The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-11-14
SOCIAL REFOR8LS.

At the last meeting of the Saturday
Night club J. B. Larimer read a paper on
Social Re- rms, which created much IA
vorable comment Among other things
he said:
ssThe present wide spread and social
unrest, Il an occasion for most serious
thought. but no ground for alarm All
the civilized nations of the earth are now
actively engaged in discussing the prob
lens Of how society shall be moulded
that it can more adequately and success
fully discharge its true functions The
nations are struggling for, and cropping
toward the light, but they are altogether
in the dark The light may be dim, but
it is the dazzling light of the coming
day and not the approaching gloom Of a
starless night.
HThe attack is made more along indus
trial and political lines than moral and
religious ones, but if the fire is once
started and gets beyond control the pal
ace will be consumed with the howell
In the destruction Of that which Is
wrong, that which is good may not es-
cape. If / we're to sum up the grIev-
ances Of the discontinued masses ia this
country as stated by them I would say
that they desire to substitute for the
present capitalistic or competitive indus
trial form Of society, a cooperative or
sociaIistic form.
ssHuman nature is on trial on this con
tinent As it has never been on trial else
where. and II it breaks down here. there
viii be small hope for it elsewhere. If
under the conditions which have been
secured here, men cannot be self re-
strained, orderly. industrious and pro
gressive, they may wisely put them =
selves under such masters as they Can
find and become servants until the end
of time.
The danger Is that capital has become
81.
established, and in too many instance ;,
personal pride, avarice and greed lead
the employer to fail to give due weight
to the claims and rights OF those who
toll The unprecedented accum ulation
Of wealth, and the operation Of many
causes, which has led in many Instances
to its apparently unequal distribution,
has given rise to deep and bitter discon-
tent
Mr.. Larimer in his paper considered
the schemes of Donnelly and Bellamy
visionary. and said they would result in
paralyzing all business and checking all
progress.
This class is large, influential and
rapidly increasing" said he s'The fund
amental error Of the whole theory Is that
the individual would become dwarfed
and lost in the great mass of the people,
In concluding he said;
I'VE have solved the pro blem Of pOllt-
ical and religious liberty. The problem
Of social and industrial liberty is pro-
f0undly more difficult If we can solve
il correctly the cause of civilization Will
have a great uplifE 1t may be that our
people will attempt to carry out some Of
the visionary sche mes Of social agitators.
If we do sooner or later. we will learn
that no social reform can be successful
or permanent if we violate fundamental
truths. The happiness and prosperity Of
society depend upon the recognition of
the individual to society. The social re-
forms are based upon each Individual
having at the start an equal chance with
every other Individual aud then each
Individual striving honestly and faith >
fully to discharge every duty he owes to
his family TO society, to the state and to
his Creator"