Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-12-21
Loui. RIanc,s Socialism.

Louis Blanc, the author OF q bril-
liant history of the French Revoiu-
tion, who made himself so consnic-
uous in IS48 as the leader of S,uci-
alist party, and originator of the
scheme ofnatiOnal workshops, which
came to SO disastrous an end, has
been making a speech to the work
ingmen OF Paris that deserves notice.
| The occasion was the close of a
special exhibition of their products,
! which the workmen of the city
opened by the side of the great Ey-
hibition, not rs a rival to it by any
means, but as a mode of showing
the public what could be done by
their own unassisted labCrs. 1t
was most creditable effort, but in
presence of the more magnificent
display effected by the joint exer-
tions of capital, labor and govern
ment aid, it scarcely attracted the
attention its merits would have
otherwise won.
Mr.. Blanc congratuiates his hear
ers on the success of their plan, and
predicts for rthem greater successes in
the future; but he added some
political advice which is to accept
and secure the triumphs of the pres
ent, and to leave to the future the
acquisitions it may bring. This is
equivalent to saying that their first
object must be the defence and con-
solidation Of the republic, whose
life is menaced by the c0nSpirators
of the reactionary parties-legiti-
mists, Orleanists and ilnperialits.
1t is clear from the results of the
French elections that this has al
ready become the policy of the
working masses. They have dis
covered that progress is not to be ac-
complished by revolutionary out
breaks, but by successive aeceSsions.
To be sure it must be gradual. Let
the freedom of speech, of assem-
blage and action which the repub-
lie alone guarantees be established,
and the field for ulterior discussion
as to the right relations of employer
and employed will be opened. 1t
is a great gain, we think, to the
cause of justice and truth when it is
decided that questions o. public
moment are to be determined in the
arena of debate and not by duel.
Mr.. Blanc takes the same COM
paratively moderate view as to the
influence of mechanical improve
ment on the condition OF society.
Quoting an English engineer, Mr..
Fairbairn, who estimated that the
8, 500, ,000-hOrSe power obtained by
steam in England in 1865 was equal
in productive results to the labor of
76, ,000, 900 of workmen, and reckon
ing the number of English fami-
lies at 5000, 900, each one of them,
he said, "WOuld thus have in its SER
vice fifteen slaves with muscles of
steel, inceSantly working under
steam and not TO be tired out" Mr..
Gladstone, who said the nineteenth
century was the century of work. |
ingmen, "shOuld rather have said !
that the nineteenth century is the
century of machines-and there |
would be cause for deep thankful |
ness in this if men were united in |
bonds of association, if the sOlidari- |
ty of interests were realized. For !
then a new machine would be no !
longer a club for crushing compe- |
titors in the hands of it's inventor |
patentee. The incessant tranfOrma- |
tiou of circulating capital would not |
diminish the wage fund more and |
more. The happy result of the APP
plication of mechanical power to |
industry would be equal production,
with less of effort, for all. The dis
covery OF an economic method |
would never have the lamentable |
of rObbing men of the |
tuOpk hu which fkaxy 1.-Two -
This is the right view of the OPP |
GRAFTON of machinery-its substitutes |
for muscular labor,
relieving. the working class
of its severest tirugeries, and so
cheapening products that comforts
and cOnveniences are multiplied,
and even luXuries that princes did
not enjoy in former times are made
the daily possession of the humblest
person. But iu order to this end,
there must be equitable distribution
as well as effective production and the
one point for economists and menOf
science to inquire into and to de-
is how such distribution
is to be attained. What are the OBJ
stacles that stand in the way? Are
they human vices, as mOralists as
sert-crimeS, intemperance, impru-
dence, Willful idlenesS? Are they
the arbitrary interferences of gov
as some economists say,
which mortgage the energies of the
present and future with burden of
debt, and which paralyze industry
and divert it from its natural and
profitable channels by oppressive
taxes? Are they the workings of the
money system so largely built upon
the hazards of facticious credit, as
other economists alleges? ? Or is it
fundamentally wrong in
the constitution of society itself, as
the favorite theories of the COM
maintain?
1t may be one, or it may the other
Of these causes, or all tOgether-wa
do not here attempt to discuss the
whether one or the other,
Or all, the subject is clearly one for
the investigations of science, and
not for the hustings or the debating
clubs. The first step in the inquiry
IS to ascertain the real facts of the
defamation of orators. Is it true
that, under the existing system, the
of the results of labor
IS unequal? ? and, if it be true. what
are the real causes 4? Social phe-
like the the phenomena
Of nature, are subject to laws;
there are incidents in the grand
play of cause and effect; though
very complex, they may yet be OBJ
served and classified, and the gen.
aral principles of their operation be
as other scientific prin-
ciples are learned. When these
principles are once found they may
be modified by human agency, as
the most stupendOus forces of ma
gravity, heat and magnet
ism-are modified and turned to hu-
man uses. But such is the compile
Ity Of the problem that these prin-
ciples will not be discovered by any
but honest, patient and severe in
Vestigation. They do not leap to
the eyes-they will not come by in=
are scarcely to be
hatched out by the ineubations of
and cOngresses-much
less by those of the beer, hops; and
yet they will come as assuredly as
human intellect is able to triumph
over human ignOrance-and as rap
idly az mankind Is persuaded to
put its trust in science and not in
violence.
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