New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-23

the PAST fifteen years. Here 1t cannot De a'tlE
buted TO any such defects in the land laws a. ,lo
found in Great Britain Nor Is 1t al All GlcSI
that the same traits of human nature, ana Inc
same commercial and industrial influences,
which take vast numbers of woT kers from lh9
country in the United States, where free la anu
can be had by anybody, would not rGhueI tla
contemplated remedies less potent III Eleat
Britain than he suppOses. One TACT OF aIlhoSC
incalculable weight in both countries, TO WhlSh
Mr.. Wallace gives too little attention, i Ihc
chcapening of transportation, which lh9 oG TL
Ing Of railways has so greatly promoted ny
millions borrowed from Great Britain ana usr"
in constructing railroads in this country, nave
not only made transportation so cheap tlat
agriculture is much less prohtable III OIedU
Britain than it used to be, but have also req
dered agriculture far less attractive thah II loI
merry was in the older of the United states
Nor should the multiplication of ships, ana tIe
great reduction in the cost of transportation ny
water be overlooked in considering the causes
of depression of British agriculture. C3inpe-
titiou with the TyOt of India, and WIN tue
ploughing and harvesting machines of Dakota,
has done much to drive 1,0OO,UO WORKERS 10
British towns, and II has also done much |"
drive q great number of workers from Amer
lean farms to cities. But behind all TINS is
the element of human nature which seeks the
excitement of town life, the gIegall0us zen
dency which modern life intenslneS the Iomuc
ness fol- amusemcnts and for drink, the Dtllel
that associated labor can prosper better IMAM
nGlNldudI labor, Inc love OF ulHIllN WIN
and the passion for taking the chances OF Hpld
advancement with others. Where deep forces
of human nature play so large part, IL Is ho'
clear that any alteration of laws WOuld nave
quite the effect which Mr.. Wallace anticipates
The next cause suggested IS the great III
crease in the number of milllopaiIeS, whose
income. the writer holds is so expended as to
afford much less demand for the products OF
labor than the same amount would aHoIu il
added to the income of many families. Mt.
Wallace is not the first person who has con-
Guided that milionares are enemies OF the race
and no part of his book is more childish than MS
assumption that the wealth which one may
accumulate must be taken from others, leaving
them the poorer. With so many examples OF
the power of accumulated wealth to cheaper
products and services for all MANKIND, 10 &C
vcop resources that otherwise could not bc
developed, and To employ labor which without
such accumulation could not be employed, MI
Wallace might well have spared himself TINS
display of weakness. On the other hand, III
the treatment of speculation 9s cause OF evil
tc lamcntably fails to grasp the fact that IT mas
been to great extent a cause OF causes. III mas
frstered foreign loans, fattcncd on walls. ana
Gcgotten excessive railway and ship-bulldng.
It has much intensified the fascination when
draws multtudcs from country to town, and
has created many OF those mIl"nuIG' WhH''
wealth has In reality been drawn from the
pocbtt Is of Others, and Is not employed IN thc
support of labor But Mr. Wallace fixes his eye
upon the Limited Liability acts, under which
N,G4j BlltSh corporations were formed Ill seven
years, and maIH,.ln~ ,b1r these Hrr the source OF
great evil, as if speculation depended In any
considerable measure for its existence and
balclul influence upon this feature Of British
law. The taxation of all speculative sales IS,
however, one of the few practical remedies
which the writer proposes, beyond sweeping
revolution In the land laws. MIR. Nadcc
book is one of unusual interest and suggest
iycncss But, as may be inferred it does not
leave one with an impression that he has found
ont how to eradicate the evil from the world.
The worst of his book is that il does not show
and sclfshnss, can he cllcctua.iy limited in
their operations The hest Of 1t il that it
forces the thoughtful reader to find il human
sin the source of most human misery