Social and Political Views 



To Mr. John (Lord) Morley 



Parkstone, Dorset. October 20, 1900. 



Dear Sir, — I look upon you as the one politician left to 

 us, who, by his ability and integrity, his eloquence and love 

 of truth, his high standing as a thinker and writer, and his 

 openness of mind, is able to become the leader of the English 

 people in their struggle for freedom against the monopolists 

 of land, capital, and political power. I therefore take the 

 liberty of sending you herewith a book of mine containing a 

 number of miscellaneous essays, a few of which, I venture 

 to think, are worthy of your serious attention. 



Some time since you intimated in one of your speeches 

 that, if the choice for this country were between Imperialism 

 and Socialism, yon were inclined to consider the latter the 

 less evil of the two. You added, I think, your conviction 

 that the dangers of Socialism to human character were what 

 most influenced you against it. I trust that my impression 

 of what you said is substantially correct. Now I myself 

 believe, after a study of the subject extending over twenty 

 years, that this danger is non-existent, and certainly does 

 not in any way apply to the fundamental principles of 

 Socialism, which is, simply, the voluntary organisation of 

 lalour for the good of all. . . . — With great esteem, I am 

 yours very faithfuUy, Alfred R. Wallace. 



Mr. John (Lord) Morley to A. R. Wallace 



67 Elm Park Gardens, 8.W. October 31, 1900. 



My dear Sir, — For some reason, though your letter is 

 dated the 20th, it has only reached me, along with the two 

 volumes, to-day. I feel myself greatly indebted to you for 

 both. In older days I often mused upon a passage of yours 

 in the '^ Malay Archipelago " contrasting the condition of 

 certain types of savage life with that of life in a modern 



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