The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-01-12

enough food and clothes and sleep and |
pleasure, and there is more than /
enough in the world for all of them. |
The problem is one of distribution, not |
OF supply. Other problems there are to |
solve, but this is of first Importance.
This must be solved, and has always |
the first claim upon our attention. But |
there are other problems which bear
upon it, and the solution of which !
would help considerably.
Perhaps the chief trouble with the |
world is it's vulgarity-the vulgarity |
that apes an unfamiliar and uncomfor-
table magnificence, vulgarity that
has not the courage to be coarse, the
temperament to be refined or the taste
to choose. To know that one really
cares for the beginning of wisdom.
The world works and wars for so many
things that in it's heart it cares moth
ing about; and the things it cares
best for it pays for heaviest. Most of
the sorrow of the world comes of it's
vulgarity.
The world, repeat, is always paying
in blood and tears for something it does
not Want-While it's real happiness goes
by. A sane, average human happiness
is not expensive To achieve that there
need be no ruinous strife of markets, or
bitter wars of partitiOn-of land that
belongs to none of the partitiOners. It
is the vulgar plutOcrats who put up the
price Of human happiness, and by their
foolish examples bewilder an initiative
humanity with false ideals. If for no
dazzling vulgarians Of capital because
they interfere with the acceptance of
those finer and simpler standards OF
living by which I believe the aristocra-
cy Of the twentieth century will be
measured. Yes! the abolition Of spur
ious aristocracies, and the substitution
Of real aristocracies. If only the twen-
tieth century can accomplish that! If
only it can establish truer theory of
human values. Broadly speaking, hu-
man values are at present measured
by money-yet no one really takes the
standard seriously. The rich who are
nothing else are clearly seen to be ridi-
culous, and the world laughs at them
in it's sleeve. Who has not visited in
rich mems houses, where the servants
were the real ladies and gentlemen, and
how many thousand, nay, millions, of
gentle, refined natures are wasting
themselves day and night, heart -brok-
en-, spirit-crushed that their vulgar
taskmasters and taskmistresses shall
taunt in laughable state before the
world? OF course, no century will ever
entirely rid us of such anomalies.
Vulgarity is an inherent part Of hu-
mo 11f CFu g
There is no reason why the finer side
should not get the upper hand. In
deed, there is one very strong reason
that it should-the reason that in hu-,
man evolution the finer instinct does
always get the upper hand in the end.
Else we should all have been gorillas
to- this day---instead of q a. conn aratilye55
few OF us.
lersiS "a :.
take It's place IN the IMsentieth century
The difficulty with international &ar-
bitration, however, is that the arbitra-
tors are apt to be too much involved
themselves in the question at issue to
be partial judges. I rather hope that
organized war may cease from that
raising of the general intelligence and
that growth of the sense of humor Of
which we may see many encouraging
signs at the end of the century. War
is so stupid! and not half so glorious
as it is ridiculous. Perhaps, too, with
the growth of the sense of pity which
comes intelligence, the world may come
to realize that. the public gain in amy.
war is never-or seldom-great enough
to outweigh the private sorrow. Will
any sane person consider the price al
ready paid by England in private sor-
row for the possession Of the Transvaal,
and say that the Transvaal was worth
the price-not to speak Of the tragic
agony of a. little nation fighting so he
roically for it's life? OF course. war in
some form or other there will always
be. To fight, we all Know, is one of
the mysterious conditions of human
progress. A greater strength must in
the end dominate lesser, greater ex-
cllence prevail over lesser. But, just
as other instincts have become refined
in the course Of centuries, this instinct
may become refined too.
There are many other particular
tasks to which the twentieth century
will set it's hand, and probably accom-
plish, but they are virtually included
in the general tasks of which
I have spoken. Such, for example, is
the question of old age pensions, which
| is but a branch Of the great labor and
capital problem, and will be solved
with that. Perhaps one task, however,
needs separate mention: The estab-
| lishment of sensible marriage law.
| Not long ago a prominent citizen Of the
capital of the United States was COM
mended by a judge in court for thrash
ing his wife in the public streets for
the crime of-wearing bloomers! Such
grotesque brutality and injustice must
surely become obsolete quite early in
| the twentieth century.
| Of course there is much more the
twentieth century might do for man.
kind But here is enough for it to be-
going on with.-Richard LeGallienne in
Chicago American. =.
] .BlakeAeld Reelected.