New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-27
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A BELLAMY COMMUNITY.


LOOKING FURTHER FORWARD. Gy Richard
Michaels. An Answer to Looking backward" by
Edward Bellamy. limo. PIP. 1913. Rand. McNany
Co.
This little book, by the Editor Of the Chicago
.Freie Presse," deserves TO be read carefully by
all who have allowed themselves to be carried
away upon the wings of Mr. Bellamy's lively and
optimistic Imagination. The author, Richard
Michaelis, is a German who has done yeomans
service in this country in combating the social
istic and anarchisic doctrines imported Dy certain
of his countTymen and other European lmini-
grants. His comment is especially Vaiuape rs
that Of one thoroughly familiar with all SOCIALIST
doctrines, and having practical experience oi 'e''
tendencies and normal sequences. III must oc
admitted that his book will not compare win thao
of Mr. Bellamy as interesting work OF hctloh.
lie has not the literary charm OF his opponent
but he has, what is more to the purpose IN 1his
instance a much greater command OF 1acts ana
much more practical and sound Judgment lie
has hit the blot in Bellamy's and all other com
munistic schemes, at the beginning the fatal
bunder Of founding a system OF when equaloS
is the leading principle upon that human nature
Of which diversity is chief characteristic. Mt
Miohaelis begins by accepting human nature as
it is; Mr.. Bellamy begins by postulating an alto
rether fictitious, and so far as we know, wnolly
impossible human nature.
Mr. Michaelis proceeds to show just how The
Looking Backward" scheme would and must OPP
crate man being what he is. He carries out Del
lamy's story from the point of view of common
sense and the twentieth century community "hlch
IS evolved from this touch of lthurlels spear Is
much more like the toad than the angel Inc
beautiful system under which poverty, crime
vice and suffering have disappeared, and liberty
has been broadened and more fully realized,
changes, when thus analyzed, TO dcspousm OIL
the most oppressive kind, In which all difference
of opinion from the administration is punished Dy
consignment to the insane asylum
The abuses certain TO grow out oil the Beliamy
plan Of Distributing organizing and disciplining
the energies and capacities of the community are
next shown, with merciless logic. The hero of
the story, appointed Professor of Nineteenth Cen
fury History in a Boston College, lectures upon
the defects of his time, and incidentally
lauds the existing system. To his surprise his
praise elicts no tokens of appreciation, but is re-
oeived with indifference or GOODNESS. This causes
him to make INQUIRIES and he discovers that his
predecessor In the professorShip has been degraded
10 the position of anitOr because he dared TO en-
press doubts as TO the supreme excellence OF the
existing form of government Further lnVeSuSa-
ton soon proves TO him that the pretence of in
creased freedom iusory; that the administra-
ton is really o most OdOuS Tyranny; that opinion
is fettered private choice forbidden, and in Short
a method of serfdom, not far removed from slav-
cry, established. He perceives that capacity is
sacrificed to incapacty in everything but the
management of the government, and that these
corrupt and INSCRIPTIONS political methods secure
the continuance in power of the most astute. bold
and unprincipled. In the course Of the story an
attempt is made 10 set up constitutional and mod
crate opposition, but this is promptly suppressed
by the authorities, with the natural result of
STRENGTHENING the violent and radical element
which aims at the overthrow Of everything.
The government, having done its hest 10 de-
stroy tie moderate party, inevitably falls victim
to the Anarchists when the rising at last comes;
and the Bellamy community disappears in the kind
OF cataclysm which has become historic. That
this is the normal end of any such experiment at
reversing the purposes Of Nature as Mr.. Bellamy
proposes must be seen at once by the thoughtful
reader of Looking Further Forward 1t is not
by efforts to produce artificial and unnatural
equality that the existing evils can be removed.
The healthy unfcttered evolution of society can be
trusted to bring about all the desired reforms IN
due course under the protection OF republican In
stitutions Communism however presented is an
ATTEMPT to undo civilization ard to substitute
artificial for natural processes in human develop
nent. 1t is doomed 10 failure in perpetulty, and
Mr.. Michaclis has done we'll in making this so
clear and by arguments and deductions 50 reason
able and logical.