Little Falls herald., 1912-12-27

on.''
There is nothing so serious to new
born philosophy, just struggling for ex-
lstence, with anxious scientists hover
ing around it's cradle, as irony and
ridicule. The Eugenists, who insist
that all that we do is done because we
inherit the variously divided and con-
flicting influences of parental and an
cestral dispositions for ages back, and
won It allow that environment has any
thing to do with it, get little comfort
out of the December Atlantic. First,
DR.. S. G. Smith Of St. Paul, professor
of sociology in the state university,
throws shot Of argument and fact at
the new science, and shows that IT its
doctrines were logically carried out,
the world would have been immensely
poorer in the loss Of many Of its great
est names, and also, that while the
principles Of stock breeding are ex-
cellent for stock, that there are ap-
preciable differences between stock
and human beings, and that one of
these appreciable differences is that
something we call love. Second, Simon
strunsky of New York, in an exceed.
ingly clever article, with sarcasm and
irony, pokes fun at the Eugenists in a
way which is effective although irritat-
ing. The two articles are well worth
reading together, as one supplements
the other. The extreme Eugenists do
not, however, represent fairly the
school Of thought known by the name
Eugenics. Everything is not due to
heredity, neither is everything due to
environment. There is a golden mean.
That people may inherit certain dis
positions or rather tendencies, is ad-
mitted; that those tendencies may be
modified, weakened or strengthened
favorably or unfavorably according to
the environment, is also admitted.
There should therefore be little diff
Guilty in the Environists and Eugenists
getting together. Both want the same
thing, healthier people in mind, body
and morals. Not long ago a family Of
six-father, mother and four children
all feeble-minded, were received in
the state institution at Faribault. The
Eugenist gloats over concrete cir
cumstance like that, as proving his
point, although regretting the fact.
But the Environist points to case after
case Of boy and girl and adult, brought
up in misery and vice, committing SER
I ious crimes, and then, placed in favor
able atmosphere, becoming transform
ed. There is room for all views, and a
wide domain for speculation until more
facts are known and the relation of the
facts known considered.
The Balkan and Turkish ENJOYS
should have met in the peace palace at
the Hague, built with soma Of the
money Carnegie made in making
J armour plate. That would have b. en-
; splendid irony. The Christian nations
| are willing to arbitrate small matters,
but when it comes to dividing up the
other fellows property, they prefer
| blood and iron to the Sermo1 on the
Mount. It is striking thing that
| many Of the wars Of the last hall
century, with the conspicuous exception
of the American Civil War, and the
struggles for independence of some
European nationalities, have been
bondholders wars, dictated purely by
lust of land and commercial aggrandize.
ment. No longer is war caused by the
Unsuitable ambition of an individual
soldier. No modern Napoleon or Fred.
erick could make war to crafty his
personal desire for glory on the battle.
field. He would have to convince the
| great fnanciers that it was to their in.
| terest, or he would have no funds with
which to pay his troops. Another
difficulty in the way is the growing
feeling Of solidarity among the work.
ing classes Of the world, who are relied
on to furnish cannon food. There is lit
tie doubt that this feeling has prevent
ed conflict in Europe several times in
the past few years, and the working
classes have therefore assisted, even
unwillingly, the industrial plutocracy
who are the real masters of the modern
world, and Of whom kings and minis
ters are simply puppets. The industrial
plutocracy have no idealism, no senti-
ments about liberty or the rights Of ma
tionalities. They want to receive the
! interest on their bonds. The Italy
Turkish war was against the wishes of
| this plutocracy, and strenuous efforts
were made to ambarrass the Italian
! government on the bourses of Europe,
but the peninsula was in such strong
financial position that the efforts fail
ed. In the Balkan conflict the sympa.
thies of the bondholders were with
Turkey, because of the millions invest
ed there, but as soon as they were as
sured that their rights would be cared
for, no matter what flag was victorious,
and that there would be great oppor:
tunities for investment and exploita.
tion in the Balkan confederacy, thew
were perfectly willing that the Moslem
should be driven out of Europe. Where
the bondholders can make noble senti.
ments serve their purpose, they do not
scruple to use them, but above and
over and through all, is the supreme
question of seeing that there are op
portunities for establishing financial
despotisms, and Of securing the in
terest on bonds. Mercury, the tabled
God of commerce, has long since beer
replaced by the greater god, Interest.