The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-01
ECONOMICS AND DEMOCRACY

Privilege and Democracy in America. by
Frederic C. Howe. Phi, II, Published by
Charles scrIbner's Sons, New York.
The author of this book has made 2
deep impression on the reading public
by his former books. 'The City, the
Hope of Democracy The Brit
ish CITY, the Beginnings of Democra-
cy.' and other instructive works. III
is natural that in considering tho great
subjects involved in hie studies OF
British origins and British municipal
privileges, Mr. Howe should thence,
through the linked transition, apply
the sequence and results of British
municipal establishments TO those of
like character in this country, He
polnts out that rule of the classes had
been universal throughout the world
down TO the beginning of the Nine
teenth century, and this book is n
faithful endeaVor TO ascertain how far
democracy has shifted tho asccndency
of the privileged classes to the common
people. lie asks:
How far do the laws OF America re-
fleet the popular will and the economic
relations Of men correspond TO the new
distribution Of power? Has the political
revolution of the nineteenth century car
ried with II a revolution In tlw economic
environment, which, in the last analysis.
controls the life, The liberty, the morals.
and the well-being of humanity? For
mans whole life is moulded by his eco
mic environment. And this is made by
law. Not by natural law. not by moral
law, not alone by the common law but
by the laws enacted by Congress Mt
Washington. by the legislatures OF our
States, and by the councils in our cities.
More than anything else. statute law de-
tcrmines the well-being of tho people,
More than anything else IL controls the
distribution of wealth. In the past, at
least law has been the fountain of servi-
tude as well as OF liberty OF inlustice
AS well as of justice. of poverty as well
as prosperity, OF crime as we'll as OF the
punishment which II sought TO prevent
And many are asking today whether con-
ditionS have really changed. DO not the
few still elevate themselves upon the
backs Of the many by means of law. by
means of the control of government and
the agencies Of Justice and public con-
troll? Is there not truth in the suggestion
that society itself is responsible FOR the
wreckaee which Industry has cast upon
our shores? Are not poverty and the at
tendant evils OF ignorance disease, vice,
and crime The children OF our own flesh
and blood? Have not the liberties. which
represent centuries of sacrifice and SUI
fcIDg. only conferred upon humanity the
shadow Of power. while the substance is
still In the hands Of an ascendant class.
which has made use of the new machinery
as readily as II did the old? These are
questions which underle all others In the
unrest which is expressing itself In city,
Slate. and Nation. These arc the qucs
tions which are challenging authority In
these questions that this book aims 10
consider.
In faithful effort to answer these
questions. Mr.. Howe considers the land /
hunger of the people. the economic |
foundations of popular Institutions the |
Strangle hold of monopoly. the tyranny |
of the dead unearned increment, cost !
of land monopoly. the future of labor |
the distribution of wealth. the ascen-
dance of privilege. the cause of cIvili.
Zation and decay, the economic founda-
tions of morals, the remedy proposed,
the remedy considered, the new dispen.
sation, the open door and the open
highway. the democracy OF tomorrow,
any many other fruitful topics, both
leading and subsidiary II is a work
prepared with great thought by mas
ter in this realm Of inquiry, and calling
for searching thought by those who .
read il and who are interested in pub
lie affairs There arc two appendices
and good working index. The book
as a whole is most admirable one; il
deals faithfully with the problems con
sidered and is sympathetic with re-
sDect TO uopular yIohtS