The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-08

1
salesrooms In London and New York. "A
| The speaker then described the fac
tory at Merton Abbey, n novel kind OF
factory inasmuch as 1t Is situated In q
great park among beautiful trees and
flowers. AL the workers are happy and
healthy. They work at hand-looms.
The spirit OF fellowship prevades the
place. Old men and women contentedty
apply their shuttles, happy in their
work. knowing their work is sure, and
| That they Will not be thrust ont of their
places simply because they are old. DR..
Raymond then described the various de-
partments in the factory, enlarging on
the excellence of the work done, and the
ideal conditions OF labor, an eight hour
working day and the highest wages
! known to the trade.
DR.. Raymond went on to speak OF
Morris writings during this later period
| of his life, and defined Morris views on
| capital and labor. Morris believed that
labor distributed as It ought to be would
be q most delightful burden. Work
would be SO pleasant that In every
truth labor would be life. Morris also
believed that II man could be relieved
Of the fear of starvation, labor would be
| regarded not rs drudgery but rs rec
reation. He believed that the contest
between classes is soon to be abolished.
When this comes to pass, wealth will
be regarded merely as an instrument of
life, not rs q reason for living and
therefore dominate other mems lives.
All life Will grow simpler. In dealing
with property, Its use only will be con-
sldered, and 1t will be administered In
the way best calculated TO make men
and women happy.
Society of the Future.
Morris believed that the existing form
Of society IS gradually but with increas-
Ing momentum, disintegrating, through
Its own sheer inability to meet the needs
OF humanity. Though himself capt.
talist, and practical man Of business,
acquainted with all the supposed ad-
vantages of capftatistic management.
Morris believed that the capitalist sys-
tenn Of production Is fast breaking
down. When the capitalist class Is not
longer able to control industry, Morris
confidently believed the people In their
collective capacity will take the control.
Our present democracy, he thought,
contains many valuable elements Of lib
erty, but 1t is only n transitional state
which Is merely preparing society for
fuller and completer state Of brother
hood. 1t may be centuries, he said, be-
fore this Idea! state OF ours. but when 1t
has become the programme OF society:
then "the furthest we can now conceive
of Is only stage of the great journey
of evolution that joins the future and
the past to the present"
President Raymond then discussed
Morris News from Nowhere" In which
he pictures the England of theNfuture as
he thinks 1t will be when class struggle
and prejudice have been abolished and
men mingle In social fellowship and So
ciai equality. This work Is one Of the
most beautiful dreams ever given to the
world. Sir Thomas More has given us
UTOPIA" Bulwer Lytton dreamed Of
the Coming Race" Edward Bellamy
prophesied of the future In Looking
Backward" and Ignatius Donnelly in
Caesars Column" But no dreamer
or seer has dreamed so beautiful. so
Ideal dream of the future rs has Nor
ris In his News from Nowhere" The
world two or three hundred years hence.
as Morris pictures 1t. will be n new
world, cleansed of its selGshness, its
artiticlality, Its misery. Every phase
of life vii! assume different aspect.
Want. jealousy and social hatred will
be unknown.
At the time of his death. Morris was
the leading spirit of the Hammersmith
socialists, the members of which were
thoughtful men, artists and writer's.
Morris was one of the most active of its
members. To Norris teachings Is due
the organization of the Annual Arts and
Crafts Exhibition in England. He was
quick to detect and encourage genius
and all worlkmen who evinced artistic
appreciation and skill found In him
sympathetic and helpful friend.
DR.. Raymond ended his lecture with
the closing words OF News from No
where" in which Morris voices his faith
In n beautiful future when the burden
Of poverty and misery has fallen from
the world Waking from his long Wis
ion, Morris goes forth Into the diRgy
world again to take up the old burdens
and see the old despair about him, but
In his ears rings this farewell from the
ideal world he has left behind him: "Go
back again. now you have seen us, and
your outward eyes have learned that In
spite of all the infallible maxIms Of your
day. there Is yet 4 time of rest In store
for the world when mastery has
changed into fellowship, but not before.
Go back then, and while YOU live you
Will see all round you, people engaged
In making others live lives which are
not their own. while tIay themselves
care nothing for their own real lives
men who hate life though they fear
death. Go back and be the happier for
having seen lis. for having added lit
tie hope to your struggle. Go on living
while You may. striving with whntso-
ever pain and labor needs must be, to
build up little by little the new day OF
fellowship and rest and happiness"