'Cbe Conservative * 11
CUKKKNT FATALISM.
[ By Ralph Barton Perry , in New York Eve
ning Post. ]
I have been much interested in the
condition of public opinion during the
last year. The events attending the
war have produced , or made conspicuous
where already present , a very significant
moral attitude on the part of a consider
able portion of the American people.
The attitude in itself is not unusual , but
that it should bo called moral , and that
it should be assumed generally by a people
ple who are the most recent product of
Western civilization , is certainly worthy
of remark.
The clearest illustration of what I
mean is the public policy of the presi
dent. To judge by the words and deeds
of our chief magistrate , ho is a deliber
ate advocate of the policy of having no
policy. When interpreted strictly , this
moans that events are not properly to bo
regarded as subject to the control of men
at least of national office-holders.
The true statesman will not try to prevent -
vent or bring about events , but will sub
mit to them and do his best to accom
modate himself and his constituents to
the new situation. The war was "pre
cipitated ; " we "found ourselves" at
Manila ; we must "face new responsibil
ities ; " "there is no alternative under
the circumstances. " So as a nation we
are to feel our way along , on the look
out for new situations and circum
stances.
The highest function to bo performed
by the intelligent is to discover the in
evitable , that men may prepare to face
it. The patriotic statesman will no
longer inquire , "Ought this to happen ? "
but"Is this to happen ? " The future presents -
sents itself as a series of precipitated
events capped by destiny. These events
may or may not bo in the hands of Prov
idence. The important fact for the
moral situation of the individual is that
he is in no wise responsible for them.
The old-fashioned notion of the moral
situation was this : "What ought to be ,
and how .may I help to bring it about ? "
Mr. McKinloy's version is : "What is
to be. and how may I get ready for it ? "
This is very properly known as fatalism.
Worn this principle only the peculiar
political method of President McKinley.
it would be an important fact. But
whereas in the case of the president it
may servo only to conceal a purpose , in
the case of press , pulpit and individual
opinion it is being widely and sincerely
adopted as criterion for judging public
affairs , and is a menace to the well-being
of the nation. Modern journalism pre
sents a striking instance of this new
spirit of the times. The great morning
daily follows , often anticipates , but
rarely controls events. Since it has
become the solo motive of publication
and the business manager has been elevated
vated to the editor's chair , the matter o'
interest is naturally no longer the man
icr in which the people should think and
rote , but the manner in which they do
hink and are going to vote. For the
nest part the newspaper has ceased to bean
an organ of opinion , and the editorial page
ms deteriorated into a mass of rapid
and colorless gossip. The journals that
exist for the straightforward purpose of
enforcing ideas and correcting abuses
mve become the respectable minority.
The pulpit has always been sponsor
for a large amount of fatalit-in served np
n the shape of trust in Providence.
Indeed , religion is probably responsible
for that catchword "destiny. " Yet it is
perfectly obvious that all the teachings
of religion would be vitiated if such an
attitude were literally accepted. To
trust in the future is well enough , but
you must make it at the same time.
There could be no more irreligious plea
than that made on the score of probable
occurrence. Of all men the religious
nan should be prepared to die in the
ast ditch for his ideals.
After all , there is involved here the
) rofoundest of all issues that between
the ideal and the actual. Will you be
the champion of your ideals , or will yon
worship the fact , as you may observe or
anticipate it ? Has it really come to
pass that men of respectability and
moral integrity can suffer themselves to
be swept blindly on by the current of
events , and imagine that in so doing they
are performing a religious or political
duty ? Have we so soon forgotten the
glory of the individual ? Is it no longer
true that man's function is to think , to
act , to plan , to lead ? One is reminded
of the strange antinomy exhibited in
democracy. The condition of society
that gives every individual the same
rights and opportunities , decreases the
respect for the individual as such. The
man is submerged in the majority.
Amid the general loss of distinctions ,
moral distinctions as often disappear as
those of rank and caste. Responsibility
is easily shifted to the people at large
where it is soon lost to view. In our
own day wo are witnessing a parallel
movement in the business world. Cor
porations are as little sensitive to re
sponsibility as is the public. So it hap
pens that widespread abuses may exisl
without any general knowledge or even
interest regarding their source. They
are accepted as are wars and the sup
pression of rebellions , as among the in
evitable things to be attributed to the
will of the people , or the will of Provi
dence , or more properly to no will ai
all.
Is it not time to protest against this
widespread and increasing moral indolence
lenco ? Is it not time that less was saic
of. "destiny , " "the people , " or even
"Providence , " and. more of individua
responsibility ? Public opinion is wortl
nothing unless private opinion is iude
pendent and vigorous. The people are
not an abstraction guidefl by some
ligher law. If the people are to govem
veil , then individuals must think and
act with convictions raid the courage of
heir convictions. The supreme test of
democracy is its ability to preserve the
onso of individual responsibility , to
gether with the rule of the majority.
Citizenship in a republic , far from ex
empting the individual from moral obli
gation , increases his duties , and makes
t possible that his fidelity to the right ,
and his pursuit after the wise and reasonable
enable , shall be matters of national
concern.
President McKinloy's address to
the Commercial Club in Boston con
tained a frank announcement that the
protectionist "racket" is played out.
'We have quit discussing the tariff , "
said Mr. McKinley , "and have turned
our attention to getting trade wherever
it can bo found. " With something
dangerously like plagiarism from his
predecessor in office , he added : "Wo
mve turned from academic theories to
: rade conditions , and are seeking our
share of the world's markets. " This is
the very thing which the same eminent
economist declared only eignt snort
years ago would lead to national dis
aster. ' 'The foreign market is delusory , ' '
was then his cry. It was the "poorest"
of all markets , ho said , because "in the
foreign market the profit is divided
between our own citizen and the
foreigner , while with the trade and com
merce among ourselves the profit is kept
in our own family. " If any one says ,
after reading that profound utterance ,
that Mr. McKinley in 1890 evidently
knew nothing about foreign trade , wo
agree , with the addition that we do not
think he does now either. The Nation.
WHY IT WAS CALLED KUIHSEIt.
A recent report from a British consul
in one of the Central American states
gives the following as the origin of the
name rubber , as applied to caoutchouc :
An English artist discovered in 1770 that
the now gum was admirably adapted for
rubbing out pencil marks. Ho wrote a
paper on the subject and informed his
contemporaries that a cubic inch of this
substance , costing only 51 shillings ,
would last for years. It was used for
no other purpose in England than ef
facing lead pencil marks for about half
a century after this discovery ; hence the
name "rubber. "
After the introduction of the raw ma
terial and the scientific description of
the plant by Frenchmen it was first
manufactured into waterproof clothing
in Franco toward the end of the eigh
teenth century. Later on the firm of
Mclntoch of Manchester greatly im
proved on the French idea and manu
factured waterproofs on a large scale ,
and "mackintosh" is the name by which
waterproofs have been known since that
time. Philadelphia Record.
