The Irish standard., 1891-01-10
Social Theories.

DGGlHI luGOElCHs
When Jules Verne pAralyzed the
curious win his gigantic Imagination
as displayed in "All Around tho Moon"
and ''I'wenty Thousand Leagues un"
der the Sea-" he WAS LheOr,zlnK and
was rewarded with pitifnl shrugs.
| They said it was childish, unsclenCltic,
ridiculous. Stlll Verne was treadtnR ON
we'll explored ground; he had foot
hold. THIS lis sGat cely true OF the social
theorists who are looking back ward and
forward and in every other direction
and are trying to trace the present
social system to Its last consequences.
1T IL a strange madness that has over
come u section Of the literary world.
They do not claim to prophesy, per"
haps; ihoy only see what they deduce
from present conditions. They meta
morphoae themselves into cltlzens OF II
century hence and speaE very nicely Of
tho past One looks upon the social
status as good at present, hut Wonld
have it degenerate until, u century
later, there should be yaWninK abyss
between the classes. Another thinks
the principles OF to-day capable of
grand development and htls Things ana
men working like 80 many machines,
No doubt, this variety Of literature ii
u great arena for imaginative eymnaY
tics. seriously taken. il credits the race
with very httIv character and snppo6es
that ,nammOu must inevitably come to
tho top In the end.
DoiIamy imagues the problem Will b."
solved iii the twentieth century. Men,
bv that time, will have undergone u
radical change. Thev will devote their
powers to The furthorance Of tho COIN
mon welfare, whose protector and com
mon treasurer IL thu State. UnseIllah-
ness will be- the predominant virtue. IL
Boliamy joking? What time the race Of
mortnls shalt have brought into Bubjec-
ton tho leading passion -.solilshDeSs "a
new race, new in character, prrindlces,
convictions, must succeed the present,
and that rs not an obvious theory. The
struggle between labor and capital
servant and master, carried on In the
present spirit, will never reduce the III
ferior class to sueh u machine like sub
lection To the superiority OF tho State as
Belany pictures, superiority In mat
ters temporal and spiritual.
Bellamy sees present theories cnlml-
mating In dazzling successes. IL re-
mains to be seen whether cold theOriz-
Ing ts To accomplish the regeneration OF
mankind ana the adjustment of those
relations, which have been problem
to all social refOrmers.
Other dreaMers fOresee In the grow
Ing power OF money the degradation
and annihllntiOn OF tho lower CLASSES.
The author of Caesars Column" is one
of this school. The vaunted principle
Of equality and universal brotherhood
Of man. he imaglnes. will terminate IN
u condition. OF things phiIanthropists
must shrink back from In utmost Lor~
ror.
Is this. then, to be the outcome OF
that desperate strugxl In enc case the
deihcatlon Of ,he lab0ring class. None
Of the two seems In any way desirable.
Time and effort has made many things
succeed. and 1t Will succeed In this case
also. Perhaps the struggle will, In
course Of time, find expression IN 4 ra
volution and theories Will slnk in the
deluge. IL is strange that no consider
alton is taken of tho purifying and 70
generating influence OF religion IN the
evolution OF social condition. No fatal
necessity Is driving the races to ex
tremes. The good will OF men and the
insiuonce OF moral power will, and 1t
alone will, restore the proper tluilib'
rum between the two cnnlesiing
forces, aud all philanthropy and Justice
must abandon Lhe face OF the earth be-
fnre-the social question is Terminated ia
Il manner so Unworthy the supposed lu.
teltgeucr ard calculation 1T the age
ST. Johns umversilv Record.
Mfr, Parkrr~-l guess I'll buy this pic
t,lrn, Maria.
Mria -Isut, papa. the picture Is koW
ia tone aud color
Mr.. Pi,ksr---Wh the difference?
ain'L buying n music box.
K. #.t 1g
There Is u law In this state making
II 4 PRISON otfensa for q man 70 change
his rame.v
''ssill. as 1t doesn't apply to women,
wouldn't mind changing mine to- NOR nc
row y
~ is q match.