Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-11-03

synopsis of His Views ON American
Institutions.


Herbert Spencer Ia speaking OF the i'm
prcssions obtained by his visit says The news
papers have made erroneous statements
regarding his disorders, dress, diet, habits,
etc. He states that what he has seen
in America exceeded his expectations. The
books about America that he had looked
into gave him M adequate idea Of the i'm
mcnse development. the material civiliza-
tion which l. everywhere found. The extent
Of wealth, migniiicencc of Our cities and
tspCC ally the splcutor Of New York, alto
gcthcr aS'onshod him. He thinks our free
Institutions have been partly the cause of
these results. but rot the chef cause lIe
says the American people have come into
possession oi AN unparalleled fortune Of
mineral wealth aud vat tracts Of virgin soil,
pIoln,iny abundanlly with small loss Il cul-
turr that along goes long way toward pro-
ducing enormous prosperity. Then they
have proiitcd by inhcritng all the arts, APP
planes and methods developed by older
societies, while leaving behind the obstruc.
tions existing in them. Then, besides these
iavors of fortune there are factors proper to
themselves lie says: ~ perceive in Amer
lean faces generally great amount Of
determination, Il kind of do or die eX-
preston, and this trait Of character, Joined
with power for work exceeding that of
any other people, of course produces unpar-
allclcd rapid,ty of progress. Once more,
there is inventivcness which, stimulated by
need for economzing labor, has been so
wisely fostcred." Mr.. ST further says
the American people, while greatly prosper
ing. are like the Italian republics OF the
middle ages, gradually losing their freedom.
He remarks: "Iou retain the forms Of free
dom, but, as far as can gather, there has
been considerable loss Of the substance
Those who rule you do it through regiments
Of men armed with voting papers, who obey
the word of command as Loyalty as did the
dependents of the fcudal mobiles, and who
thus enable their leaders to override the
general will and make the community sub
init to their cXaciions as cffectualy as their
prototypes If old. Those who framed your
constitution never dreamed that 90, 900
citizens would go 10 the polls led by boss. +"
Mr.. Spencer, however, declares that he does
not consider republican institutions failure
America is showing on u larger scale than
ever before that paper constitutions will
not work US as they are intended to work.
"Within the forms oil your constitution
has grown up an organization of professional
politicians, altogether unContcmplated at the
outset. which has become in a large measure
the ruling power. Education and diffusion
of political Knowledge will not fit men for
free Institutions. II is essentially a question
Of character, aud only in secondary degree
a question Of knowledge. The American
has not, think, sufficiently quick sense of
his own claims, and at the same time not q
sufficiently quick sense of the claims Of 9TH
crs. You tolerate various small interfcrences
and declarations which Englishmcn are
prone - resist
Mr.. Spencer refers 10 the disrespcctful
manner with which the newspapers deal with
individuals and the damaging of property
by the elevated railroads without compcusa-
tons, and saws: Free institutions can be
properly worked only 10y men each of whom
is jealous Of his own rights, and also sym.
medically jealous Of the rights of others.
The republican Is the highest form Of gov
eminent. but it requires the highest type of
human nature IA type nowhere at present
existing" Mr. Spencer adds that it may lie
reasonably held both because Of its size and
the hoterogeniy of its componcnts that tic
American nation will he n long time evolving
It's ultimate form, but its ultimate form will
be high. 1t is to he inferred that the event
ual mixture of the allied varieties OF the
Aryan race forming the population will
produce more powerful type of man than
has hitherto existed, and one more capable
OF undergoing the modification needlul fol
complete social life. The Americans may
reasonably look forward to II time when they
will have produced civilization grandei
than any the world has known.