XXX] BOSTON TO WASHINGTON 129 



The other paper was on " Social Economy versus Political 

 Economy," and was given at the request of Major Powell and a 

 few other scientific friends to a large audience of gentlemen 

 and ladies. It was an attempt to show how and why the 

 old " political economy " was effete and useless, in view of 

 modern civilization and modern accumulations of individual 

 wealth. Its one end, aim, and the measure of its success, 

 was the accumulation of wealth, without considering who got 

 the wealth, or how many of the producers of the wealth 

 starved. What we required now was a science of " social 

 economy," whose success should be measured by the good 

 of all. Under this system, not only should no worker ever be 

 in want, but labour must be so organized that every worker, 

 without exception, must receive as the product of his labour 

 all the essentials of a healthy and happy life; must have 

 ample relaxation, adequate change of occupation, the means 

 of enjoying the beauty and the solace of nature on the 

 one hand, and of literature and art on the other. This must 

 be a first charge on the labour of the community ; till this is 

 produced there must be no labour expended on luxury, no 

 private accumulations of wealth in order that unborn gene- 

 rations may live lives of idleness and pleasure. 



This paper was altogether too revolutionary for many of 

 my hearers, and the general feeling was perhaps expressed in 

 the following passage from the Washington Post: "It is 

 astounding that a man who really possesses the power of 

 induction and ratiocination, and who, in physical synthesis 

 has been a leader of his generation, should express notions of 

 political economy, which belong only or mainly to savage 

 tribes." At that time, however, there was hardly a professed 

 socialist in America. In the eighteen years that have elapsed 

 since this paper was read an enormous advance in opinion 

 has occurred, and to-day, not only to a large proportion of 

 the workers, but to thousands of the professional classes, the 

 views therein expressed would be accepted as in accordance 

 with justice and sound policy. 



Another evening I was asked by Dr. T. A. Bland, editor 

 of TJie Council Fire, and friend of the Indians, who had seen 



VOL. 11. K 



