The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-04-12

'isms" of his day were protests against
systems of society nov. condemned by all
intelligent people. and that much of the
ridicule hurled at them was uniustIhed
by fact
It would be absurd today for a man to
90 about preaching some of the doc
trines of the Transcendentalists, be
cause these doctrines are so generally
accepted that he would seem to be
thrashfng a man of straw. but in days
when those who rejected she dogma Of
infant damnation were called unortho-
dox. and the slave trade was defended as
missionary work. Alcott. Parker. and
their followers had some reason TO use
strong language. Some of the ideas in
GreeIey's social creed. stated in 1865.
sound emineutIy sensible even at this
day. He said. among other things:
Some OF His Beliefs
y believe that there need be. and
ssould be, no paupers who are not in
fantiIe. idiotic or disabled; and that
civilized society pays more for the sup
port Of abIebodied pauperism than the
necessary cost Of lis extirpatton-
II believe that they babble idly and
libel Providence who talk of surplus
labor or the ihadequacy of capital to
supply employment 10 all who need IL.
Il believe that the efficiency Of human
effort is enormously. ruineEsly dimin-
lshed by what term Social Anarchy.
i It is quite within she truth 10
estimate the annual product OF cur na-
tional industry at less than one-half Of
what It might be if better applied and
directed.
The poor work at perpetual disad-
vantage in isolation. because Of the in
adequacy of their means. As
sociation would have these unite to pur-
chase. inhabit, and cultivate a common
dorrain-say. of 1000 ecres-whcreey
these advantages over the isolated sys-
tenn would be realized, ECONOMY. ete).
Living Up to Them Another Thing.
Mr.. Linn goes on TO say
But. while holding to those beliefs. he
acknowledged the difficulty of living up
to them. His own experience had shown
him that prime obstacle TO a success
full social experiment was the kind Of
persons who are naturally attracted to
/ it, the conceited. the erotohety. the sell
fish. the headstrong. the pugnacious. The
unappreciated. the played-out. the idle.
and the good-for- nothing generally: who.
hndfng themselves utterly cut OF place
and at discount in the world as it is.
rashly conclude that they are exactly
fitted for the world as it ought TO be. e
This is a shrewd summing up OF The
difficulties in the way Of most social
Isttc experiments which have been tried,
and it is precisely the reason Why so
cia1ism viii never be a success until
/ like democratic government. IT is tried
on a scale so large and In circumstances
so favorable as to attract men who's
! efficiency and talent would be valuable
/ anywhere.
The Biographer's Limitations.
! It is possible that Mr.. Inns biog-
raphy might be more realistic If he
we're more thoroughly in sympathy aitt
the ideas OF It's subject and with that
subjects somewhat peculiar character
/ Greeley was a man who could only De
appreciated at his fun value by sym
i pathetic insight. and the present bioE-
rapher seems somewhat lacking in this
/ For instance, he SAYS:
! Before the Tribune was year old
7 its editor told mis- readers: We have
a number OF requests TO blow up al