The morning call., 1891-04-19
SELFISH HUMAN NATURE.

The expose of the methods by which the
managers of the Kaweah Colony kept
large number OF people at work for them
for bare living points the danger which
threatens all enterprise Of the community
character. That danger lies in the inherent
selfshness of human nature. Men and
women will make great sacrifices for those
bound to them by ties of blood or affection,
but when the same men aud women come to
dealing with the public they propose, If
possible to get the better of it. Exceptions
will be hard to find. The lazy, incompetent
persons who seek such associations for the
protection they afford are more lazy and more
incnmpetent within the fold than out OF 1t.
They expect TO profit in some way by their
connection with their felIOY-commuuists.
They expect either to do less work or pro-
cure more comforts than would fall to their
lot in the outer world. There would be no
harm in this expectation if the benefit was
the result of association, but in most cases
the good of the association is but second
ary consideration. The real aim and pur-
pose is in some decent way to profit at tie
expense OF the community. There is among
the possibilities Of the future moral
standard which would render person an
honest member of q community in which
everything is common. Men aud women
will perhaps arrive at that moral elevation
at which they Will desire nothing that is not
possessed by every other person with equal
claim. But this condition is thousands of
years in the future. Who can point out a
man or woman of the present day who will
work as diligently and intelligently as one of
a thousand persons entitled to one one
thOuSandth part of the earnings of all
as he will work for himself? Yet this de-
votion to public Interest is necessity to the
success of all associations of the Bellamy
order. 1t is not probable that Bellamy
himself would prove an exception. He
drew picture called into being by his own
Imagination and presented it 10 the public
at 50 much glimpse. The drawing OF the
picture was doubtless as selfish as other
acts of this authors life. H. aimed to pre-
sent to the public something they would
buy, and in this case succeeded. He does
not assume responsibility for the success of
his theory. H simply shows mankind how
comfortable and happy they might be if
each loved his neighbor as himself. He
teaches that nature produces enough for all
if the distribution was wisely made. The
first feeling is one of regret that the inner
ent seiishnesS of human nature should rem
der impossible so fine a picture. But re-
Election convinces us that the picture would
not be so fair If at some period in the lives
of these people the motive of self-gain had
not inspired human actions. A Bellamy
community would inevitably rema in IN the
condition in which it was cast. II the be-
ginning was that of savages the community
would remain so. Tie motives that keep
the world moving would be lacking. Pos
sessing the simple necessaries of life and
contentment with their lot, there would be
none of the weary thinking and prodtless
toll out of which all great inventions have
grown. The remark has often been made
and is no less true now than ever before
that the Creator makes no mistakes.