New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-11

Niecl In Two volumes $40, pp 4O0412. ID.
Appleton Co.
A great deal Of honest thought has been put upon
hi bcok but it, effect practically destroyed oy 'ne
av,,,,,,iuess Of lis ARRANGEMENT and expression Mt.
Mel was under obligation to trace BACK modcrh
Doltical IDEAS CANA and India Tor instance lho
anaoges may be less fanGful than ihey seem ~ nreo
,cnt iut the relation far too slender ana remote
b make the application valuable or lntefc7Ihs A"heh
nv itsor tins part Of the inquiry might nave ns uses
but in an examination Of the tendencies ana chardc-
te,isilcs OF modern politics 1t Is much out OF place
as would re dissertation on the Eeusihah mSs
III account Of the proceedings oil the fresuy'cia"
synod Nor is tins the only infelicty to be noted In
MIR. Sicol', volumes. They scatter too much-ar 700
dinuse and proliA They are also distinguished by
closet phil sophy which reaches satisfactory c0nciu-
SONS too frequently 10y the most wholesale begging OF
the question. To give an illustration OF this pr'c-
tice of the author will examine proposition
Nlah appears toward the end Of his second volume
lie writes 4 disciplined democracy. founded on the
prnciolc, Of scli government, which give to every
man ,qial civil rights and composed OF educated
citizens, placed by their culture in an attitude OF IN
dependent though: ana action toward al poi'''"'
uacstioY. would make of every order OF governors
pure administrators of the National Will ana pau ser
wants Of the state
II th, means ANYTHING but that perfect citizens
would MAKO pc feet state We fail TO comprehend IT,
~ addressed actual affairs, il is completely III 'ie
air / disciplined democracy to begin with' Is
what modern civilization has hitherto 1alieu 10
create. aud FOR many obvious reasons. OF winch ono
is that in several important respects modern euuoa
tioa does not educate while another Is that euuoa
ton. 30 matter how sound and comprehensive Is
ouit. uncolal 10 the task Of reconstructing human
natnre upon an aruistic basis Culture, again, doe,
not u,rr citizens in all attitude Of independent
thought and action toward all political questions"
In large proportion of instances IL has HUE or 10
effect in removing prejudices In weakening partisan
slip or IN raising the standard Of political ethics
The difficulty with Mr. Nicols political philosophy is
the difficulty which has confronted SO many theo
logians. lie has omitted to take into account the
personal equation: 10 consider and allow for the
great influence upon human action OF heredy, en-
vronmcnt. and custom, and that dissemination
{, independent thought which is almost common
a characteristic today it ever has been. If men
could be filed with beautiful principles and then set
going in carefully planned paths. the results might
be delightful. doubt but ii happens that even
obvious truths are habitually neglected that between
accepting principles and adopting them as rules OF
action there is immense difference; That personal
interests, ambitions, likes and dislikes. passions. etc.
are FAR influential in life than ethical systems
Mr.. Nicol does realize that political theories
methods Of government possess more virtue
than nhcres in the people upon whose support their
effective application depends. II is not the politics
which educate the people. 1t is the people who give
character to politics. Mr.. NicOl wonld stand the
pyramid its apex. and that is fatal mistake.
lie is right enough in observing that ait has be
the very irony of fate with the btteres lesson
of time to every modern people and statesman.
that whole century Of revolutions Of wars. con-
quests and econquests has left the greater and farest
portion OF Europe, with the lives and fortunes OF It's
eeming millions. subject TO the capricious action Of
one two young men, who owe everything 10 for
tune through the accident Of BIRTH But he is not
right in asserting that the existence of such powers
fhPir
OF national enthusiasm and their exercise on the field
Of even a legitimate ambition, vet marks the deep
degradation 10 which political turmoil and national
eolousies have sunk the public intellect and the pub
lie conscience Of our time" The considerations which
led to the establishment Of the German Empire were
both sound in craftsmanship and prudent from the
point OF view of common sense. Union was not merely
desirable: it had become 1t was the sole
Of protection against foreign revenge and AK
erosion. First build State stable foundation.
then look the liberalizing of its insttutons-was
the principle thus accepted by the German people
The growth OF democracy in the Empire since 1871 Is
sufficient answer to the charge OF degradation Of
the public intellect and conscience. Danger. no
doubt there Is. and it would be idle to pretend that
either in Germany, in any other country. the gen.
cral voice is not liable 10 err; but what must be
affirmed and insisted upon is that large part Of the
mistakes made by Continental peoples are due
To unfainilarity with both the principle and practice
OF self government.
The political life OF our times, IN short diners IN
no essential from the political life OF other times Its
higil-water mark IS the hgh-water mark Of human
achievement IN ethics and culture. Ito low water
mark indicates the level Of human selsneSs
and greed. The question how far human nature has
advanced since the beginning Of history, is large
one but il may be said generally that while sensbility
has increased materially, the lust Of acquisition has
undergone apparently very little change. Men now
shrink than from innictng physical pain
but it is doubtful whether modern methods of plundcr
and fraud do not really nfict more suffering than did
the rude. and material methods Of the middle
age. The Improvement OF society, however, does
HOt depend upon politics. Bad laws may harass a
oountr. but good laws cannot save it from decline
if its people have not in themselves the virtue 10 pre-
r.. Mr. NcO is not practical He fails con
tnua. - allow weight enough 10 individual character
and {, the palalyzlng Influences which In modern
muntc> tend to destroy political safeguards and To
prfvcrt the sOundest systems. His volumes never
tcie., written in earnest and sincere spirit, they
contain many prcgnan, suggestions and their tone IS
elevated aud wholesome.