Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-14
seN. Dr. Spri@g Continues Hi| o!"cuS
sion OF SOcini QuCsgIOnS.

From the thurcnmtE Ol the lin.
The CAUSES or Dissatisfaction.
We have been discussing boycotting as
to what it means, and have shown is
consequences. 1t remains TO ask, What
are it, causes? Why should it have
arisen? The answer 10 this is not
far to seek. IL is the result of
widespread evils in society, for which
10 one is to blame economc evils
resulting from the new order which
steam-machinery has brought about
throughout the civilized world.
Hence social problems have come to
the front; they are discussed by an
arcbists Ike Most and Karl Marx who
long Tor anarchy and he dissolution Of
society, the family, am the Church.
THIS is the EXtreme Left, which cannot
he argued with. But these que tons
have been discussed By men who are
not anarchists or atheists, but wise men
to whom matters relating TO the good OF
society are part Of their daily thoughts.
4 theseintel.gentm men discuss topics
OF this nature, they have ascertained
that never before in the history OF the
world mas wealth grown as 1t has during
this century as the result of manuiac-
taring. To take only our Own country !:
Its manufactures increased from s 49,
C00.O0O in 1850 to $l,o3f,001,00O IN
1850, or an increase Of more than 100
per cent, while in this period
the average increase Of wages has
grown only 80 per cent. and as
400 is to 10, so has grown the wealth
Of the manufacturer compared with the
wage-worker and the tendency grows
larger to produce greater dispropor-
ton. Matters of this kind are being
discussed not by atheists and disor-
ganizers, but by Christian men and
thoughtful men who wish we'll to their
country aud desire to prevent anarchy
and the dissolution Of society.
They see that one tendency Of
civilization is to make the rich
richer and the poor poorer. And as
they know that the prosperity Of a
country does not depend upon its
amount Of wealth, but upon a proper
distribution Of wealth, as philosophi-
cal patriots they are concerned about
it for the good Of the country, both
its civilization and Christianity. Now
that such questions are raised they
will not down, and the thou hts
philosophers have given to the world
are specially considered by the wage
workers they have heard Of them;
some Of them study them they talk
about them going home aud while AZ
home in their families aud in their So
cieties they discuss the eyils--to them
they are present and felt and they keep
asking, What are We 10 do and what IS
the cure: Never wealth growing 50 fast
and We getting 50 little.
The evils being acknowledged not
only by the wage-workerS, bat by
thoughtful men who are not anarch.
lists or reyolutionists, 'he question how
TO cure evils which have .roEn larger
and larger by the lntrodu'.i'u oil steam
machinery is a problem none can an.
swer satisfactorily. One answer is,
things are to be bettered by revolution
and the destruction Of society and the
family and the Church. Another
answer is to make the State
universal parent-to order aud govern
everything; It's citizens, like chill
dren, 10 be worked and ordered and
governed as children in family. An
other is to make the wage-workers form
themselves into cooperative societies,
as has been done in some places, so
that they shall be capitalists as we'll as
workers. Another is to make capital
lists divide with the wage-worker just in
proportion to the annual profits. But no
one knows what to do or how to do it ;
and because Of this common ignorance in
which all are involved, the wage-worker
is striking out at tlei or that evil, and,
as we have said, blindly and one blind
stroke is boycottipg. But if this evil