The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-06-22
Circulation Statement.
Reason, Organization. and PERSONAL
ity.


taken place in American life during the
last thirty or forty years are worth con-
sidering in their bearings upon the prob
lens of extraordinarily political Ques-
lions. These changes have taken place so
quietly that they have scarcely been real
lied, and they are. perhaps, remarkable
rather as tendencies than as accomplish
ed facts. But they are significant. all the
same.
One is the disposition which now exists
TO settle everything by reason instead of
emotion or tradition. Another is the
strong tendency toward organization. in
all classes OF society. A third. due in
great measure to the combined influence
of the other two. is the increasing i'm
portance OF the individual
Il may seem to some people that the
second OF these facts contradicts the other
two. But in the long run, it does not
With the rise of free religious thought
and industrial enterprise came a strong
tendency to reason out every problem. in
steo. Of Obeying blindly the dictum OF
some superior power. or following some
party watchword. There is a great deal
of coercion Of the individual nowadays.
against which reason rebels, but 1t differs
from that % the past in that the victim
is partly or wholly aware that something
is wrong and would resist If he could.
The rise Of the trusts has occurred with
the knowledge OF the people. though not
with their concurrence. 1t has been due
10 the opportunities which Industrial COL
ditions have afforded to the capitalist.
There was a time. no doubt. when TO the
average American citizen the rich and
successful man was an object Of adIiva-
ton. II IS to be doubted whether this is
now so. There is strong undercurrent
OF rebellion against the aggrandiZement CT
the rich, which prevents any such blind
acquie5cence in plutOcratic rule as the
peasant Of Europe gives TO the rule Of the
aristocracy. In spite OF the fact thGt a
large percentage Of the American PEOPLE
are only one generation removed from
that peasant class themselves. they will
never willingly sink to that level
A great deal Of rubbish is Just now
being talked about the beauty Of an arts
tOcratic system Of things. and the SEN
timental value Of the relations between
the rich and the poor when one class is
hopefessly above the other. That is the
natural reaction from ultra-democratIc
ideals. which demanded more than could
Immediately be accomplished. Such re-
actions always come. and they never last.
The great fact remains that human nature
develops faster and better in freedom
than in subsection. In its crude state free
dom always has ugly features. but that is
no sign that It is bad altogether. Some Of
these features are the natural results Of
former servitude. This is the case with
every emancipated peasant class. Consid-
cradle moOnshine has been evolved about
the beautie- Of the old plantation system
in the South II had some; there is no
denying that. At its best il was very
pretty. But there is no question that some
Of the large rice, cotton, and sugar plan
tations were more like Sodom and Co
morrah than anything in q republic ought
to be. II is useless to put forward all the
useful and pleasant features Of a system
and ignore the bad ones. Any person of
ordinary intelligence can pick out a num-
Der of men in his acquaintance who are
not fit to be entrusted with irresponsible
power Such power is the Objectionable
feature in the trust system; but instead
Of acquiescing in its helplessly. OF 10y
ally supporting it from sentiment, the
people are reasoning and arguing about
it. That is hopeful sign.
The modern tendency 10 organization is
a result Of this same reasoning impulse 1t
sometimes seems as If everybody in this
Republic, down to the school children. had
determined to meet in clubs and discuss
things. Absurd as some Of the clubs are.
they, too. show a hopeful condition Of af-
fairs When people can be brought to talk
about a question, consider it from various
points of view, and decide IT by appeal to
reason, there is hope that 1t will be settled
right
Although the individual has to submit
TO the demands of organization, it still
adds to his Importance. His vote is nee
Under (. disorganized state of society the
man Of strong personality has little power
With organization he can extend his infu-
ence but only as il proves. when nicely
measured against that Of others. to be
stronger than theirs. He cannot rule arbl-
trarily without trouble He must prove
his fitness for rule. And so these three
influences are working together perhaps to
perfect the Republican time
The Huckster Nuisance.