The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-02
Mil on the soe,.,,., Doctr,n...

II any writer has occupied toward the
English thought Of our day position like that
conceded to the author OF the Wealth ~ Nations
in the last century. It Is john STUART MILL.
Nor can any one be named who has done more
TO further the rigorous application OF political
economy to legislation, or whose name is more
confidently invoked by the upholders OF indi-
vidualsm. considered as tho core principle of
the social structure. 1t has been known, how
ever. that Mill was engaged at the time Of his
death in careful inquiry into the so-caed
Socialist theories Of property. and part OF the
fruit OF his researches Is now given 10 the public
In the pages OF tho FOriiighuy Rerieir These
posthumous utterances are OF course tentative
and fragmentary. being rather notes and sug-
eestions than conclusions accepted with pro-
found conviction and condensed in formula
But. incomplete ~ they are. these dicta are in
vested with exceptional interest. for they attest
how thoroughly the English philosopher recog-
nized the gravity Of the labor problem. aud in
what candid and equitable spirit he addressed
himself to its investigation.
There Is q curious coincidence between tho
attitude assumed by Mil in these posthumous
writings and the ground taken 10y DIR. Ingram
as President OF the economic section ut the last
session OF tho British Association. vicious
abstraction. said the latter. meets us on the
very threshold OF political economy. and he
went on 70 show that not merely wealth seek
ing, but the consumption. or more correctly the
uso, Of weath. questions until lately neglected
10y English economists. must hcnrciorth be sys-
tematicaly studied in their relations to produc-
ton and tho general material we'll being Of
communities. In other words. the basis
Of right lawmaking should be laid. in
his opinion. on the broad inluctlons Of
sociology. and not on the strict apphca-
tons OF an economic science whose primal
postulato is AT best but half truth. Now, the
| discussion printed In the For'nighUy is worry far
! from assuming the fundamental premise Of po-
/ ltcal economy; on the contrary il admits that
| the right OF property itself which is the condi-
ton Of woalth-seeking. must hereafter 40 10
trial. 1t is conceded by Mill. in the frankest
way, that the root principle Of private owner
ship in land or capital must be roconsdered
that all proposals for doing without the insttu-
| ton and all modes OF modifying il. which
have the appearance OF fayorng tho work
ing classes. must receive the most pa
tent and earnest examination. Tho non
| possessors Of property. he says. have n right
to claim that the whole field Of social institu-
tons shall be surveyed anew. and every dues
ton weighed and decided as II It now arose for
the first time. This should be done. he adds
with the idea constantly in view that the por-
sons TO be convinced are not at all those who
owe their ease and importance TO tho present
system, but those who have no other interest In
the matter than abstract justice and the genera
| good OF the community. lie will listen to n
argument from prescription or the claim Of so
called vested rights. hut confines himself to thu
naked issue. what institutions would be estab
lished boy n Scion. a LycurRus. or a Caiu,
Gracious, or any legislator absolutely impair
tial between the owners and tho non-owners o
property and he fearlessy ayows his convic
ton that such rights or privileges as canno
stand this test will sooner or later. have to h,
given up.
Mill does not seem to have been aoquainte,
with the writings OF the German Socialists VIII
represent what may be called tho constructiv
side OF the communal theory OF property.
Ia only Karl Marx and his coadJutant advocate
OF State Socialism who have worked out IN de-
tail n system which deserves 20 be serous
considered as practicable substitute for In
present framework Of society But the mega
tive or critical and utopian side OF Socialism
illustrated in tho writings OF Louis Blanc
Fourier, and other French theorists. is CAREFUL
scrutni2ed by Mill. and due weight is given t