The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-15
A sociologist on the Future.

EDWARD ALswoRTH Ross, professor
Of Sociology in the University of Ne
braska, will Away have at least whole
floor in the temple Of fame. He is said
to be the man who first witched or fright
ened the world with the phrase race
suicide" Doubtless other men will
seek to fitch his honors from him. and
usually these great inventions are born
in a number of brains about the same
time. At present Professor Rosss
patent seems not to be disputed. But
he is much more than phrase maker
He makes prophecies. In his lecture
at the University Of Chicago last week
on THE Near Future Of American
Society" he said, among many other
interesting things, that "free land Is
we'll nigh gone; with it's disappearance
we shall see the end of the West"
In his book on THE Foundations Of
Sociology" Professor Ross asserted that
"free land is gone This merely shows
that sometimes he writes more positively
than he talks. By the END of the West I"
he means the end of the Western radical
spirit, for 4the Westerner has always
been 'ismy'." From the West have come
as the professor says truly, "leveling i'm
pulses in the form Of Je ifersonian and
Jacksonian democracy, Lincoln repub-
licanism, grangerism, populisrn and
Organism" that have swept eastward
and Americanized the crusting and
stratifying East.
So far 80 good, but what signs are
there of growing conservatism or a
crust forming West? Are LA TOILETTE 8
Wisconsin and DUNES Chicago too far
east to be considered Western? Well
they have the referendum in Oregon.
San Francisco has been ruled by radicals
for some years. 1t is true that she is
now trying to get rid of them. Can
any amount Of plutocracy drive the
"isms" out of Kansas? The Indiana
Democracy and the Ohio Democracy,
the Western Democrats generally, are
true to Mr.. BRYAN Mr.. ROOSEVELT,
whom nobody would call hide-bound
conservative, is the idol of the West
The West may be said to control both
the Republican and the Democratic
party, even although the South gives
the latter it's electoral votes. The cities
are more radical, at least their radicals
are more radical, than. the country; and
there is land to spare, but people prefer
the city to the country.
Apparently manhood suffrage has
again to fight against property suffrage,
for this is what Professor Ross sees:
Our political cleavage Of the future will give
us one party championing q type Of social union
where as In the trust, mans title to consideration.
weight and benefits depends upon the amount
the type OF social union. where, as In the labor
organization man title TO participate Is his man.
hood"
Professor Ross's belief that mans title
to participate" in labor union is his
manhood" is novel and shows an ador-
able simplicity Two thoughts more:
The natural currents of exchange run between
January lands and June lands, so we may look for
north and south traIic 70 gain on east and west
franc.
"Hcnceforth the many types OF society developed
through sectionalism will merge moro and moro
into q single great national basin ned with one rich
and highly diversified social life"
So January and June are to get along
better than January and May ever have.
and social life is to be richly and highly
diversified. We are especially grateful for
the latter prospect. A rio and highly
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