The herald., 1898-04-24

| WAYS unQeTStOOu VI d6iCSo upoh. kxAdhy
facts are given concerning the food OF
certain birds, which should clear them OF
| Popular charges against them for destruc-
| tion of farm and garden products. The
economic value of the birds Is fairly con-
sidered, and much interesting information
is given to show their claims upon man.
kind. And not only are the commonplace
aspects of the bird question faithfully
treated, but a just measure Of attention Is
given to the sentimental side, making the
volume exceedingly attractive and worthy
of a place in every household library.
ARISTOCRACY AND EVOLUTION; A
STUDY OF THE RIGHTS. The ORR
gin and Social Functions of the
Weather Classes. BY w. H. Mall
lock, Author of Labor and Popular
Welfare" "a Human Document"
"Classes and Masses" etc. The Mac
milan Company. Price $500.
This handsome and solid volume is
fine thing to have and to hold. We can
recall no more perfect piece of book max
ing in recent years that is more perfect in
plan and print. One may almost get the
substance of the book out of it's table of
contents, so rich is it in style and state
ment; while marginal notes throughout
give a digest of each page of text. To read
these notes, arranged in perfectly con-
nected and consecutive order is to read
the substance of the book. Thus, taking
a page of the chapter devoted to the origin
of industrial civilization, the side note
reads: "All the conquering races came
from fertile and bracing regions. There
were other regions yet more fertile, but
these were enervating, and here the In
habitants of the former mastered the
weaker inhabitants of the latter Here
is a complete statement of a general truth,
which the full text e!aborates. Two pages
on the rise of social science are thus sum-
married. in a marginal note: THE char
acteristic aim of science once was to deal
with the physical and physiological evolu-
ton. Its characteristic aim now is to deal
with the evolution of society,"" No recent
book which we now recall shows such
painstaking labor in construction while the
print is literally good for sore eyes, and
the lover of books feels like calling down
blessing upon the heads of the men who
bring us such gifts.
The first duty, as we'll as privilege, in
quence is to read the authors preface.
Mr.. Mallock makes a very necessary and
illuminating definition at the outset. He
means by aristocracy the gifted and ef-
ficient minority, no matter what the
position in which its members may have
been born, or what the sphere of social
progress in which their receptional eff
ficency shows ITSELF Il have chosen
the word aristocracy." says he, "in pre-
ference to the word oligarchy. because it
means not only the rule of the few, but
of the best, or the most efficient of the
few"
The portion of the work which is the
most striking as well as important, is that
which treats of Inequality, Happiness and
Progress. In the discussion of these con-
ditions which lie at the base of all social
questions, Mr.. Mallock defends the aris-
tocracy; that is, he says they are the nat
ural leaders, exceptionally efficient men,
who have, in the main, deserved what they
get in the way of wealth, social position
and human comfort. He attacks all that
socialistic teaching which is based on
distrust and hate. "Great men differ
from ordinary men in degree only, not in
kind, and the use of exceptional powers
is conditioned like the use Of ordinary
powers"
All men work for reward. The lead
ing minority want higher and better re-
suits than the average man, and SO their
character and requirements impress them
selves more decidedly upon the structure
of society. This is what the socialists
forget, and hence they propose
to offering the
great any exceptional reward. Excep-
tional rewards are essential to exceptional
action.
AS to wealth, it can never be equally dis
tributed any more than other forces and
possessions. 1t is a fit reward for excep-
tional efforts and justly belongs to him
who can command and use it. 1t is also
best that it be heritable, and also incomes
from it. Otherwise it would produce none
of those social results, such as continuous
culture, etc., which make it valuable.
"The wealth that ceased with the men
that actually made it would produce So
ciety of beasts. Wealth is desirable, be-
cause it is the physical basis of an enlarged
life, and there must, therefore, be con-
tinuity in it's possession" The theory of
true socialism is that the many, although
they cannot be producers of great wealth,
have a general benefit from what wealth
bestows upon the community. Besides,
wealth is constantly SO changing III form
and substance that there is always a
chance for all to have direct share in it.
Mr.. Mallock deprecates the teachings
of the average modern socialist. especially
the socialistic agitators, because he in
vents false theories as to wealth, and
rouses in the average man wants he can
not satisfy and stimulates talents that
are constitutionally imperfect. The
measure of wealth cannot be kept even.
although often redistributed; nor can edu-
cation, or any other thing, produce and
maintain equal social conditions. "Only
the exceptionally efficient rise out of their
own Glass; and so people should be taught
and encouraged to embellish their position
in the world rather than escape from it by
unusual means.
THE socialistic theories only cause
barren and artificial discomfort which in
terferes with that harmonious progress on
which the welfare of the many depends.
These theories make enemies of classes
who would otherwise be allied, and the
cause of true social reform suffers meal
culable injury Everything depends
on cooperation of all classes, for their
relations and positions can never be fun
damentally altered. This may discourage
the professional agitator, but it gives
hope to the real reformer, and is sound
sense.
This volume, the calm conservatism of
which we have given these hints. is a plea
for the recOpnitiOD nf tho vita Ilo laa RI =