THE OMAFIA DAILY A V. .TTTNTC 17
SOCIALISM IN ENGLAND
Discussed by the Leader of the Irish Parlia
mentary Party.
TRUE EASTtRN QUESTION FOH ENGLAND
A Itrlllunt I'trt for l. rKcr 1'rUllrRr * for
tlio IrtliorlnR rlu i The Present
( 'omllllon of thn Poor 1'co-
ple of London.
, . - . , . . . . - < I ! l liy the living Syndicate ) .
" \Vt- are all socialists now , " Sir William
Harcourt said , or at all events Is reported
to have said the other day. Very likely ho
did say It. The declaration describes fairly
well a remarkable change In public feeling.
Of course It will not be supposed that Sir
William Harcourt meant to * ay that here In
England we are oil In favor of the theory
that property Is robbery , or that there ought
to bo a general redistribution of goods or
that thu capital should be divided among
the working men , or even that the land
HlioulJ be nationalized. Sir William liar-
court Is a man who understands very well
what ho Is talking about , and who has a
quick faculty to apprehend and appreciate
the gradual changes , the advances or re.
actions In English public opinion. He Is one
of the very ablest public men In England ,
and ho has been often accused of Incon
sistency and even of mere self-seeking be
cause he was privileged to see much sooner
than others of his class when an old politi
cal or social creed was played out , and when
a faith adapted to the altered
condition of human affairs must como Into
existence. I can quite understand why he
Bald that we arc all socialists now. Wo are
all , or nearly all of us , willing to accept the
fundamental principle of what seems to me
the true creed of socialism , that the govern ,
ment or state , however -you dpfine cither. Is
bound to take a direct and active Interest In
the well-doing of the citizens.
Edmund Burke laid down the famous doc-
trlno that the whole business of government
and of legislation Is to see that twelve
honest men are got Into every Jury box.
That Is to say that the whole business of the
state Is to see that Its citizens nre protected
by honest legislation and by honest men to
administer It. Now , I have an enthusiastic
admiration for ndmund Burke. I am con
vinced that he was one of the greatest politi
cal thinkers that ever lived. But , although
ho was said to sec everything and to foresee
everything , he certainly did not foresee far
enough when ho thus defined the duty ot
the state. The growing socialism of Eng.
land to which Sir William Harcourt must
have be alluding , was the growth of that
public pplnlon which la willing to admit
that the state has much more to do for the
citizen than merely to make It sure that
he shall have Justice awarded to him In
the civil or the criminal courts. My first
intimate acquaintance with English politics
was formed during the reign of what was
called the Manchester school. The faith ot
the Manchester school was In free competi
tion. Abolish all legislation which Interferes
with free competition and trust to human
energy and human nature J < nd the produc
tiveness of the earth for all the rest. The
Manchester school accomplished some great
successes. It. abolished numbers of legisla
tive restrictions that favored one class , or
what was called "one Interest , " at the cx-
penso of another. Its work was decidedly a
work of advancement. But Its dogma was
all too narrow , and curiously enough Its
faith at the same time was too fanciful. Its
main belief was that free trade with foreign
nations and free competition at home would
remove most of tbo mountains that stand
as a barrier between man and his happi
ness. Some of the enthusiasts of the school
were at one time for having the postal
service itself left open by competition to prl-
vato contract.
GRIEVANCES AND WRONGS OP LABOR.
Then there came an Inevitable reaction
which the Manchester school had Itself di
rectly helped to bring about. For the Man
chester school had fought hard for the exten
sion of the political franchise , and the ex
tension of the franchise gave power to the
working class. The worklngmen soon made
U known that they had grievances and
wrongs which could not be left to the opera
tion of free competition and the widening
beneficence of human nature. They Insisted
that they had grievances and wrongs which
only legislation could remove. The first of
what I should call the great socialistic
measures of English legislation , before work
lngmen had much share In the franchise ,
was the factories act carried by the late
Lord Shaflesliury In 1844. There was a
previous measure passed by the same phil
anthropist In 1842 , but that act only con
cerned Itself with .what related to the
working of women and children In mines.
