New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-19
.SOCIA LISM.
POSSIBILITIES OF THE MILLENNIUM.

\ HISTORY OF SOCIALISM. Bv Thomas kirkul-
y Emo pp 3oI London and Edinburgh. Adam
and Charles Black.
The author Of this volume has made a careful
and intelligent study of the various forms and
notifications Of modern Socialism, and has com
..o,cd work which would be- useful and con
vcnIcnt but for one important fact-thdt !, that
IN the cour~" II his preparatory studies lac has
too evidently become cnamDrrd II the SUBJECT II"
sci ont to describe and ill.,. result Of this bias -
that he comes 10 see in form of Socialism the
necessary ana inrytalr ~Iucnc" Of all th" social.
industrial and other movements and charges which
ire taking place AZ IL" PR sent slime all over the
world 1ho>,. who read ia" book purely for the
SAX" Of the information II contains regarding I'll"
yariou. kind> ri Socialism will find their advan'as"
IN the study: but they should b" cautioned
against too hasty implicit acceptance OF III"
Writer'S own conclusions which too often pariikc
of the loos. and vague rtiocinatlon We are ac-
cushioned 10 note IN connection with such themes.
social pro.rr--. " Observes the author must IN
the last resort depend on th" character AMI ca
paclty of ;hc human being. concerned IN II That
IS pregnant truth; hut precisely h"cans' II i
pregnant truth nIno-tcnihs of H." sociai>tlc
theories aIc dIy Dreams for a. a rul" they com
lcirly ignore il. Every one Of them has ben
and Is vitlai"d hy the lallacy that men can invent
systems which ale Cdpnbl" f securing ends, ethical
and other which the mch who administer the sys-
TENS bavc failed To attain by themselves. III"
natural tcndcncic, Of a free community cannot but
Ia. sure tc-t~ of the progressive capacity Of that
community 81 any civ ~ stage No creation hy
Law Of any scheme of life can chanc" or arrest the
development { tcndcncc, which have their sprn.s
IN the nature Of man. a. thus far developed All
cndcavor. 10 find royal roads 10 progress, social
81 otherwise have failed and must always fail,
and for tins reason. Docrinarianism j. blind and
sclf-dcludcd. Sr'Tshncrs. It may lie hoped and
perhaps believed, viii not forever doplnatc ia"
actions Of the majority Of men but thus far it
cannot be- denied that IT has done 50. and that
three. fourtTis Of mans inhumanity 10 man ARISES
from IT,
The error Of the Socialists which interfcrcs so
fatally with the sanity Of their reasoning is the
theory that men ear be drilled and disciplined
INTO ahneeation Of self. Nature. az the old poet
has II, when expelled in one way returns in an
other. Socialism, riorcpNer, always depends upon
some peculiar devotion b. duty and principle
which, though difficult or even Impossible t. find
under existing circumstances, WILL it is imagined.
hr Developed by conr>" OF special legislation
Mr. Kirkup, in tnc present volume thinks very
hopefully Of a Socialist mctamorphosis in the
worlds industries, but he docs rot-nor does any
Socialist wriler-undcr;akc to show how the
human tendencies which make the world what il
j., are 10 BE- got rid of and replaced by angelic dis
~ stIors At the close Of his bOOk, aft II survey
ing the ground generally. he says " The lesson
taught by mu ii recent cXi"Ilcnc" and the goal of
many convorging tendencies seem undoubtedly 10
be that soci"ty should control industry in It's own
interest. An industry carried on by free asso-
ciatcd men would De in perfect accord with other
forms and methods Of rrogrsscthicil, political
and economic Tie purified Socialism may be re-
nardcI a. the coordination and consummation of
every other form Of human progress, lnasmucli AS
II applIo, 10 the Use OF man Ill the factors of
scientific, mechanical and artistic development IN
harmony with the prevailing political and ethical
ideas II Is Therefore Il most desirable" ioim "i
organization aud many large and growing slinp-
toms show that it Is practicable. II Is type OF
ORGANIZATION which may take shape in Thousand
diverse ways according 10 III" differences III his
tore conditions and in national temperament
Within lis limits there Will br reasonable scope
ior individual development and TOR every variety
Of liking and capacity consistent with the we'll
heinz of others but exceptional talent asd the
generous enthusiasm which is It's fitting accompan.
ment will more and more find tkeIr proper h'id
in the service of society ideal which /, already
LARGELY realized IN the democratic state
Take for example Tammanyi There " tie ser.
vic" Of society" l. made the Ife-work o. men
whose Exceptional talent" and generous
ihuslasn.' ale familiar IN our mouths az household
words And why should other things be expected
from Socialism than society like Tammany can
producer Is the human nature OF the Socialists
different from thG human nature OF TammaIy
men , Are ia" former exempted from the tcmpta-
tons. The desires. the ambitions which mould the
hives OF Other mem Does the possession OF power
not tempt them to its abuse Docs tie possession
OF authority with them never lead 10 it, strainingp
Bat II tney are men Of like passions with our
selves subject 10 the sumo weaknesses. amenablc
To the sam" Influences ale We not obviously
thrown back upon tie old lIsolub'e riddle. Who
shali Keep the k"clers'" Lei systep be what
you VIII on paper, the question u Vital in-
portance Is Who will put it into operatioAP Pos-