St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-02-02
BELLAMY'S VISION,
Which Has Utterly Fascinated a
st. Paul Lady.

10 the Editor OF the Globe.
Now, isn't that a good idea, to give
your readers a chance to talk back
and express their sentiments Oh various
subjects? | have long entertained the
suspicion that all the wisdom going was
not monopolized by editors. and l am
one of the many who like that paper
best that gives the reading public some
chance for expression. L hasten to avail
myself of the opportunity you offer, to
tell about something that interests me
very much.
Ii is that book of Edward Bellamy's,
Looking Backward. That magma
tive novelist, whom HowellS and Hig-
gibson characterize as the Hawthorne
of the present generation, has used his
Imagination to considerable purpose
III this hook. 1t is sort of double ro-
nance, private and public. The aston
fishing experience of Mr.. West, the sub
jeet of hypnotiSm, is no more faScinat-
ing than the disclosures in regard to the
possible state of Societyin the year 1000,
the date at which the storyiS supposed
to be written.
Edward Everett Hale says Of Looking
Backward: Though few dare believe
all of his audacious prophecy possible,
every right-minded person must wish
that it were" That there are people
who believe it to be possible is proved
by the fact that clubs have been
formed in Boston and i'll WASH
ington, called Nationalist clubs"
whose object is to circulate
Looking Backward, and to work in all
possible ways toward the realization of
Bellamy'S vision of a state of society
where there will be a fair chance for
everybody; freedom for all, education
for all, work for all. leisure for all,
plenty for all.
| should like to ask your correspond
ent ~. Z. T." whether the state of
things pictured by Bellamy be not much
better worth working for than the mere
''Single tax" In Bellamys picture of
the working of human society in the
year 1000 there seems to be no taxation
at all and no need of any. There
is, instead. all the co-opera-
ton and profit-sharing any one
could aSk-all the s'social wealth"
too with such opportunity for the de-
velopment and cultivation of individual
taste and genus as no one can attain i'll
the present state of society. should
like to have some one tell me (What [
am unable to discover for myself, who
would be q loSer-what class or what
individual exchange of the present
social Tor anti-SociaD state for that of
BeLamy's vision. Also, l should like
to be told why, if such state of society
is desirable las the Rev. Z. e. Hale
agrees). it is not possible of accomplish
ment within the next 100 years. l am
told that Miss Frances E. Willard,
president of the national W. G. I. u.
also of the National Woman's council,
formed at the close Of the International
Woman'S council at Washington last
March,iS great admirer of Bellamy's
vision. and recommended Looking Back
ward in her last annual address in New
York last fall. Whether the book is
plentifully supplied in st. Paul OF not,
or whether it has found its way into the
public library, lam unable to say.
On Christmas eve three men met in one
small book store, all in search of this
book. and only one copy was to be
found. l myself inquired forit at three
stores in vain, wishing to make Christ
mas present OF copy. But, the pub
fishers, Ticknor & Co., Boston, are fur
nishing it to clubs at half-price. Mr..
Bethany is himself very much interest
ed in these clubs, for he seems 10 be a
firm believer in the possibility of the
accomplishment of his vision.
st. Paul, Jan. 81. 1889. AGNES r.