The factorlos act of 1844 was cleaily based
upon the principle that the state had a right
to Interfere with what was then erroneously
and absurdly called the fre'cdom of con
tract between employer and employed. On
the ground , among other grounds , that It
did thus Interfere with the freedom of con
tract and freedom of competition the Manchester -
chester school opposed the passing of the
factories act. Nobody ever questioned
the sincerity and the public spirit of the
men who on behalf of the Manchester school
opposed that legislation. Nobody could have
questioned the" motives of men like Cobden
nnd Bright. But Lord Shaftesbury tri
umphed , and every one now admits that
his triumph was a public benefit and a pub
lic blessing.
THE TENDENCY TOWARD SOCIALISM
IN ENGLAND. *
Now , I hold that when a state comes to
Interfere with freedom of contract , even
In the case of women and children only ,
that state has gone a good way along the
path ot socialism genuine socialism. Since
the passing of the factory acts , England ,
under whatever government , has been mov
ing farther and farther , faster and faster ,
along teat pith. What has become of the
prlclplo of contract as between landlord and
tenant In Ireland ! Tory governments as
well as liberal governments have decreed
that Its day Is done. I have Juit said
that the phrase "freedom ot contract , " as
it was once used , is erroneous and absurd.
Between the English capitalist and the
English working man , between the Irish
landlord and the Irish tenant , there was In
the old day no freedom ot contract. There
could bo none. There is no freedom of
contract between a fasting man and a full
man. The full man can wait ; the hungry
man cannot wait. In the elder Dumas'
famous romance , "The Count of Monte
Crlsto. " the wicked banker , Danglars I
think was his name. Is captured by a bri
gand chief and held to ransom. Poor
Danglars grows very hungry and asks for
food. He la told that he can have food ,
but ha must pay for It. fie says he Is
willing to pay for It , and asks what the
price of a fowl would be. He Is told of
some enormous sum many thousands of
francs. Ho angrily demurs , but he Is po
litely assured that It Is all a matter for
himself ho need not cat , and If he does not
cat he will not have to pay , but If he de
cides to rat he must hand over
the stipulated price. Now. that Is
not by any means an unfair illustration ot
what used to bo called in the old days
"feedom of contract. " A hungry workingman -
man with a wife and children depending
upon him applies for employment and Is told
ho can have it It ho Is willing to work
, twelve or fourteen hours a day. Ho has
no alternative such was freedom of cent -
t tract. Against that principle all the social
legislation ot modern England has set Its
face. Only the other day I voted In the
division lobby of the House ot Commons In
favor of the second reading of a measure to
limit the working hours ot miners to eight
hours a day. The second reading was car
ried by a largo majority. Parliament , ban
taken upon Itself to watch over the housing
ot worklngmon aiulujf the poor In general.
There are acts to govern the management ot
common lodging houses. There are acts to
regulate the employment of women and
their hours ot work in ordinary shops where
dressmaking and millinery business are car
ried on , The air Is full ot schemes for the
establishment ot some system of old ago pen-
elons. Wo hear of Rome sort of universal
state life assurance for all people a prin
ciple that , It will bo remembered , found
great fator at one time and probably still
nnds great favor In the eyes of Prince Bis
marck. We have abandoned the old waya
altogether. Tbo man who would at the
pre nt tlmr > venture to preach the doctrine
ot lalRiez falro In England would be n fool
for his pains. lie could only make himself
em more of n fool by presenting himself
a * a candidate for some parliamentary con-
stituncy at a contested election. The day *
aie utterly gone , far the present at least ,
when 4 man like Lord Macaulay could talk
of the "odious principle of pattrnal govern
ment" and be gtr.tfrally applauded for the ut
terance.
NO RUAL POWER BUT TUB HOUSE OF
COMMONS.
