The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-15
THE LESSONS OF TIE sTRIKE-LORD
MACAULAY's LETTER.

The great strike seems TO be ended and
we can now begin 10 look around for
IT'S lessons The first one seen by a
patriot IS its testimony In behalf Of our
free institutions We hear men say
every day that the Governor of Illinois
or General Miles, commanding the United
States soldiers, could have ended it In
twelve hours by shooting down the law
breakers. We are glad they did not We
are glad the strike was allowed 10 run its
Course If it had been suppre sed in
TINT way smOuldering embers would have
been left that would have burst into
flames again. But the strike has had its
own way. IL has been given the fullest
opportunity to muster 10 It's aid every
friend II could enlist. It has Joined issue
with the Institutions OF the country. upon
liz own grounds. and those institutions
have overthrow It ignominously, and
proved II TO be nothing but a shell with
sound and fury alone for its substance.
Just as the confidence of Americans IN
their Institutions was enormously en-
HANGED when New York's voters arose
as one man 10 rebuke President Arthur
for meddling with their politics by at
tempting to force Folger on them as
their Governor, by electng Grover Cleve-
land by 10000 majority. so now the
American people rejoice together In see
Ing their institutions Withstand the strain
TO which they were subjected. and came
out Of II with q serenity that shows they
were never strained for even one mo-
ment. In his speech few days back, in
the Senate, Senator Gordon referred to
a letter which Lord Macaulay wrote
to an American in 1851. in which that
eminent writer took very gloomy view
Of the future OF our Institutions. We
think the present an appropriate occa-
sion for reprinting this letter, and 1t
will be found this morning In another
column of The Times.
1t must be admitted that Lord Macaulay
has pretold with something OF the spirit
OF prophecy the disorders that have be-
fallen us. and has pointed out with
wonderful foreknowledse the dangers
that beset us. But does II follow that
we are going to fail into the disasters
that he predicts because the conditions
that he foretold arise? We believe en-
thtiy tht hit our btiitt Is
founded upon a number Of additional
conditions that Macaulay did not take
into his estimate. In 1857 Macaulay had
no means OF knowing what effect was
going TO be produced upon the human
mind. and especially the human mind in
America, by the spread Of education.
When we speak of education in this
connection we DO not conhne the word
TO the knowledge obtained in schools.
either public or private. We speak Of the
spread OF information, both Of fact and
opinion, that all the modern methods OF
Communication have introduced Chief
amongst these is the railroad the tele-
graph. the telephone, and their efficient
bandmhden. an unterrined and un-
tamelled press. BY their agencies every
part OF the country Is made TO know
the moment IT happens whatever event
transpires that affects the interests and
rights OF all; and. at the same mo-
fnent, all the citizens OF the country
nave their minds Immediately and con-
currently turned into the right channels
Tor considering the event by the sug
gestions OF the best minds and the best
citizens OF the country. In this way we
have the whole moral and intellectual
force OF the whole country concentrated
In q moment upon the disorderly elemen,
at any particular spot whatever and
the moral and Intellectual forces of the
country are incredibly increased by those
very facts. The spread of knowledge
means the Improvement Of morals and
fhe diffusion Of ownership Of propertv. |
And these two things constitute the basis |
upon which any Government that lasts |
must finally rest Herbert Spencer. |
buckle. and writer's Of that school concur |
IN holding that the effect OF moral or |
ethical agencies upon civilization NAV be |
neglected and that the main, II not the |
sole eficient cause Of social advancement |
Us the expansion Of the intellect. The |
Work which has attracted most attention |
OF late is Mr.. Benjamin Kiads Social |
evolution which holds on the other
psaa. that the lesson written oyer all |