New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

NEW IODhlOA 1ONO'
A LABOR CATECHIsd OF POLITICAL ECONOMY:
STUDY TUE PEOPLE CoMFRIsiSe TN ,I PRlE
DECLARATIONS or gHE INDUSTRIAL PARTY, kEoUK'
INC THAT THE STATE AssGNE COSIR0L T 5mo D p5
a aaO. BY oSDOA'A "A'O' D''
That perversity of opinion and feeling which, for
want Of a name more strictly correct, Is gen
orally called Communism, is really disease by
enabling the public to study this disease MI
Osborne Ward has served bis country ana ms ulle
in a manner not contemplated by him. His small
book of 22O pages entitled "A Labor Catechism OF
Political Economy: Study for the People" Is in
tended TO win men to the theories which it zealousy
and ably advocates. But, by showing the really
revolutionary tendency of these theories, the book
will probably help many to escape heresies which
are most seductive when vaguely and loosely pre-
sented Mr.. Ward brings TO bis task considerable
logical power. He reasons with adrOitness IN sup
port of his views, and is not afraid to follow them
10 their natural and legitimate results Beinga self
trained wOrkingman-he is machinist by trade
Mr. Ward has but slight command OF language ana
lacks the literary skill to disguise his theories IN
poetie and sentimental dress. In their nakedness,
they are distinct and strong, but all their deforuty
is apparent. Thus both the excellences and the
defects of Mr.. Ward combine to make his com
munistc notions repulsive to those who are capable
of understanding their tendency.
The root of this book, as of eOmmunistic aglta-
ton generally, is the idea that " Labor lies help
lessy in a condition of utter slavery" But tins is
not true Labor is enslaved only by ignorance and
vicious habit 1t can always emancipate itself by
education self-eontrOl and self-denial. II 1t does
not choose to pay the price OF freedom 1t mas no
right to rail at civilized society for its seltlmpOsed
shackles Mr.. Ward himself is proof that labor
can free itself from every bondage savethe bondage
II 1;xyr an no Ouud in
town in the land of the fact that wOrklDgmen
can, if they choose become educated independent,
employers of labor, or capitalists. Many can, but
only the few do. The bondage which the majority
lack the resolution OF the secontrO to escape they
weakly attribute to some dire and dark contrvance
of the money power" and seek to break by up
turning the very foundations of civilized society,"
The remedy to which those naturally fly who are
conscious of individual weakness is association Oh
numbers. The Labor RefOrmer" faneies that the
multitude, by its votes, secure for the ndlVld-
ual all the benefits which he lacks the intelligence
and self-control to secure for himself So Mr.. Ward
proposes that the Government shall manage all
trade, all railroads, all telegraphs, all mines and
all manufactures that official markets shall give
to the poorest OF least skilled the opportunities
of purchase that are enjoyed by the frugal and in
telligent; that official factories should provide.
labor for everybody, and equal compensation for
the poorest and the best worker; that government
should control capital applied to production should
distribute labor to its several employments, should
regulate hours of labor, and require everybody TO
work not for himself, but for everybody else. And
the government must be not only ultimately
controlled, but absolutely and Immediately respOn-
sive to the will of the majority; all officials must be
elected and must be removable at the pleasure OF
the majority so that each and every change of pOpu-
lar will OF opinion shall be at once reflected by
change of officials from the President down to the
market tender or telegraph boy.
Mr. Wards book might well be taken as the text
for an extended examination of the communlstic
theories and exposition of their mischievous effects
Perhaps no other work sets forth so clearly
the ideas which prompt the demand of Trades
Unions, Greenback and Labor organizations in this
country. The necessary relation between these
ideas and the most wanton demands and violent
deeds Of Communism, though often denied, is 80
plainly shown in his work that no Intelligent man
can read it without hearing the yeIls of Scranton
rioters and seeing the glare Of Plttsburg flames in
every chapter. Possibly it may be useful at another
time to show why the ideas which seem to Mr.
Ward so benefcent and refOrmatOTy, and which
are continually embodied in declarations of labor
organizations are irreconcilabe with civilized so
ciey or the progress of the human race. But it will
certainly instruct and enlighten many politicians
and editors who have given careless half-assent
TO these ideas, if they will read Mr.. Wards book,
as he requests in his preface, carefully and
kindly The more kindly they read 1t, the more
they will realize the infinite cruelty of such votes
and resolutions as are aimed to reach the working
men, The more carefully they read it, the more
they will perceive that civilization has no other
enemy so deadly the COmmunistic labor agitator.