But then , let It be remembered , that If
we have got bacVat for the time we certainly
have got b.ick. to the principle of paternal
government , we have quite passed away from
the era when government was In the handset
ot a despot or of a privileged class. Wo ore
certainly very likely to ha e for some time
to conic n growing Interference on the part
of the stain with the organization ot capital
and labor. But then by whom la that state
Interference to be Initiated and regulated and
controlled ? By a house of commons which
contains nmong t Its members the represen
tatives of the 11borer as well as of the capital
ist : of the employed as welt as ot ih em-
plojer ; of the Scottish crofter as "oil as of
the Scottish laird ; ot the Irish tenant-farmer
as well as of the Irish landlord. We need not
fcpl alarmed about n despot power driving us
on. There It no real leglslatl\e power In
England but the poxter of the He use ot Com
mons , and the House of Common' Is now as
nearly as possible a legislature representa
tive of the whole p pte. all classes , all
ranks , all Interests ; and It will become more
strictly and coir.prelienjholy to representa
tive as the next fpw years grow on. We
have clearly then altogether given up , for
the time al least , the doctrine that the state
can do nothing to help the poor , ts enable the
poor to help themselves , to enforce proper
system * of labor , to Insist that those who
work for dally bread shall be enabled to
work under decent conditions and with.due
regard to health and In fact to assert the
right of Interfering , for thf good of the
whole community , between these who em
ploy and those who are employed.
I quite admit that we have not yet hit
upon any system by which .the curse of
growing poverty can be removed ( torn the
land. I du not myself know how to state
a scheme which should make the gulf be
tween Increasing poverty and Increarlng
uealth become narrower and moro and more
narrowing in England. But I do Insist that
If English statesmanship were to turn Its
attention In full earnestness to th.'s question
the principle of legislation * could bo found ,
If It Is possible , as I believe it Is , to find In
human affairs such -principle at all. In
England we expend far too much of our
statesmanship over foreign affairs. At pres
ent we are In a terrible scare one of our
periodical scares which return like a well
ordered comet to Us place In the public vi
sion. We are going to spend millions
many millions of pounds sterling In the
strengthening of our navy against the Imag
inary schemes of some foreign powers to
make a piratical descent upon our coasts.
Now I am entirely for our keeping up a
good navy , but reasonable precaution Is all
that any state can be expected to take.
THE TRUE EASTERN QUESTION.
I have said more than once In thc'House of
Commons and at English publ.'c meetings
that In my solemn conviction the true east
ern question for England Is the condition
of the poor In the eait end ot London and In
the similar regions of all the great provincial
cities and towns of these Islands. After all.
It Is Just barely possible that the Russians
or the Germans or the French , or all three
combined , may not attack us. It is also a
possibility , conceivable at least to English
men certainly conceivable to me who am not
an Englishman that even If thus attacked
for no apparent reason whatever , England
might manage to hold her own. But it Is
absolutely certain that the condition of our
poor In our great cities Is a source of the
most alarming national weakness. I am
therefore In favor of English statesmanship
turning Its special attention to the condi
tion of our poor. If It would give but half
the attention to that subject \yMch It has
given through generations to foreign policy
I think It very likely Indeed that some rem
edy for the evil ( could be found. Do not
tell me that In such matters statesmanship
can do nothing. I ask how we know that ,
and when has statesmanship ever seriously
and persistently tried what It could do ? I
know no better defense of England than a
prosperous and a contented people. I remem
ber what the Antiquary , who is the hero of
Scott's Immortal novel , says to Edle Ochll-
tree. the chartered beggar who declares that
If the rumors of French Invasion are true
he will fight , old as he Is , for the country
where he has always lived , and where every
body has been kind to him. "Bravo , bravo ,
Edle , " the Antiquary exclaims. "The coun
try's In little ultimate danger when the beg
gar's as ready to fight for his dish as the
laird for his land. " I am quite In accord
with the Autlquary. Therefore and for many
other reasons I draw comfort and hope from
the spread ot genuine socialism In England ;
from the recognition ofthe fact that the
state is bound to take account of the con
dition of the he'jpleas , and that statesman
ship is not limited to a concern with foreign
affairs and a pedantic aloofness to the con
dition ot the bulk of the English people. In
that sense , as Sir William Harcourt says ,
we are all socialists. The state , at least In
England , has acknowledged that It cannot
any longer afford to fold Its arms , to look
down upon the seething and weltering strug'-
gles of the country's social life , and compos
edly wait for the survival of the fittest.
JUSTIN M'CARTHY.
London , England , May 15.
IXDVSTllT.lf , XUTES
The finest grade of matches is made of
cork pine.
Bermuda farms bear three successive crops
In one year.
