
sclf-respect and Difference to the rights OF Others
They not external thing: they shine with the
reflected light OF character; they are the bulwarks
individuality. The lcvelling tendency OF democ-
racy is hostile to good MANNERS. Here. too. own
my conservatism. But, thirdly. we must preserve
personal liberty. No scheme OF social reform must
lmperl that. / do not like to assail Com
munism. The words socialism and communism
have acquired very dabolical meaning.
social Improvement Only those who think society
not capable OF not in need OF Improvement are
opponents OF socialism. And Communism, also. has
only innocent but y beautiful meaning. To
hold all things in common is the rule followed by
persons who dearly love each other such husband
and wife, and by brothers. who say, to the
other. "What is mine is thine also Now. what IL
there OF wrong shame in believing that the time
may come when all men shall love each other and
act in o truly brothery spirit to another Chris
tanity, at the outset, encouraged Communism.
Jesus OF Nazareth uttered opinions which every
journal OF to-day would brand as Communistic
Plato, the divine Greek, WAS Communist.
PERSONAL LiBEgTY.
To sec in Comm unsm majestic ideal OF society. il
not ndorse the methods OF the desperate men who
use Communism as their watch word. Tut who would
ma1y bring anarchy. Communism ID dangerous
to personal liberty. On that ground we oppose it.
The name of liberty has been used the side OF
Comm ,nsn; it is often shamefully misused on the
other side A school OF thinkers arises who preach
clcty they have the sovereign remedy, Let Alone"
II you tell them the sick poor are pershing ana their
children withering away by thousands because they
have not clean air and bread enough To keep them
alive, they answer, LET Alone" II you tell them
that they are cruel cgotists. they answer 1--WE
egotsts by natural Law: let us alone We must
let them alone. But the time may come when .
dcadlier cgotsm will be opposed to theirs, and in
furiated masses, rushing to destroy. will echo
this cry and say those who seek to RESTRAIN them,
"Wc follow . natural law of the brute force OF the
oppressed against the brute force Of the opprcssors
lot alone!" Culture. grace and freedom the
treasures would preserve They are ours and
ours they must remain. This is social
tisIn Culture. grace and freedom the treasures
to whose enjoyment We would educate the multi
tude, making them more and more the common prop
crty OF mankind This IL our social radicalisnI. We
believe in cur ultimate Time. the great
former will be on the side OF the party Of grea.
torn.