The San Francisco call., 1895-07-14

it have long since been consigned to the
intellectual lumbsr-yard of the race.
1t is, therefore, a somewhat curious cir
cumstance that an attempt is now made to
awaken interest in California in this anti
quated fad.
dedicated his work to gentleman who
was first lin Sacramento) to give a young
lady q Clerkship at salary of $50 q
month, thus assisting widowed mother
and family We hope the gentleman and
his noble lady may be inspired to organize
a phalanx for the Children's Aid Society of
San Francisco on the plan of Divinity. as
interpreted by Fourier
The plan of social organization which
he elaborates is, as said before, an ampli-
fed socialism. The author starts with
what seems an enyiable fullness of knowl-
edge) from what he is pleased to term ''the
Creators plan of reorganization" He
makes a mathematical division of the
human race into groups and sub-groups,
that, industrially speaking, shall balance
each other, and sets them at work in
various industries. The stimulants to
well-doing under the new system are an
elaborate series of emulations which would
seem to appeal to the most trivial ele-
ments in human nature, but which the
author deems sufficient incentives to right
national life.
These emulations are personal, collective
and national rivalries, cooperative enthu-
nected with industry, honorary distinc-
tons, the charm of cooperative uniforms,
and a just and satisfactory division of
profits to every person. The pivotal
stimulant he makes "short periods for the
exercise of all branches or functions, and
with polite, affable and agreeable persons.''
Such babyish motives as these does he
+I,r 20 Ia Oh No -.
conduct in men and women. OF mental,
moral and spiritual motives of action he
would seem to have no conception.
Considerable space is given to an in
genious working out of the details of life in
the phalanstery, but the main idea of the
little book is outlined in the dedication.
The authors dream is to see a phalanx of
children-some 1000 strong-establishe in
this State. These children are to be reared
in accordance with the latest approved
scientific theories, educated in the best
way and trained In a constant sue
cession of industries. Some capital
educational suggestions are outlined, in
terspersed with much that is fantastic and
whimsical, such as the ascription to God
of passionai attraction, as the agent which
he makes use of in directing the social
movement, and in the government of his
creations, and much similar nonsense
which has no basis in scientific teaching or
in economic experience.
Just what is to become of the children
reared in the phalanstery the author does
not say. 1t is however, a curious ex-
perience with trainers of the young and
one worth considering in this connection.
that what are known as institutional chill
dren-children reared exclusively in public
institutions-are not an unqualified success
in the world. They are less equal to hold
ing their own, less adaptable, less self
reliant, less able to live and to work alone
than are children who have the ordinary
training of home and school life. If the
whole world were subjected to this institu-
tional training it might, it doubtless
would, yield better results than the present
system.
Human companionship and interde-
pendence are of all things desirable. But
the objections to such cooperative expert
ments as we have thus far had are those
that must obtain against all sporadic at
tempts in this line. The affiliated men
and women, while protesting against the
evils of competition and the competitive
system, are themselves but a competitive
unit. Altruria, Utopia, the Phalanstery-
call the community what we will-does col
lectively what every individual is doing sep
arately-competes in the nearest market
with all who come. 1t is the fact that the
underlying principle of such communities
Is WRONG I0dI DTGtuS TIE lllu1flludl wrong
doing and consequent dissensions which
sooner or later rend these bodies and cause
the enterprises to fail.
The cooperative principle is correct, but
cooperation for competition is a curious
contradiction of terms.
Another guide-book to economic felicity
is publication by The American Humane
Education Society. This book consists of
number of prize essays on "The best
plan OF peacefully settling the difficulties
between capital and labor" and "The best
plan of preventing poverty and relieving
the poor" Judging from these essays
"the best PLAN is many-sided. One
writer speaks in disparaging terms of COM
pulsory arbitration and advocates the
adjudication of difficulties between capital
and labor by the usual processes of courts
of law.
The next writer has much to say of the
evils of cooperative enterprises and sees
in pro6t-sharing solution of all labor's
difficulties, and third essayist presents a
plea for compulsory arbitration and argues
strongly for both cooperation and profit
sharing.
If IN a multitude of counsel there
is wisdom the reader of this little
pamphlet will have quite an assortment
of recommendations from which to Sc
lect that which seems to him wisest
Boston, Mass: The American Humane
Education Society,"