Nevada Is second In gold production and
fourth in silver.
The manufactured product of Great Britain
amounts to about $4,100,000.000 a year.
The fastest shorthand writer In the world
Is a young Dublin man , George Bunbary ,
He can write 250 words In a minute.
By on English Invention camel's hair cat-
ton plant and chemicals are telng substi
tuted for leather in machinery belting with
conilderable success.
Krupp of Prussia claims as the result of
experiments tint while only 10 to 15 per
cent of heat units are utilized In the modern
steam engine , If the coal is powdered to an
Impalpable powder and exploded la cylinders ,
after the manner of an ordinary gas engine ,
75 to SO per cent of the heat units may be
realized.
The new Atlantic cable which Is now being
laid In sections between Balllngskelllngs Bay ,
Ireland , and Canio , N. S. . for the Commer
cial Cable company , Is in many respects a
notable piece ot work. The cable Is about
2,100 miles In length ; Its conductor contains
more than 1,100,000 punds ot copper and Is
armored with over 10,000,000 pounds of steel
wire.
Copper must have been one ot the earliest
metals known , worked and valued In human
Industry. It ranks second to'silver In mal
leability and ductility , or third as compared
with gold , which Is the most malleable metal
known , and ranks next to Ircn In tensile
strength , and , being an abundant metal ,
native In many parts of the world , It often
lies at or near the surface ot the earth. *
A new steel cantilever bridge Is to be built
across the gorge at Niagara Falls , Juit below
the cataract. It will ba owned by a syndi
cate of New York capitalists. In form It
will be a combination of the arch and canti
lever principles , with a span of 1,000 feet , or
200 feet longer than any arched bridge In ex
istence. It will have accommodations for
trolley cars , railroad cars and foot passen
gers.
gers.A
A railroad which the Germans have built
In Asia Minor , extending from lunld , a hir-
bor about sixty miles east ot Constantinople ,
cast by south 309 mllea to Angora , has as
little wood In It , perhaps , as any In the
world. Not only the rails and bridges , but
the ties and telegraph poles are of Iron , nine-
tenth } of tt furnished by German works ,
Chiefly by Krupp.
Probably the largest pteco of cut glass
ever made In America Is on exhibition In
New York City. It weighed seventy pounds
before It was decorated and lost about twenty
pounds In the cutting. The piece la a punch
bcwl eighteen Inches high and twenty-four
Inches In diameter. The actual cost of pro
duction was nearly 1100 ,
In the treasure room of the Maharajah ot
Barnda Is fit.rod s carpet which cost 11.000-
000. It Is only ten by six feet , but Is woven
from strings of pure pearls , with a center
and corner circle of diamond ! . It took
three years to make It. and was Intended as
gift to a Mohammedan bciuty.
i'HRTKXnKIt TO UK It.Ml OfTltEM. . Q
How a I'rofcMtonnl .tllilcte Won Unco nt
n I'arinrr'n
BREWSTCRS , N. J. , June 1C. Al the
games of the Brewsters Athletic club the
contestants were the ) oung farmers of the
neighboring ( towns. The games nerc Just
about to be started , when a tall , smooth-
shaven man Inquired of Ihe starter If ho
could take part. Ho said he worked for a
farmer nwr one of the neighboring towns
and he looked the part , wearing blue overalls ,
a soft hat and appearing quite Innocent.
The young man was allowed to start and
In a halt-milo race for which there w rc
fourteen contestants. He Just barely won.
When questioned privately by one if the
spectators , "I used to run after the cows on
the farm , " was the best he would answer.
The "farmer" started In the sack r ce and
won easily. The big event of the day was
the three-mile race. The Brewsters people
had a man who had never been beatn and
they bet on him as though the race was
all over but to collect the money. The
"farmer" tet the pace from the start atd
none of the others could get near him. He
won by ten yards. Then the countrymen
began to become suspicious.
The next event was the swimming rice.
The "farmer" started In that , too. Ho nas
In magnificent condltlbh. his muscles ahxring
with every movenunKlj * made. He won the
swimming race.nr
That settled 1U Tb/ countryman wanted
to mob him , but he 'just smiled and put on
his clothes , collected hts"wlnnlngs and waUcd
away. He proved to1 ' 11 * Ke'ly ' , an uld..lme
athlete , now a New YqrU policeman. He was
on tils vacation.
a
it Atr , < i.v'riVw ' T.V/.VO.
