The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-20
A VISIT TO SPENCER.
Philosopher Talks of Future of
England and America.
DRIFTING TOWARD SOCIALISM.
Tending Toward n Worse Tyranny Than
That of Any Present Government
Military Despotism Next.

LONDON. Sept. 14.-[Special Correspond
ence. Fancy man about feet inches
in height, wearing grey trousers, black
frock coat, a low-cut white waistcoat,
highly-polished boots and cream-colored
oyergaiters, an old-fashioned stand-up
collar and black tie, on his head shiny
SILK hat and in his hands gloves and an
umbrella. His face betokens good nature
His eyes are grey and soft His mouth is
hrm. His cheeks are pinky white. Bushy
iron grey whiskers encircle his neck. He
is man you would look at a second time.
even In crowded London, and well you
might, for it is none other than Herbert
Spencer, the philosopher and author. |
catch this glimpse of him as he precedes
me up the steps of the Athenaum Club in
Pail Mall. He has made an appointment
to meet me there this afternoon for talk
on some OF the great problems of the day.
The privilege of a conversation with Mr..
Spencer is not to be lightly esteemed. 1t
is apparently. also, not easily to be gained
Even the ordinary Englishman is not to
be called on without a letter of introduce
ton and without ample warning, and Mr.
Spencer hedges himself about with extra
precautions against intrusion. He has a
Autographed letter ready for inouirers.
and he sends it to all people who want
him to be a committeeman for some public
enterprise, charity or movements to stu
dents who desire some further expounding
OF his theories than is given in his books,
to autograph hunters, and of course. to in
reviewers. 1t is said that Mr. Spencer
went all over America without Welding
once to the newspaper reporter, and l
therefore feel bit iubilant at
having secured his attention. 1t
was done, of course, by letter. Mr.
Spencer's reply was the Autographed docu-
ment referred TO, but he kindly added a
few lines in his own hand, granting my
request and appointing meeting. As
his autographed letter laid much stress
upon his failing strength, and the conse-
quent pressure upon his time, was in
some terpidation about calling on him,
fearing to find myself confronted with
an ogre, cross-grained, rickety and i'm
patient. 1t was. therefore, a pleasant sur
prise TO see this TALL straight old gentle
man, with firm step and a smooth voice,
come forward. Although he is II years of
age, he does not appear to be over 60.
Wont you walk up stars?" he asked.
There viii be better accommodations for
conversation there
And up stairs We went, the aged philos-
opher mounting the steps with the ease
and agility of 4 young man. The CONVEX
sation was charming. Mr.. Spencer talked
as freely as if he had no fear whatever of
newspaper writers. His voice is not only
musical, but his enumeration is remark
ably clear and correct. Every syllable is
plainly sounded, with an incisiveness thvt
might seem to be affected if it were not so
evidently the result of long devotion to
the correct use Of language. The CONVEX
sation took wide range.
Your new book is creating much talk"
| said
WELL" said Mr.. Spencer, modestly, ~
am glad if such be the case | am FORUM
ate in having many friends in Europe and
America. My writings were recognized
rather earlier in America than they were
here, but of late years the returns from nv
works in England have been very much
greater than from America; partly because
my rate of profit per copy here is much
larger, and partly because the English edi-
tons supply the colonies. Since | began
TO write there has been a clear reaction
against individual liberty. We are GER
taInly tending toward state socialism,
which will be a worse form of tyranny
than that of any government now recog-
nized in civilization"
And after state socialism, what?"
Military despotism. At present the
state is absorbing the individual activity
of men. 1t is intermeddling in all man
ner of ways IN what should be private en-
terprise. Gradually the state will usurp
the functions of private enterprise to such
an extent that the people will one day
d, I,,+ -, l. l.
make an effective resistance. | cannot
but think that the struggle will be severe
something terrible to contemplate; but
do not pretend to set a date for the catas-
trophe. or to anticipate its horrors. The
progress Of the doctrine of evolution
throughout the world is unreasonable.
but at the same time | cannot say that |
see any movement in the direction of my
views, politically. Since | began to write
there has been, as | said before, a clear re-
action against individual liberty"
do you not think that We may escape
this catastrophe in American"
mo. The American imagines that he
enjoys the advantages of liberty, but the
fact is that there, as elsewher III the civil
lied world, the state is steadily and rapidly
absorbing the individuals freedom OF
action. The American has the form of
self soyereignty but he does not have il in
be the outcome of American progress, but
l do not think that your republic will
escape the consequences of the general
struggle The fact is, few men have anv
true apprehension of liberty. 1t was in
YOUR own country that q gentleman
said TO me - ii the majority told
me what should eat, would obey Now.
he thought he was a free man; he thought
that he appreciated liberty. But such an
attitude is an admission of dependence
upon authority. Subservience 20 a major
ity in personal concerns is as bad as sub
servience 10 a king. and there can be no
worse despot than the majority. inst in
the same way that men have now come to
resist the diCtagion Of the state tbe il
one man or the majority of men)iu respect
of their religious beliefs; 50, when they
fully understand liberty. will they come TO
resist such diCtatiou. even of the million
rs of the one, in matters of private con-
Germ"
ION the question of reform. What is
YOUR idea OF the greatest reform We stand
in need of today, political, educational, or
What2'
Tie great reform needed is to insist
everywhere and always that each man
shall take the consequences of his own
nature; shall have without deduction ill
the dement's Of his own nature and actions,
and take all the evils Of his own nature
and actions: ana shall neither saddle these
evils on other people nor be defrauded by
other people of the benefits. This Is the
law u Inch should ba insisted on not only