The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-24
CROPPING FOR REFORMS.

The fermentation resulting from the I'M
satisfactory condition of business is in
ducing bright minds all over the country
to investigate the facts and to inquire in to
the possibility of applying remedies. On
Monday Professor Ross Of Palo Alto de-
liVered an eloquent lecture in this city on
the Social Plant" On the Sunday pre-
vious HamIin Garland, the well-known
leader of advanced thought, gave his views
on the subject of Reform" to a large
audience in Chicago.
Professor Ross found that he had under
taken to grasp a subject which could not
be compressed into the limits of single
evening. Thus he frankly confessed that
he would not attempt 10 announce RENE
dies for the evils be noted. These stand
out on the surface of the census reports.
Nine per cent of the people own II per
cent of the accumulated wealth of the
country, the remaining 81 par cent only
own 90 per cent Of the properly. And tax
alton is distributed as unequally as posses
siOns. The people who own four-ffths of
the property only pay one-fifth of the
taxes. Professor Ross does not undertake
to determine how this inequality is to be
adjusted. He is 100 wise to announce a
panacea and to put himself forward as a
one-idea philosopher. with the risk of be-
ing pronounced crank by the ignorant.
Hamlin Garland, who has been writing
and talking on ethical subjscts for years,
goes deeper into the problem. He agrees
with Macaulay that the salvation of the
country in the past has been the vast ex-
panse of virgin soil in the West, and he
tersely observes that you cannot press
men when there is an open gate through
which they can escape. Now, the Govern
ment has greatly diminished It's resources.
The bulk of the lands which are left are
either arid or difficult of access. Hence
our young men of high working capacl ty
are Inclined to remain at home and under
bid one another in an overcrowded labor
market. Yet there is so much land that
one farmer in most parts of the United
States occupies as much land as would
make farms for dozen in Western En-
rope, and our population could be multi
piled by ten and still fl room to live and
thrive. Mr.. Garland derides the German
idea that remedy for the unequal condi-
tons now existing is to be found in social
ism. He says:
Socialism is aIluring, but cannot believe in
ssTuy operates the postofice system it
should take charge of everything. Paternal-
ism is not wanted In this country. What we
want is liberty. Every trend of civilization Is
against governmental Interference. l have no
faith in this DISQUALIFICATION of the people called
government. 1 believe IN liberty and land.
He defines liberty as the abolition of
privilege and monopoly. especially the
privileges granted by law. This is all well
enough, but the practical citizen would
like something more definite. There is
not much interference with personal lib
erty in this country. Mr.. Garland thinks
patents and copyrights should be abol-
ished. which would be depriving the in
ventor and the author of the fruits of his
toll, and would destroy the incentive
which in pres bright men 10 improve the
condition of their fellows. He sums up
his philosophy in the sentence that the
world should settle the conflict between
labor and capital by bringing into it the
spirit of the Man OF Galilee.
The trouble with these reformers is that
they generally want to cover all existing
evils by single remedy, which shall
sweep away all wrongs at q blow. That
plan never works. The evils grow ND
separately. from different causes, and
under different agencies; their cure mus
be undertaken separately. by different
processes. one at time. Mankind. when
1t operates in masses, is not always wise
1t is apt to be led away by impracticable
doctrines and visionary teachers.