The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-06-01

L
ogy goodY Is there not something lacking'
The wolf cbases the sheep. That is right,
or NJ least not wrong. The wolf over
takes the sheep. This is not wrong. The
wolf eats the sheep. This is not wrong.
Those Of the flock that always escape are
the fittest to survive-stronger, heeter,
better adapted to accommodate themselves
70 their environment. No one denies all
this. But is 1t so with man' Does the
Government stand by and see the strong
man slay the weak?-the INSCRIPTIONS
man take all the possessions OF the scrupu-
lous p-the villain rob the gentleman P
the scoundrel take by force the property
OF the conscientious man? We see the I'M
principled. loud.mouthed demagogue, who
has no modesty, no conscience, no altruism
in his composition, elected to Office over the
man OF character. the real friend OF the
people. the retiring gentleman. Are we
TO be told that this is right, because the
lower animals have that kind OF govern
ment?
Think Of the struggle for life in China,
and then say whether Mr.. SPENCERs teach
ing is true in the case OF the human race.
Does the severe competition produce
wiser. better. purer, nobler men and wo-
men? On the contrary, where the struggle
for life is sevelest men are basesC ana
meanest and most vicious. Mr.. SPENCER
| Al. - nj
State, criminal pauper, whose descend
ants number, besides idiots, imbeciIes,
drunkards. lunatics, and pauperS, about 2OO
criminals. He does not sec that this MARCIA
RET and her descendants are just what ne
ought to consider the titteSt to survive. She
had the animal passion, the brute indifter-
ence as to consequences, the brazen I'M
pudence, the unscrupulousnesS, the indif-
ference to public opinion, and the want
Of conscience, that qualified her and hers
to ".urviye" in q community that allows
the educated man because lie is educated,
the timid because he is timid, the scrupu-
lous because he is scrupulous, the conScl-
entious because he is conscientious, 10 be
tramped down in the struggle for lille by
the wolves and the lions and the tigers OF
human society. Yes, MArGAnEI the gut
tcr-snipe.n was one Ut the sort or persons
who will rule the world under the bened-
cent sway OF the doctrine OF the survival
OF the fttest-a doctrine which cries
down "paternal government" and crowns
with wealth and hOnOrs those who have
neither hearts nor cOnsciences.
Mr.. SPENCER's theory assumes that there
is unlimited wealth at the command OF the
community-that, for instance, II all the
! try TO save up a competency, they can do
so. But this is not true. 1t is only because
all do not work hard and economic that
some are enabled to get rich. There is
forty millions OF dollars worth OF real es-
tate in Richmond, or SIX hundred dollars
worth for each person. II all our citizens
had been IN the past equally economical,
and had had equal opportunities, there
would have been nobody in Richmond
worth over six hundred dollars. The in
dustry and labor OF those who earned and
spent their money have made fortunes for
| those who earned and saved their money.
Everybody knows men who have worked
hard all their lives, and never spent dol
lar ioOlishly, who are as poor to-day as they
ever were.
"Paternal government" is just what
the highest state OF civilization will de-
mand. 1t was perhaps not needed in Cali
iornia in 1S4S. The vigilance committees
supplied It's place. 1t is not needed to-day
| in Dakota. 1t Is not needed where brute
courage. iron nerves and muscles, physical
strength, and sparse population, 90 to
make up a community that can get along
without laws. "Paternal government" i,
all that gives title to any sort OF proper
| ty. Let the doctrine OF the survival OF the
| fittest-that is, every one for himself and
the devil take the hindmoSt-preyail,a and
the strong man will take away all the weak
mans possessions. Why not? Mr.. SPEN-
GER cannot object. He says the weak man
has no rights as against the strong man.
His doctrine OF the survival OF the fittest
is nothing but
1.-THE simple rule and good old plan
That he shall lake who has The power,
And he shall keep who can
Surely so great philosopher will not
set up the plea that it is wrong for the man
who has superior physical strength to take
away his neighbor's possessions by virtue
Of his superior physical strength, but right
for him to take them away because Of his
superior cunning or greater inscriptions
ness.
Other articles are interesting. No. XI.,
on Clean Drinking Water" tells us that
we may best obtain such water by liltering
the water slowly through properly adjust
ed vegetable charcoal pla,ed in an earthen
receptacle OF some kind so that the water
Will not come III contact at any stage Of its
passage through the filter with metal OF
any kind. "D0 not put ice in Out
around) the water, or its impurities will be
liberated by melting and contaminate It,"
The Editors Table, Literary Notices,
Popular Miscellany, and Notes are, as
usual, good.
New York ID. APPLETON & Co.
----------------
Messrs. WEST, JOHNSTON d Co. have sent
us No. $50 OF Hdrper'S Franklin Square
Library. 1t Is entitled. "In the West