The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-25
SAVAGE ON SOCIALISM.
CAUSES or THE EXISTING SOCIAL
DISCONTENT.

obligations RI the Rich to HumauitJ-Nuch OF
Their wealth and Their Ability TO Create it
Como from Others-when They nccoEnire
Their Obligations, Discontent Will Cease.
In his sermon at tho Church Of the Messiah
at Park avenue and Thirty-fourth street yes
terdny- morning DR.. Minot J. Savage pointed
out some reasons for the prevalence of social.
ism, touching especially on the part 1t is play
ing in the present municipal campaign. Tho
subject OF his sermon was "Noblcsse Obligc,"
or, as no translated II, Tho responsibilities
Of Intellect, Power. and Wealth" lie said in
part:
81 am a Socialist and I am not q Socialist.
Tho question as to the relation OF the Individual
to society and their mutual rights has boon
endlesly debated. II VIC annlyzo the matter wo
must admit that the fundamental intentions Of
tho philosophical Socialist are correct. The In
dividual has certain duties and functions to
perform. In our Willingness to pay taxes, to do
Jury duty, or to be enrolled in tho army, wo
concodo that wo aro under certain obligations
10 the nation in regard to our service, our
property, and our lives.
1.-THE fundamental principles OF the philosoph-
zeal Socialist are indisputable, tho only differ
once between him and the Socialists OF tho
present time being In the advocacy Of certain
methods. After you have admitted the prin-
ciple, 1t becomes only n question OF eNpeulents
as n TO now wv II nr is oIs5 TO m serve So .% ror prOt'; socialists SoI n,
must not expect us to give UP the settled order
Of things In attempting to realize some object
only on paper. The history of the past growth
of civilization shows 1t to be slow. We must DO
pretty sure that something is better before we
try 1t.
That there is a lot of socialism at present Is
undeniablc. 1t is playing an important part
In the political struggle u Is resembling tho
far'ot lntohatioh oi ah ear'hquaAe uhoer INC
settled surface of our social order. II We look
1n,p inc causes Sin .. go .n ,sd pre ~ &c mo, I hoe sUo,ui nna
1 think We VIII sec tnat III Is not because one
man is learned and another ignorant; one
large. another small: one high, another low. nor
4. - 5iT.ronco b,,,oor Tho moor md ,ho
rich. The methods by which a millionaire
comes into possession of his wealth and his use
of i create or DISCOURAGE social discomfort.
merly lived here, but are now over the sea,
whose entire revenues were derived from prop
and the value Of which was created BY the PEG!
pie who inhabit that city. Some time aso a
a, plan for the he improvement Of the city. He re,
piled that he was not Interested in the matter.
That was a,d his @ns sE s5.s when Shd his f %eSl1h was was S sot
rived from the daily labor Of the people of the
city he inhabited never lifted a finger to OBJ
the right of humanity to that which he owned.
Is it any wonder that, when the laboring man
sees men like these,in their palaces and on their
yachts is it any wonder that not the wealth.
but the methods. OF use, this utter refusal to
recognize any claim on them, breeds bitterness
and discomfort and a sense of injusticel The
mobiles in the Middle Ages recognized this
claim upon them when in the time of war they
placed their retainers and resources at the dis
posal of their King. They were.seryants. SO rec,
ognizcd by the King and people. 1t was not all
power and no duty. Duty was commensurate
with power. To-day the Duke Of Westminster.
owning acres OF the. city OF London, can take
his revenue created by the people and can do as
he pleases with 1t and render no public service.
The sons of such men are brought up to believe
in this. 1t makes no difference to them whether
they do anything or not.
How much OF anything we have or what
We are is ,oursi Our brain is the gift, of
humanity. 1t was the mon in all past ages that
created this mechanism OF thought. The in
tellectual man sees his dependence on society
when he writes a book, as he has to have peo-
pie to read it, just as the picture painter has TO
have aesthetic minds to delight in his pictures.
Whichever way we look, all man has is the
ehIIy+ haSo et knon 1n IT. d. nov .rh,s