The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-01-27
LOOKING DACKWARb.n

Hellamy's Proposed Utopian sohcmc.
Francis a. Walker IN the February daantie.
Wee the fantasy Of state in which
every one should have enough aud &c
spare, In which the conditions OF life
should cease to DO artluous and stern,
from which care and solicitudc for the
future should DO banished, and tho
necessaries, comforts, and wholesome
suxasies OF lie should come easily tn all
were this wild, weak dream sho wn 10
be capable Of realization well might tho
philanthropist exclalm, Alas for man.
kindl There have been races that have
lived without care, without struggle,
without pains; but these have never be.
come noble races. Except for care and
struggle and pains men would aeye,
have risen above the intellectual and
physical stature of Polynesian aayayes
There are cares that cark and cares tina,
XIII there are struggles that are upa.
vailing; there arc pains that depress. and
blight, and dwarf. Well may we look
forward to u better state, in which mucl,
OF the harshness Of the human condition
shall, by mans own efforts, have been
removed. But it was no Bellamy who
said that In the sweat OF their brows
should men eat bread that with ap,ny
should they be born into the world; that
in labor always, in disappointment aud
defeat often, with anxious thought, and
with foreboding that ceases only at the
grave, should they live their lives
Through, dying weary OF the struggle,
yet rejoicing in the hope OF better for
tune and more generous terms for those
who are to come after. 5,
Quite us little can We approve OF tho
fundamental law Of Mr.. Bellsmy's mill.
tary republic, that there should bo no
distinction Of material condition among
its members. MI. Dellamy tries to place
this prescription on high ethical grounds
but all his fine phrases do not disguise
the fact that tho proposed distribution
involves the grossest violation OF coin
mon honesty, as every plain man under
stands it. 70 say that one who pro.
duces twice us much rs another shall vet
have no more is palpable robbery. It is
to make that man for half his time n
slave, working for others without re.
ward. 1t is one Of the dangers OF trans.
cendentai reasoning about rights aud
morals that the finest Of sentiments are
often found in close proximity to the
boldest OF rascality.
But the fragrant dishonesty OF the
proposition to destroy all distinction in
the material condition OF members OF
the community is. Imake bold to saw,
the least objection to it. Such a level.
ing downwards would bring a speedy
end OF all intellectual and social prog.
ress, to be followed at no late day by
rerogression and relapse. 1t is only by
the distinction OF some that the general
character Of the mass is to be raised,
There are plenty OF tribes and races
among which Mr.. Bellamy's creative
principle Of absolute equality OF con.
dition is and has immemoriably been in
full operation. Unfortunately for his
case, they are all miserable imbruted
savases. Even the fact that among
come Of them the additional principle Of
the selection of chiefs by the elders Of
the tribe is of unknown antiquity has
not served to lift them in the scale Of
humanity. They arc still poor, squalid
wretches in spite OF the adoption OF both
these prescriptions for turning the earth
into paradise without any intervening
change OF human nature.