The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1902-10-04

sity, delivered the first of six lectures
before the university extension class,
Of Kansas City, Tuesday evening. He
said:
1.-THE social question Of to-day, or
the social question OF any given time,
is the question Of social welfare
pressing most strongly for solution.
That question will always be found to
be a problem of restricting the oppor-
tuoitles Of organized selfshness.
Selfshness is general, and it is an
Illusion to suppose that one class Of
society is altogether virtuous and
heroic, while another is moved only
by the spirit OF narrowness aud greed.
But the fact that, generally speaking
all men are selfish, does not deny the
existence Of the social problem OF
restricting the opportunities of sell
fshness with those who have at a
gwen time the power to oppress their
fellows. The real question is as to
whether injustice exists. Where this
power is lodged to-day, and how it
manifests itself, may be more clearly
perc,iy by tracing briefly the evo-
luton Of the social question.
"In the early history of society,
when mems ideas we're chiefly reli-
gions, and the whole power of church
and state was welded by those in
authority, it is plain to be seen who
might be guilty Of selfish excess. AS
the church vas the supreme authority,
the social question was naturally the
problem Of securing popular freedom
from ecclesiastical domination. All
conscious efforts of the people were
directed toward this end. The social
question was mainly religious ques-
tion. When, in the sixteenth CEN
tury, Martin Luther and his associates
Irebelled against tine authority of the
church, they were engaged In a move
| ment which finally resulted in secur-
ing for the people greater degree Of
religious freedom; that is the Socia
question as a religious question was
practically solved. While mucn still
remains to be done in the way of Sc
: curing for the people freedom o
thought and action 10 religious mat
rers, this particular phase Of th,
social question is no longer dominant
AN ECONOMIC QUESTION.
"After the Reformation the peopl
soon found out that the same oppOr
tunities for selfish domination tina
had been enjoyed by those in contro
of ecclesiastical institutions wer
afforded those who we're in control Q
> the state. The crozier of the eccle
= siastic had merely transformed itsel
into the sceptor Of the political ruler
For two centuries and a half th
struggle OF the people was for shar
In the government. The social que'
y tion was political question. Tn
. question, however, was nominall
y solved, so far as the people Of tn
. country are concerned, by the Re-
. olution aud the Declaration Of Ind,
u pendence. The social question
= consequently no longer primarily
= political question.
Political liberty having bee
achieved, where is now the great o.
: portunItY for selfish denomination
: Obviously It lies with that class
!, persons who have secured control
! the great Industrial forces Of our n
tion and have intrenched themselv
! behind the economic institutions u
/, on which the welfare of society
!, largely depends, The social questis
! of to-day, therefore, is chiefly {
!, industrial or economic question.
= is the problem OF restricting Il
power Of wealth; and Of securing +
the people a higher degree ofeconom
freedom 1T comes as Prof. Wagn
Of Germany has expressed 1t, OF Il
Consciousness Of contradiction b
!, !, tween economic development and Il
ideal of liberty and equality viii
! is being realized in political life
"The story OF social evolutio
e then, or the history Of mankind /
4. veals the fact that there have bs