The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-11-02
sPENcERs OPINIONS.
His Views of the Future OF the Amer
can Republic.

| His Views Of the Future OF the Ameri-
can RepublIe.
1t may be of interest to our readers to
know what the distinguished English
evolutionist and author, Herbert Spen-
Ger, now visiting our shores, thinks OF
our country and lis future prospects.
He has been exceedingly reticent in the
presence of newspaper interviewers
since his arrival, but has given his i'm
pressions of America and its institutions
to personal friend who has prepared
them for the press. The paper is quite
long, aud as il has been revised by Mr..
Spencer, it is an authoritative express
sion of opinion. He praises the extent,
wealth and magnifieence of the country.
but finds much to criticize. He says in
part:
| After bordering over what have
seen Of your vasI manufacturing and
| trading establishments, your gigantic
hotels and Fifth avenue palaces, I was
reminded of the Italian republics Ol
the middle ages, and recalled the fact
that, while there was growing up in
them great commercial activity and de
velOpments of arts, their people
| were losing their freedom. Ii
freedom. You retain the forms
of freedom but, go far as | can gather,
there has been much loss of the sub
stance. Il is true that those who rule
you do not do so by means of armed re-
lAiners, but they do so through regi-
ments of men armed with voting papers
The political machinery as it is now
worked has little resemblance to that
contemplated at the outset of your
/ political life But do not infer, there
fore, that think Republican institu-
tions failure. l have always consider.
ed that the Americans got their govern
ment by happy accident, not by nor
NAL progress, and that they would have
to go back before they could go forward
Events seem to justify my views
America is showing on larger scale
than ever before, that paper cOnstitu
tons will not work as they are intend.
ed TO work. Within the forms of your
constitution there has grown up an or
ganiZation of professional politicians
altogether uncontemplateda at the outset,
which has in IA large measure become
the ruling power. The fitness of men
tor free Institutions is dependent chiefly
upon character, and only in a secondary
1
men who officer and control your feder-
al, state and municipal organizations,
who manipulate your caucuses and con-
yentiOns, and run your partisan cam
paigns all educated men? And has
their education prevented them from
engaging in or cOndOning briberies, lob
byings and corrupt methods which
vitiatc the actions of your administra-
ton? think not. account for this
by the remoteness of the profit tO each
individual from political purity, citi.
Zens not considering it worth their
while to fight against each abuse as it
| appears Free institution can be main
tanned only by citizens, each of whom is
instant to oppose every illegitimate act.
every assumption of supremacy, every
official excess of power, however trivial
it may seem. The American pauses to
consider whether he can afford the time
and trouble, and so abuses creep In. All
these lapscs from higher TO lower forms
begin in trifling ways, and it is only by
incessant Watchfulness that they can be-
prevented"
rs 1t to be understood that you think
unfavorably of the future of the United
States, Mr.. SpencerI"
"No one can torn anything more than
vague and general conclusions respect.
| Jug luc luluIc III the COuutEf- liz AcC-
tors are too numerous. The world has
never before seen social phenomena al
all comparable with those presented in
the United States. A society spreading
over enormous tracts, while still pre-
serving its political continuity, is new
thing. This progressive incorporation
of vast bodies of Immigrants of differ.
ent nationalities has never occurred on
such a scale before. No one can say
how it is all going to work out. Already
you have triumphed over one great
trouble and may reasonably hope &c
triumph over others which will doubt
less arise in your history. But l think
that whatever difficulties Americans
may have to surmount, and whatever
tribulations they may have to pass
through, they may reasonably look for
ward TO time when they will have pro
duced civilization grander than any
the world has known"