( jciero Thunderstorm In Chicago Narrow
i : rnpo from rqllliiR ( ininllr.
CHICAGO , June > . -j-A severe electrical ,
rain and hall storm/ passed over this city
yesterday , doing * conslilerabla damage. Light
ning struck the top Of" the Teutonic building ,
which Is ten stories high , and knocked a
fifty-pound piece of granite from the cornice
to the pavement , where It narrowly missed
two policemen. The thunder and noise of the
falling stone caused several horses to run
away. Gottlieb Gotskl , n 'laborer , was In
stantly killed by lightning niul several houses
on the nest and north sides were struck and
damaged.
DU QUOIN , 111. June 16. The most de
structive hall storm In years passed over
this city yesterday afternoon. Hall stones
covered the ground several Inches deep.
Corn , wheat and oats and all kinds of fruits
ind vegetables are ruined. Many windows
ere broken.
Htwornntsn FKOM TIIK
Kirxrr Hirer Knlllng Itnpldty nnd ItnllrontU
Ko-KMntilUliln ? C'onmimilntlon.
VANCOUVER. B. C. , Juno 16. Reports
from the Interior state that the river Is still
falling rapidly. At New Westminster the
mills arc now able to resume ( fporallons ,
although the lower part of the city Is not
entirely free from water. It Is reported taht
the Fraser made tome considerable change
In Us course. Soundings will have to be
carefully taken all along the river. At Chilli ,
wack the water has fallen four feet. Farm
ers will soon be able to take stock and esti
mate losses. The freshet has washed away
a large amount of land at the mouth of the
river. On Tuesday the Fraser river fishery
mess house took a slide Into the river and
sailed Into the gulf of Georgia. Wednesday
morning part ot the cannery went , and a
large number of cans nnd salmon boxes were
lost. Yesterday the Great Northern re
sumed service between South Westminster
and Seattle. The Canadian Pacific also dls.
patched a train yesterday.
TACO.MA , Wash. , Juno 1C. The Northern
Pacific has established through connections
with St. Paul by way of the Coucr d'Alene
branch , trains to be run over the Union Pa. .
clfic branch from Spokane to Wallace , I
Idaho. Slight repairs remain to be made be- '
twcen Desmet and Wallace. The Overland
which left St. Paul yesterday will come
through , arriving Monday. The first cast-
bound through train left Tacoma last night.
, i/.n omit nut r/rrr m.ius.
Governor Flower 8 y Tnrlff Tlnkercr * V ill
Now llo Killed flight Off.
ALBANY , N. Y. , June 16. Govornof
Flower , returning to Albany from the Adi
rondack * , talked to a large number of pcopls
at the aiovcrvlllo depot yesterday after
noon. Ho spoke of the financial troubles nnA
said : "The undoubted cause Is the tinker *
Ing being done with the tariff. In thirty
days the agony will bo over , and the question
settled. If In the succeeding fifty years any
body attempts to tinker with the tariff he'll
get killed. The times will Improve now av
once , and your old prosperity will be In.
creased a hundredfold. "
Why I.rwrllltiK t : | > cct to Win.
LUAVENWORTH , Kan. , June 1C. Gov
ernor Lew oiling attended a meeting of the
Mystic Slit iio here. Speaking to nn Associ
ated press reporter regarding the populist
possibilities In this state ho said ho expected
the ticket to win on account ot the enthu
siasm for the party , and because the demo
crats must vote and are tired of their party
In this fltate and would not vote the repub
lican ticket. Ho also expects the sultrig *
amendments to tnko many rotes from the re
publican party. and thinks the pcoplo of the
state arc well satisfied with his administra
tion.
Nortlmr trrn itcrntor :
TACOMA , Juno 1C. Frank Orbln and J. T.
