The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-23
LOOKING BACKWARD.
Bellamy's Book as ! Sign Of the
Times.
WORLD FESTIVE UNDER WRONG.
what . Chrissiaa Minisser Has 90 Say Of
Present seciai sad Indasasial
Ccnditi0us-

Rev. T. C. Smith. Of the Unitarian
church. delivered the following sermon
taking for his text. :. Looking Backward
Is Sign Of the Times.
Stated ia the hriesess terms the argument
OF the hook is as follows: The present
industrial conditions are vel nigh intoler-
able An organization of society is possible
IN which the presen. terrible pressure upon
the tsilers shall not exist. where all shall
have equal opportunities for personal de-
veiopnlent. and where the products OF
industry shall he more esnitahly dis
uioIfed. Sationalism or state socialism il
the appointed way and means for bringing
aboui this happier condition OF affairs.
do not care to here discuss the details
OF the organization outlined in the book,
their desirabihty or possibility, bat rather
10 show that this book Is not an isolated
phenomenon. but . natural outcome OF the
tendencies of the time. The circulation Of
the book has reached quarter of million
OF copies, nationalist clubs have sprung up
ali over the country. not because Mr.. Bel
iamy has discovered . new gospel or re-
celved new revelation from heaven, bat
because mems minds were in q measure
prepared tor some such scheme: their
mode of thought had q niche in il for
many OF the things in this hook. Men are
deeply interested in the question with
which he deals, are aware of great prob
lem which presses upon them Tor solution.
are alive to some OF the dangers which now
beset them and eagerly examine every plan
which promises help in the face OF these
Moreover, the underlying principles OF Mr..
BeIiamy's bouk have long been known to
all readers Of French and German eco
nomic works.
Socialism Is no new thing. What is new
is the attitude the people OF this country
are taking towards it. the willingness TO
consider the Claims OF system avowedly
socialistic, even though they do SO only to
dismiss il rs impracticahle or undesirable
II is not long since the name ..sociAiis;" was
enough TO brand a man as either contempti-
BILE or dangerous. Thirty years ago social
ism was . mere outlandish day dream. To-
day. as . modifying tendency, ii Is very
real force. and numbers among its adher-
ents men of culture and wealth. repeat,
then, that Looking Backward is nat
ural outgrowth OF period in which social
istic ideas are widely current. gigantic
combinations for commercial ends familiar,
and discomfort with existing social condi-
tons Is deep and widespread.
II Is not that the pressure upon manual
laborers il greater. than it has been in the
past, but they are more conscious of the
pressure. There is more intelligence. more
culture. more appreciation of what lie
means among the great army Of the work
ers. Again, past ages have looked TO some
far-off land or future world TO make their
ideals reality. In this generation We are
beginning to feel. a. Carlyle felt that it is
here or nowhere We must work out our
ideal. We must not merely dream, We
must strive to realize our dreams. Hence
the last ten years has seen . pouring forth
OF all sorts of Utopian plans, each one of
which claims to be panacea for all the ills
of the body polite. There is the "co-op-
erative Commonwealth" OF Laurence
Gronlund, Henry Georges Single Tax"
plan. Gilman's Profit Sharing" and now
.Nationalism' No one OF these has vet
proved apanacea; no one OF them is likely
10 so prove: yet each and all may help 10
show what is wise and possible, may help
to bring nearer that
Far-of divine event,
To which the whole creation movea
To show from what kind of soil Look
ing Backward sprnng, let me recall . few
recent events and quote from the recent
utterances of men OF influence. Take first
the strike OF the dock hands in London.
1t is not so very long ago that any strike
was invariably denounced by the combined
force of the cultivated and capitalist classes.
Press and pulpits alike. rang with menace
and invectiye about the innate wickedness
of strikes. Yet this greatest strike on rec
ord was carried TO successful Issue by the
support of the public. Press and pulpit
eheered on the strikers and contributed TO
their fund new element was also pres
ent in the support given by skilled iaborers
to the unskilled Is IL had never been before.
Socialism had contributed its dominant
idea of hetterment all along the industrial
line. The traditional gulf between skilled
and unskilled labor ceased to be. Speak
ing OF this fac, Frederic Harrison in the
ysa<sersaA Century. says: Socialism,
as meaning the desire TO have
all the arrangements OF society.
economic. legislative and moral, controlled
bx social considerations and reformed to
meet paramount social ohligations-shis
kind Of socialism is manifessIy in
tbs ascendant. The old Satanic
gospel OF laixses fai,s is dead, and in the
absence OF any other gospel OF authority
vague proclivity towards socialism comes
20 the front
Whatever name we give it, q settled con-
viction has grown up in the minds of men
of ALI schools. that society in its presen
form presses with terrible severity on the
mass OF those who to- in the lowest ranks
so. when 10000 men along the London
docks rose in a body 10 protest against
chance employment and miserable pay. the
world very generally. both rich and poor,
thought they were right and gave them
help
The Duke OF Marlborough. after reading
a description of London stun, cries cut:
II do not care what the reasons are. do
NOT Gaze who the oxners OF this class Of
pyog,s nv are. do not care what the diff
eaItles. financial or otherwise. that stand
il. the way. do not care u We have TO face
so~-sas.s.ic legislation; bat ! assert that no
party il alive 10 the counry's interest that
aIlows an abuse OF thi. sors facility 10 lie
hid" This peer OF England Is no dreamer
Of r;orssn dreams, bat be is sure society
has some responsibility for these things.
and 80 speaks right out There IL in his
words a reminder OF Julian Vests cry in
Locking Backward. after he has worked
IN the Boston OF the nineteenth century.
after having passea so1se days IN
ere twentieth century city. II
have teen n erolgatha,r be said.
II hare seen humanity hanging on 9
~-osss ne rose az soss know shat sights