The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-24

such work as they seemed fitted for at
fixed rate OF wages. On oilers, Rus
kin had no mercy. He believed they
should be set at work at the most pain
ful and degrading forms OF labor.
Rusldn advocated that for all the old
and destitute who had lived and 1abored
honorably, comfortable homes should
be provided. not warehouses; or poor
houses. but such homes as should not
| make the recipient feel disgraced to ac-
cept. He believed that the poor should
be, housed at the expense OF the state:
that. clean. airy homes should be built
at the expense OF the government for
the working c)asses. He believed that
the land should he secured In various
portions to those citizens who deserve
to be trusted with 1t, according to their
respective desires and proved capaci-
ties, for the most part leaving them
free to manage It as they chose. only. in
terfering In cases Of gross mismanage-
ment or abuse Of power. Rusltin agreed
with CaEIyie when he said that proper
~ speaking. the land belongs to these
two, the Almighty God and to all his
children Ut men that have ever worked
well on IT. or that shall ever work well
on It." -
DR.. Raymond then described num-
Der of Ruskin's social experiments. the
carrying on of 4 tca-hdlse. hiring n
crossing kept clean, mendtg roads, and
Issuing a paper to working men. These
everyone who could not see that Rus
kin was only trying to put into practice
what he preached. In 1876. Ruskin
started society, known rs the Guild
Of St. George" for the dissemination
and practice Of cooperative principles.
DR.. Raymond discussed this Guild at
some length. -
I'm closing, DR.. Raymond said. eve
have considered at some length Rus
kin's social theories and experiments.
VIII they, on the whole. be Of perma-
nent value? HIVE they made men and
women better and drawer in the work
OF helping and Illuminating the world In
Its need? Ruskin himself bitterly la
mented that his work had been n fall
ure; that the public wanted to be en-
tertnined, not criticized and convinced
Of the error OF its ways. II to fail
means to be priest and an evangelist
! In giving actual and tangible aid to
those In need Of 1t: in counselllng the
poorest and most ignorant In the ways
of health and industry: In going out into
the worlds want and misery and sick
ness and trying to do his part toward
setting things right. then Ruskin has
failed. Would that we had more such
fatlurcs! What are a few mistakes, a
few unwlse words, in the grand total OF
the work Of this great, generous hu-
manitarian? In the seclusion OF their
libraries some men have lived studious,
| quiet lives, while they wrote wisely
| about the regeneration of society and
the uplifting Of social ideals: but have
given no practical illustration Of what
they taught. nor ministered to those
! whom they so touchingly commisernted.
Ruskin did more than this, and II he
failed to do all, he has aimed at the
highest. and mot failure but low aim Is
crime" Ruskin. as few men Of his
time, has prepared the way for a clearer
social atmosphere. more generous re-
cognition Of the needs Of others. n gen.
eral renovation and uplifting Of socie-
| ty"