New-York tribune., 1921-04-22
Macaulay on America
Yom Constitution Is Al Sail and No Anchor

should have million while another
cannot get full meal.
In bad years there is plenty of
grumbling here, and sometimes little
rioting. But it matters little. For
here the sufferers are not the rul-
ers The supreme power is in the
hands Of class, numerous indeed, but
select; of an educated class; of a class
which is, and knows itself to be, deeply
interested in the security of property
and the maintenance of order. Ac-
cordingly, the malcontents are firmly
yet gently restrained. The bad time
is got over without robbing the wealthy
to relieve the INDECENT. The springs of
national prosperity soon begin to flow
again. work is plentiful, wages rise
and all is tranquility and cheerfulness.
have seen England pass three or four
times through such critical seasons as
have described.
Through such seasons the United
States will have to pass in the course
of the next century, if not this. How
will you pass through them? I heartily
wish you good deliverance. But my
reason and my wishes are at war and
l cannot help foreboding the worst. 1t
is quite plain that your government
will never be able to restrain a dis
tressed and discontented majority. For
with you the majority is the govern
ment, and has the rich, who are always
minority, absolutely at its mercy.
The day will come when in the State
OF New York multitude Of people,
none Of whom has had more than half
a breakfast, or expects to have more
than half dinner. will choose a legs-
lature. Is it possible to doubt what
sort Of legislature will be chosen? :?
On one side is a statesman preaching
patience, respect for vested rights,
strict observance Of public faith. On
the other is demagogue rantng
about the tyranny of capitalists and
usurers and asking why anybody
should be permitted to drink cham
pagne and to ride in carriage while
thousands of honest folks are in want
of necessaries. Which of the two candi
dates is likely to be preferred by
wofkingman who hears his children cry
for more bread?
seriously apprehend that you will,
in some such seasons of adversity as
have described, do things which will
prevent prosperity from returning:
that you will act like people who should
in a year Of scarcity devour all the
seed corn and thus make the next year
not of scarcity, but Of absolute famine.
There will be, fear, spoliation. The
spoliation will increase the distress
Tho distress will produce fresh spolia-
tion.
There is nothing to stop you. Your
Constitution is all sail and no anchor.
AS l said before, when society has
entered on this downward progress,
either civilization or liberty must per-
ish. Either some Caesar or Napoleon
will seize the reins of government with
u strong hand, or your republic will be
as fearfully plundered and laid waste
by barbarians in the twentieth century
as tho Roman Empire was in the fifth,
with this difference, that the Huns and
vandals who ravaycd the Roman En-
plre came from without, and that your
Huns and vandals will have been en-
gendered within your own country by
your own institutions.
I have the honor to be, dear sir. your
faithful servant, T. B. MACAULAY.
q. 8. Randall. EsQ~ etc. etc. sta.