The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-14
A. D. 100000.
Tnree Books OF Three Periods -"ln Buif
and Blue" "Castaln Sha's, Popu-
list" ana Equality"

cover, comes Mr.. Edward Beamy's mueh-
heralie1 book, Equality" an elaboration.
not 20 say prolongltion, OF Looking Back
ward, the work that created curious fnrore
some years ago and which brought its author
into marked prominence as a spcinl reiormer'
As a matter Of fact except by suggestion
and inference, Mr. Bellamy's fame as soeiol-
ogist had very limp foundation IN Looking
Backward" Indeed. il has been popularity
understood that he had no design To pose as
such when no wrote that work hs aimed
only at q work Of tho imagination according
20 common understanding of his undertaking.
AT all events, he awakened To lind himself by
re2sAn Of a bright idea for story not lead
ng novelist, but reformer. We remark this
as being merely matter of popular under
standing. Mr.. Bellamy himself says In the
preface ~ his new book that Looking Back
ward" was but little thing and he was
not able TO get into il all he wished 10 say ON
the subject" and that 'since II was published
what was left out of IL has loomed up rs so
much more important than what II con-
tanned" that no was constrained TO write
Equality" Accordingly, we must do Mr..
Bellamy the justice 10 believe that he was
social reformer, although at the time there
was not so much demand for social reform a
for picturesque romance, SO he merely
touched on the former, and he is certainly
right In believing that the bait thus thrown
out has created q demand for more Of tfe
real thing.
The hero Of Looking Backward" thus Is
awake in the twentieth century of Equal
ity." His hypnotic sleep, like greater Rlp
Van Wrinkle, has lasted since 1857. Unlike
Rip Van Wrinkle, he retains his youth. He be-
gins 10 look about him and inquire. his in
vestigatons being pursued under the direc
ton and instruction of the father Of the
twentieth century maid with whom he is in
love. This gentleman, DIR. Leete, is well up
on the history Of the 'social revolution and
upon the theory and practice of nationalism
He is what would bs called Thoroughly in
formed man and taker Of ability. Ap-
parently he is not pushed by work. Every
one in the twentieth century is in receipt Of
the equivalent of an income of $1,000 a
year from the government, SO no one has 10
worry. Indeed the state Of civilization is SO
far removed from worry and that IL
seems dangerously near the uninteresting
point. We should Judge that everybody is
abundantly we'll satisfied with themselves.
The man from tho nineteenth century is
were dime museums he would doubtless bo
able TO pet remunerative job-though re-
munerative jobs have no attractions for the
twentieth century man. In Equality"
therefore, the hero officiates as intorlocutor,
through the medium of whose inquiries the
condition of things is explained. The result
is consummate dissertation on the nationals.
tie state as commonly understood, elucidated
lar
ever marked any other work on the subject
and IN language and fashion that can but be
popular.
The reader of Looking Backward" who ex-
poets 20 find romance, novel, a story, in
Equality" will be disappointed. That
doesn't mean that he will necessarily he dis
appointed in the book. however. MIR. Bellamy
has written most entertainingly. He makes
no heavy discourse for all the particularly
and the prolixity of his argument. There are
bits Of humor. even. Perhaps they are unin'
territorial and will not be accepted as humor
by the truly soulful Socialist. The little
chapter ON ''theater going in the twentieth
century is an instance. IL we did not feel
that Mr.. Beilamy was in earnest we would be
sure he designed to make laugh. The house
hold goes 10 the music room in the twentieth
century residence, where the telephone and
eleetroscope connections are adjusted in an
ticipation OF the rising of the curtain in the
theater somewhere located. We presume all
the residents in the happy twentieth century
land are similarly equipped, unless the dwell
lers in some Of them may have religious
scrupes as TO attending theater even at long
range. The play dealt with the social revolu-
ton, and naturally the hero OF Equality"
found il particularly attractive, as it pre-
sented scenes, costumes ana conditions OF
times contemporaneous with his life before
he fell asleep ana made him realize heenly
how much better off the new world was.
They sat up and discussed the play "till the
globe Of the color clock, turning from bottle
green to white" warned them OF midnight.
The twonrieth century, as yet, offers no me-
chanical or governmental device 20 relieve
the individual from wasting time in sleep.
so they all went to bed.
This is a diversion. II illustrates with what
exhaustiveness the author deals with his sub
ject. He leaves no question unanswered, no
detail Of life untouched, to give us the re-
suits Of the operation of co operation as affect
ing everything you can think OF that nor
mally comes up in daily life. To be sure, he
resorts to invention To explain away much
that might make "A puzzling problem. For in
stance, nobody has to work on dis
agreeable Jobs, because new devices have made
all work agreeable. Women may devote them
selves to agriculture without spelling their
hands or their complications. There are no
sewer laborers because there are no sewers
refuse is purified without bothering anybody
in this happy land. Work is never hard be-
cause there is no more hard work Progress
siye invention has relieved the world of the
things that we class as drudgery. Occupations
that are pleasant are developed in plenty.
There is none other. Machinery does the
dirty work and every individual becomes a
smooth running machine pleasurably occupied
in doing oil that need be done-at salary, If
the word may be permitted, Of $1,000 per an
mum oil a round-the purchasing power of
which, under the new conditions as compared
with the old, is about six or seven thous and.
Then Mr. Bellamy tells us how it all came
about-how the capitalists and plutocrats
were brought into line without bloodshed
how the revolution was accomplished when
the people became fairly alive TO the effect
that the revolution OF l776 secured only freS-
dom from England and not freedom for the
people who were still in bondage TO the rich.