Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-09-06
Social Petrifcatian.

There is evidently strong disposition,
on the part of some people who have in
some way become possessed of large
wealth, to crystalline social conditions
under which they enjoy the maximum
of comfort. 1t IS, probably, by some
such influence that Chinese civilization,
after reaching very high point, came
to a sudden stop. The first require
ment of success in an enterprise of such
magnitude is complete isolation of the
country where it is attempted. For we
may well conceive that, difficult as it is,
even under the most despotic govern
ment, to suspend the motion of national
thought when no outside pressure is
allowed to interfere, the task becomes
an absolute impossiblity if free inter-
course with the rest of the world is at
any time permitted to disturb this most
delicate of processes-socia petrifaction.
Our own Southern States attempted it;
but, although the existence of two races
one of which had been raised in Grass
ignorance and abject slavery, while the
other enjoyed the unprecedented adj
vantage Of modern knowledge in the
service Of despotism in its most ancient
form-was in itself a condition remark
ably favorable, the experiment failed
ANONYMOUSLY simply because the slave,
owning power did not succeed in its
Chinese scheme of national isolation.
But we have now in America Chinese
statesmen who believe they have found
at last the requirements of social petrif
cation. With limited faith in the sur
vival of the tittest, they contemplate
the possibility of their possessions anC
power passing under the collective con
tIol of people so much less tit than they
are to enjoy the sweets of luxurious
idleness, that in this event no sucl
sweets would again be tasted by any
one. The new idea that the only pos
sible consideration of title to property
is Labor, and that Labor itself can &C
uuire no property which it does no
create such as land), is so contrary t
to the good Old American" idea of I'm
restricted speculation and free gambling
which enabled them to save" ant
accumulate, that. in their opinion, i
J is evidently foreign to American senti
ment and American Institutions
Progress in this country must therefor
be the work of foreigners who hav,
learned freedom in the school of despot
ism, and it must be stopped by the ex
clusion of those intruders, so that wag
slavery may continue to prevail in thi
, land of liberty.
Consider for a moment the vast bene
. fits that would accrue to American iabo
from the Chinese policy.
, In the first place billions of acres o
virgin soil would remain uncultivated
Untold wealth hidden below the surfac
would never come to light. Railroads
which, according to the foreign idea
should, like mines, land and many othe
things, be made the property of th
people, would never be built-for 1t
better, a thousand times better, tina
capital should have less and be maste
than that Labor should have more AM
be free. Millions of hateful foreigners
who dare call American workers thei
brothers IN toll and slavery, and evel
under our capitalistic system Nigh
= manage to exc out in this country
, scanty living. would thus be left to di
of want in their native land How
glorious for American Labor!
But glory, however dear to patriots
/ is here a consideration of minor import
i ance. THE apprenticeship system
would be revived" Americans woul,
, learn trades that foreigners are mon
! opolizing.' and they would have no CON
petitors in the art of emhellishmg tn
homes and persons of their masters,
Would they pc paid more; Not much