The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-06-26
'UNI0NISM A NECESSITY
Robert A. Woods the Speaker at Saga
more Beach.

~i~N~N AFHt-S-es
Sycamore Beach, June S6T prin-
eipal speaker at the Sociological confer
ence here this week was Robert A.
Woods of the South End House, Boston.
Mr.. Woods reviewed the social progress.
|of the last twenty-five years He said
in part
Twenty-Five years ago American city
government was our burning national
disgrace, Up to that time no systematic
effort toward improvement had been
made. Since then gains have been won
which afford the greatest encouragement
as TO a not distant outcome in quality
for city government which will in fair
degrees come up to the best standards
OF municipal administration in Europe.
There have been two stages in munich
pal reform, the first and impulsivP, spas
modic sort, designed merely to get the
rascals out and to improve the technical
administration Of the city Offices; the
second, and vastly more promising, fix
| ing its attention rather upon reforming
and undermining the aims of municipal
administration and bringing it into con-
crete and explicit contact with the hui
man needs of all classes Of citizens. This
second type Of municipal reform ~ &C.
Icompanied, and to a large extent has
been caused by a quiet but extremely
vital and well-nigh universal movement
for local social betterment through the
means of churches, neighborhood guilds
of various sorts, district improvement
societies and many forms Of charitable,
philanthropic and reform organizations
covering larger towns and cities in their
scope
The whole tendency Of things has been
deeply stimulated and made general by
the amazing economic growth Of the
country since 1880. Successful beyond
all possibilities Of foresight on It's pro-
ductive side, this economic development
contains the gravest dangers TO the ma.
tion as a whole and to every individual
in it ON the distributive side. The highly
intensified concentration OF the power of
capital has gradually brought the over
lwhelming majority Of the people of the
country into an economic position which
| in many respects Is simply that Of the
wage Garner receiving his income wholly
at the hands OF another and putting out
This income with extremely little option
as to the price which he shall pay This
development has brought about a highly
complicated system of organized labor,
which has its abuses, but which is abb
solutelv essential to the maintenance Of
the standard Of life of the working man
and his family, and. therefore, essential
to our national political and moral well
fare.
These developments have in spite Of
I ls.4 ~ ~ ~,
direction Of that social unity which is
essential to the success and progress of
Democracy. Meanwhile we have with
customary American daring been willing
TO face not only all the problems Of
Democracy but all the problems Of cos
lmopolitanism besides The greatest Of
all the historic migTHtipns Of the peoples
has taken place during the past twenty
five years, and we socially and nationally
are 10 work upon the results OF that mi-
grafton. Marvellous for rapidity and
lthoroughness Is the process by which
/ this country assilnilates the child Of the
| immigrant, but far-reaching also Is the
tendency by which the immigrant as
similatps the country to himself a
wholly new type Of American Is in the
making. hopeful fact IN this confus-
ling situation II that in fundamental re.
Ispects that new type viii be a single
TYPE.
The moral challenge involved In all
the complexities Of this truly reconstruc-
tion era comes back a last with pene-
trating personal force. not merely 70 men
engaged in any formal ministry, not to
men in the public service, and not merely
to that side Of individual life which has
to do with church membership or with
citizenship. Men in all walks Of life arc
learning 10 see the meaning Of their oc'
equations in social service. are deciding
THAT private Office quite as well as pub
lie Office IS public trust.