New-York tribune., 1883-06-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A pEssIMIsTic hook.

This is a useful volume IN some iespects' ~ eoH
,ains marN significant facts in the form Oh sta.s,ioS
and ouotstons from economical WORKS ana uie'
assss important ouestions relating to the condition
- 81. working classes aud the general prosperity
80 tha limited States The style is always
.Isar and sometimes trenchant snd vigorous
epd an investigation of most cosplex
subiect is conducted in commendaple splEt "a
capaor and seriousness. 1t is, however, cruae
work. which will do more harm than good' ior hS
pages will oftener fall under the eyes Oh careless
readers. who will be either confused or misled ey
Illogical deductions and extravagant statements
than into the hands Of those who can separate Vho
wheat from the chaf The author lacks WHAT Is
essential to an intelligent discussion OF econonic
mbjects-a true sense OF perspective. lie nxes MS
gaze intently upon the fact which he is considering
and annroaehipg it as closely as he can, Darrows
his inferences and conclusions drawn IRON it, losing
sgnt of it's relations to the hundred other causes
aud effects with which it is connected. P0ltical
Economy is the science of the relations OF human
society. The facts and tendencies with when us
ptudepts have TO deal do not stand alone. IL ihe!
ere TO be critically examined in a scentlhc sp1i',
they must be left where they are IN the wlue won"
of cause and effect. The authors method Is W
bring them close to the eye, AID natuiahS he eA"s
perates their Importance and loses tho oio"u ceo
pf their relations to other facts and tehdeheles
xxh gh a
This defect in method more unfortunate IS ms nat
,,ral HAS toward ressimlsm. He is predispoSed to
Geo tho worst effects in every social and economic
roovemsnt. and conducting his inquirles IN mar
row unscieutfic spirit. he easily succeeds III con-
frning his anticipatons.
The volume opens with FIVE chapters on the Land
question, the FIRST four being devoted TO the I'M
movement in agricultural machinery, the muitph-
cation of bonanza farms, the development OF the
tenant farm system and the effects OF railroad lanu
grants. aud the fifth proposing summary measures
for breaking up the great landed estates ana tenant
boldipgs and restoring the public domain TO the
people. Now il cannot be denied that some oil the
fendepcies of these movements ofinvention, capital
ard corporate monopoly have been unfavoraele TO
Ame1can prosperity in general, and to the agrieui-
tural interests ia particular; but there are other
Tendencies which have been beneficial, ana these
The author leaves entirely out of account IN ms sur
yey Of the field lie industrial distress ana ae-
moralization in every quarter az the outcome VI
these conditions half the working force that tonno
fuil e,nploymeat previous to 1880 thrown into idle
ness the small farms and homesteads oil the people
broken up and in their place vast tracts seZeu
mon by mOlopOliss aud converted into gisahuo
fond factories worked by machinery aud laborers,
without fixed population-without women OF ehll-
dren Dor else into tenant farms peoped by 1eudai
ture and does not seem TO think that there can De
another side lie oVerlooks the fact that by the
inproyement IN farm machinery, the weight Oh
masses of capital and the construction OF contiheh.
tai railways, the feed supplies for NatoA OI
10000 900 have been enormously increased ana
cbeapenel and large surplus created 1or the
worlds requirements. He cannot read the thou
sand signs Of industrial prosperity in the American
skies but can see only the little finger OF our plu-
.srrfr4 r4faVt for aryuula
ing than was the loibs oil Darohla power III the
time Of its greatest strength"
Passing in the body of his work from agriculture
to labor the author cannot find aught that is hope
full OF encouraging 10 say. The vista that stretches
before him is dark aud cheerless He sees the
people driven cut of farms aud herdngin the cities
hungry, naked, houseless. and sinking deeper and
deeper into the abyss of despair. lie observes an
alarming increase of idleness hears imporsunate
demands for work and predicts reduction oi
wages. an irrepressble conflict between the en-
p,uyed and the idle the consolidation of capital and
the increase of general distress. He cites Mr. Por-
ters series of letters Industrial England" as
indisputable evidence that the fruits OF free trade
cheapness and composition slavery for men,
women and children, with want misery. starvation
and death in all its horrible FORMS" But he fears
that it is equally that Americans are fast clos
ing the gap that lies between their own misery and
English misery. He is ready TO despair of the
future of the United States unless constant work
can be found for all, with liberal wages. BY six
hour law and redistribution of labor by which all
may live, and by series of National measures by
which the evils OF land monopoly, tenant farming
and corporation greed can be averted. From the
first page Of this volume to the last whatever is is
wrong, in the economic condition of the country,
and is rapidly growing worse. IL is most curious
exbihiton of unadulterated pesslmlsln.
ITALIAN RAMBLEs Studies of Life and Manners in
New ana OLD Italy. BY JAMES jackson JARVIS.
12m0. PIP. 44G