New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-20
THEP0WEROF MAJORITY
LECTURE on SOCIALISM.
H. II. MaIIock Completes His
Course ut Columbia.


ance vi = its VIII IT any moment and showed that
even the majority could govern only as It did SO
IN accor, with natural laws Mr. MalloCk dis
cussed o. gIcHlary the socialistic proposition shat
Il would 10 easy 10 limit incomes TO any certain
amount g IL said that. while j. might be done, the
amount " uNld be determined. not by the majority
but bv The amount which the minority would &C
cept as an adequate remuneration for their SD
He pointe out that the majority might enact
anv law So Fl prohibiting the use of food
hut because il natural for men 10 eat either
the majority would die or the law would be disre-
garded.
Mr. Mallocll criticised sociaIstic thought also be
cause Of auot cr error that it made not only in fail
fuE to rocorni the powers Of the minority, but in
falling 10 ylize its powers, which were 10
provide the L. sfes that the minority supplies
While said NJ Mauock. the majority cannot de-
eide what the minority shall receive in return TO-
its efforts nett her the minority decide what
the ma orty ahs IL buy. Nj. Aallock then pointed
out the reasons Tor what he called the optical lu-
sion Of the great power Of the majority. He said
It was due TO III fact that the majority had the
appearance Of PRODUCING everything industrially
ana Of goyernt IS in politics In reality he SAID
the majority N d The power Of overthrowing but
not OF building up He continued:
The belief taas SOCIALISM represents practicable
ON 70 yog in N e4st aadress-rests in the minus
OF those persons VINO AoLd it and is defended by
doctTIre resTirzc 10 the motives which will secure
Tor society Abe ary-Ces OF exceptional men.
% Popular soci 4Iism-sociaIism eXpounded to
the few nothne- We need not, therefore. trouble
ourselves with CO Steering me position OF the lat-
and their whole j lheritance VIII be ours"
oSgs9 9e o. y no mesns deny hq that s H e
exceptional rev % something We recognize that
% exert tlemseIvt precisely as they 90 now; but
they shah wo-k 10 Us on our own terms and the
priated by US just ne same 49,,
Now, what L want 20 point out 70 you as 70 these
two theories Of sOCial ism is this: That widely dIt
!elent eng i4-e=- g ga ii IN qe1la9 winch IL
in both cases fundame gtallH the same. This fall
rather overwhe lnliTos majority in any So
ciety, Of powers which II Goes mol p QsSesS-no
matter how completely dc 7nocratic It's political or
/ viii give you an exam 2l of this error taken
from a quarter which 7, pders it exceptionally
striking About eight or nne foa months ago there
ce deang with tf gFoTt not 0I ri ample but 81
ceIloreS and Nien ne Gts :: 20 t see cIeChGo ne
9bI6 9e INV 6e fe fn,ts Eat he obyious
y, moreover, a man OF mo2ei ate. not of extreme.
opinions I VIII. With your pei mission, read TO you
10 the true interest the null h-illionaires them
selves 10 Join these who are ire from envy IN try
ing 10. remove the rapidly growing dissatisfaction
with their continued possession of these vast
tfat. on the whole they render exceptionally eco
nomic services TO the country. * does not deny;
and he admits that II is necessary stimulate
fut h. coTtTI mar The TIvards H,1icb rieW are
at present permitted to appropriate are excessive
and ought therefore 10 be ltnited But limited by
what means2 The means, b = says. are ready TO
a4aa and 92 Be 5PPed Win the o g9sf ease
tut6n Of the United states. And here comes the
passage 70 which l would particularly call your
The majority of the voters chose 10 elect Gov
eGn9r OF taelr own way of thinking they could
which would limit every citizen OF New York State
to such incomes as the majority Of the voters CON
slider sufficient for him And il would be particular
~ easy. ne proceeds, TO ALLEVIATE the property |
Iepeal the statutes now authorizing the descent Of
decederts' INC ''--'S anu me ieSa'eeS OF the
Mr. MaIIock said that, II ks principles are cor
rect he is too modest IN his estimate Of what a
government might do with the majority OF the |
voters At the back Of IT. He said laws might be !
enacted limiting citizen TO two Of food
day" forbid him wearing overcoat in win |
ter, or forbid any father beGueathing his wealth
to his children. He continued:
And And why BY what power would their legisla- |
Is stiH more sovereign th9n the sovereign denloc-
I W. -1Sell ne power IS double power, and
Of nature and Of human nature. Just as the laws
building, limiting the powers Of the most demo
C!c eoFeiIlInent more stringently than any king
nature Of the materials used, the constitu-
within certain channels.
LORD COLERIDGEs QUOTATION.
A.. Al this "a and similar mil thinkers forget fort
o. rnaJoTiies by Z quotation from Lord Coleridge |
saws Lord coIerdge which prescribes rules for
The possession Of property can Of course alter |
being the Will OF the majority whatever moment
may be in question Lord Coleridge may have been
2 clever lawyer, but he was a very childish phil
osopher. Because. in any country the formulation
and enforcement Of laws have for their proxinate
cause The Will of the governing body, thinkers |
like Lord Coleridgc and X who appeals 70 him |
IS master, IL seems that the laws have In this
calls the rules OF possession are according to |
him the abtrarv creation of the body which nre.
scri5es them in formal words, and provides punish
Rnf
at all Lord cOlerldge is simply inverting the
order Of things. Half the existing prescribed
country today have for their intimate obiecf he
protection Of family life, the privacy Of the private
children. BUT family life is not primarily the Gre
alton OF law, OF prescribed rules II is the
alton of instincts and affections which have de-
Of the law creating family life, is family life
which he's dictated, and called into being: the pre-
Lord Colerdge appears 10 be under the impression
nothing behind it but the statutes which now au- |
thorize II IN the various states OF the Union. What
human nature powerful and inveterate affection
when prompts the father 10 work for his children
them the advantages which his own efforts have |
opIalEed. Law merely sanctions and gives preci-
son 10 conduct which mas a deeper origin than |
legislation Properly is not primarily the creation
Law IS called into being by mems practice Of
acquiring property. Just as the legal rights the
5gaI Salles 81 parents owe thGir being TO the IN
rules LORD Colerdge calls them are ike clothes
majoriues from time 10 time; but the clothes must
all be such as viii adapt themselves TO the hu-
5ority may prescribe the rule that trousers shall
be tight or loose. that they shall be black brown
prescribe that they shall be only three inches
a single trouser or that sleeves s6s go pt INTO
from the shoulder, but from the pockets in the
enact any laws they please which are in accord