Rlbb , composing the Tacoma Grain com
pany .have purchased of the receiver of the
Northern Pacific Elevator company th
( hlrty-nlno elevators , with a capacity ot
C , 000,000 bushels , located In Idaho and In
Spokane , Lincoln and Whitman counties ot
this state , and also the Terminal elevator ,
75,000 bushels , located In Tacoma. Last
year these elevators shipped 2,900.000 ccntnU
of wheat , which loaded thirty-six ships , and
thU year they are expected to ship 4,000.000
centals. The total price paid Is reserved.
flnnnlltii ; llrrlrn i with n Shotgun.
COV1NOTON . June 1C. The Drolllnge *
poisoning case at Foster Is creating much
excitement. The husband stilt refuses to
let the authorities rxhumo his wife's body ,
and guards her grave with n shotgun. Ho la
strongly suspected of having caused her
death , as n former wife died very suddenly
In the same manner. The body will be ex
humed by the authorities.
Th s Co.
Retiring from Business.
You know it everybody knows it No one doubts it when once inside the store Business could not
be continued and such prices quoted You never saw anything like it Your fniends were here
this week Such crowds Your last chance for bargains--When we are gone nothing will ever
be worthy the name of bargain in comparison with our great closing sale.
Dress Goods Silks - Notions Carpets Draperies
at atr at at at
own
your yourbown your own your own your own
price. price. price. price. price.
.
.sre i
U'r. Here Is thoplacoyoucan realize the
.
.in it
S I' LHtto things that cost but little at difference between the old This department overflows with
All new , this season's styles , S35,000 The most elegant , stock ot silks In any time are now going for price and the prlco that pees magnificent bargains. Ail the
woith to be sold. Got your ' this western1 * . \ country going at worse than nothing. A couple now. You can buy a Brussels newest things in silks and dra
dress while you can get it at , ' < any price yhatsoovor to close of dollars will buy moro no carpet cheaper than you used peries go in at the going out
a price without profit. ' them out.Ji ' tions than you can carry away. to pay for an Ingrain. of business prices.
rp
Hosiery and Underwear - ' " Men's Furnishings Laces , Gloves , Ribbons = .
at at at
your own your own your own
price price price
Neither ladies ncr gentlemen can very , The gentlemen should lay in a supply of The most beautiful , the most perfect , the
well afford to let this chance go by , for neckwear , collars and cuffs now that latest styles in laces , ribbons and
at no time in the wildest , excitement
have hosiery and underwear gone at they have an opportunity. It won't gloves , all go in at way-down prices at
such pricer. . occur again. Remember that. this great closing out sale.
Chinaware x Gloaks " * 1 and Suits Handkerchiefs Boys' Clothing
at . at at at
own your own
your own your your own
price. price. price price
Summer , Spring and Fall Wraps You can save moro money probably -
On the second floor by far the Handkerchiefs for every possible .
all go in all must go. It's hot . bly hero than anywhere else , for
largest and most complete stouk taste at every kind of price. The
. nowbut winter will como and you no matter how much you buy the
in the city. Coat is not considered lacey , fleecy kind go as cheap as
horo. can't buy half as choup then as ' boy will manage to near them all
the plain white ones used to. .
- now. out. Any price whatever goes.
Dress Trimmings Toilet Articles Muslin Underwear
at at at
your own ' " - your own your own
price. price. price. * :
As complete as this stock was it is no wonder Always the lowest on soaps , face powders ,
Good seasonable wear , perfect goods , the
der it is a center of attraction , now and other toilet articles , we now cap
most radical cuts in the store are ri
that so little money is required to get the climax by letting you take away
more than you can carry. the goods at your own price. here. Try and see ,
HI/ .
Retiring Retiring' ' Retiring Retiring- - Retiring
from from from from from
I 3 I
business. busjjiess. business business. business
Mall Orders should'bo accompanied
No .
goods charged. ? J
by draft or money ordor.
No ( roods sent on approval. Where amount is not known Goods for all seasons , Spring , ,
No goods laid aside or sent No purchases that amount to 4
. ' . send at least
No rnonoy.ro'undod. one-half and
' C. O. D. unless half amount less than'$1.00 will bo doll Summer , Autumn and Winter
goods will bo 'sent 0. O , D for
No goods exchanged. balance. of purchase is paid. ll vo red. ter on sale.
mm FROM Ho Goods Charged
THE MORSE DRY GOODS CO No Goods Exchanged
