410 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



and well-being of the state; and only 

 in later yeai's, when the ancient 

 forms of faith were undergoing a 

 process of disintegration, did any 

 conception of virtue for virtue's sake, 

 or of the connection of virtue with 

 the wider interests of humanity, 

 dawn on the Roman mind. 



In dealing with this subject, how- 

 ever, our object was neither to criti- 

 cise Social Evolution nor to discourse 

 on the civilization of the ancient Ro- 

 mans: on the contrary, we had an 

 entirely "modern instance" in view. 

 If social evolution depends in large 

 measure on the ideal of social duty 

 existing in each community, it be- 

 hooves us to consider carefully what 

 ideals are growing up and taking 

 root among ourselves. We believe 

 that, making all abatements for con- 

 spicuous evils in the social state, 

 there is a steady evolution taking 

 place that is to say, that the condi- 

 tions of social life are improving on 

 the whole from year to year. The 

 principal drawbacks to such evolu- 

 tion are undoubtedly connected with 

 our political life. One of the ablest 

 of our contemporaries makes a duty 

 of holding up the mirror to the evils 

 and scandals which mark the course 

 of politics in this State; and the pic- 

 ture presented is not encouraging. 

 " In the belief,'' it says, " of nearly all 

 the intelligent portion of our popu- 

 lation the meeting of the Legislature 

 in January is simply the opening of 

 a school of vice. As soon as the 

 Speaker is elected the members or- 

 ganize for the sale of legislation in 

 quantities to suit purchasers or for 

 the levy of blackmail." We do not 

 fully indorse these words; but that 

 they should be uttered at all by a 

 responsible journal is significant and 

 lamentable. The question is urgent: 

 What can be done to create a deeper 

 sense of responsibility in the public 

 mind in regard to the conduct of po- 

 litical affairs? No community can 



permanently afford to have a dis- 

 reputable legislature. While other 

 agencies are at work to improve and 

 purify the social state, here is one of 

 the greatest magnitude which is op- 

 erating in an opposite direction 

 filling the minds of young and old 

 alike with the idea that social duty 

 is an illusion, and that fraud has no 

 meaning when practiced at the ex- 

 pense of the State. We talk of teach- 

 ing " civics " in our schools, but some- 

 thing more than a school teaching 

 of civics is required. We have vast 

 organizations of a Christian charac- 

 ter throughout the land societies of 

 Christian Endeavor and the like. 

 What are they doing to purify poli- 

 tics ? We believe in evolution, but 

 not as a power that will save people 

 from the consequences of neglecting 

 their most important duties; and we 

 think the time has come when com- 

 munities should help forward their 

 own evolution by conscious efforts 

 to abate what is evil and encourage 

 what is good. We commend the 

 question we have raised to the con- 

 sideration of all well-intentioned 

 persons. The problem is how to 

 prevent politics from corrupting the 

 character of our citizens and antago- 

 nizing the efforts that are made in 

 other spheres for social reform and 

 improvement. It is a question for 

 every one for the wise and for the 

 ignorant, for the man of science and 

 the man of letters, for the theologian 

 and for the journalist, for the man 

 of business and the teacher of youth. 

 What is needed is a concentration 

 upon it of the attention and will of 

 right-minded persons of that large 

 majority who have no sinister inter- 

 ests to serve by the abuse of political 

 influence, and who ought to have 

 enough regard for the national well- 

 being to be willing to make some 

 sacrifices on its behalf. If these will 

 but do their duty, a solution of the 

 problem will be found ; but if, unfor- 



