New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-23
"CARLYLE, THE GREAT SCHOLAR"
JOHN GRAHAM BROOKS GIVES HIS EIGHTH
LECTURE ON IDEALS OF
NEW SOCIETY"

John Graham Brooks gave his eighth lecture in
his course on Ideals OF a New Society" before
the League for Political Education Monday morn
ing In the Mendeissohn Glee Club Hall. The sub
feet was Carlyle whom the lecturer designated as
the great scholar"
Carlyle was the greatest literary force OF our
time" Mr.. Brooks said. The genter and more
humane Emerson cannot compare with him in
influence He almost did K!ngsleys WORK; he was
Ruskin's master and The Tale Of Two Cities Is
written II Carlyle had held the pen II Is Diff
cult TO extract a definite doctrine OF the social
problem from his writings but the main points OF
his teaching his contempt for the laissezfaire
doctrine and for democracy. He saw clearly at a
time when other great were carried away
with the idea that the problems OF society would
never be solved by being let alone and that the
cash nexus not the most important relation
subsistng among men. He maintained that MOTH
ing but Anarchy could result from acting on the
cash-nexus principle. and We have striking con-
frmation OF his theory In the conditions OF the Lat
timer mines
THE enormous surplus Of labor there Is due
simply TO the fact that the owners wanted TO make
sure OF having enough men to do the work when
business rose to its highest point. | asked an en-
ployer who had been in the Business thirty years.
II It were true that the men had been encouraged
10 come and he said: OF course. He admitted
that the policy had caused great deal OF trouble,
and said that conditions now were such that from
time they must nave suoo''H5s fie aiSo
said that Il was impossible to give the miners any
educationa; advantages. because II anything were
taught to them they would not be willing 10 do
that kind OF work. This Is certainly chaos, and
the only way we bring order out OF II Is by
making It submit to kind OF organization.
They have not even taken the initial step OF hav-
ing the State constabuary deal with the riots. as
&c done I'm England. though one OF the employers
said II ought 10 he done AS long as the military
force is taken right out OF the heat or the conflict
we will have that sort of killing. They had 1t In
England until this change was made but now 1t
has absolutely ceased
Mr. Brooks concluded his discussion OF the cash
ne.us' philosophy by mentioning n hopeful feat
ure OF the present situatIon namely. the bringing
forward by the Prime Minister Of England OF
bill which confessedy supports the principle thdt
human life and happiness OF more importance
han dividends. The same principle, as embodied
in the Employers Liability bill, was Missed three
The rest Of the lecture devoted to the refuta,
ton OF Carlye's doctrine OF the incapaciy OF the
democracy Mr. Brooks admitted that CaryIe
had abundant reason for thinking as ne d,a ana
seen some OF our present municipal governments
but he nevertheless mantainec that ne wa "ionS'
god )" he said. II prefer Browning's prayer. God.
make no giants; elevate the race pny S wnen
demi-gods have gone do gods make their hohe
"At the time Carlyle wrote he continued there
w,s no such thing popular education IN Eng
land Since then there has been rapid deve eo
mcn OF the lower stratum and }usc bds SOCIETY
~ ss,t,na into order and decency. The deals OF
pitt were as bad those Of Tweed ana nne
a,,rb .oenth century one OF organized corruI.
,ion To-day all these things have changed, Dut II
the democracy had been one-thousandth par ~
had AS Carlyle imagined nothing or the kind cou'd
Ia" "In america democracy has never been tired
az, IN 1ha Revolution we declared that all men
n ,nre equal and then proceeded to practise the
ontrary Since the abolition OF slavery we nave
had a plutocratic government II had time 4
norld nroye this that no one would DOUBT IL
UUs,ness men admit It freely when they are
b lmnne themselves They say they have TO buy
nnonIs ND or they could not do business We are
INST beginning to know this. and are beginning 10
bav. a real democracy -. h.,
In conclusion Mr. Brooks asserted hsy wn s
Inms s seertous He instanced tho attitude OF the
country with regard TO the blowing up OF a ,ns
S,tnity TINT had been shown was due entlrely 10
.h cy,on az some loathsome sheets that had tried
~ sting us into fury with their lies.