THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 6 1 



referred in the first words of this paper. That cause sustains the 

 relation to our social organism that a foundation of sand bears to the 

 superstructure. It sustains to social evil the relation that the tree- 

 trunk bears to the limbs, branches and twigs that depend upon it for 

 life. That cau e is a wrong, innocently inherited, ignorantly retain- 

 ed and fondly cherished as a beneficent thing worthy of all honor 

 and of all legal efforts to retain it. 



Christianity points to man's depravity as the source of wrong, 

 social as well as individual. Subdue that depravity, it tells us, and 

 the social problem is solved. " Let the wicked forsake his way, and 

 the unrighteous man his thought," is the first step towards a larger 

 life, individual and social. But, if this condition be imperative on 

 the individual in order to escape from evil, it is equally binding on 

 a number of depraved units of which society is composed. If we 

 can be brought to recognize a specific wrong created and maintained 

 by individuals acting in their corporate capacity, ought not society, 

 that extended human organism, repent as each individual component 

 must repent ? If society has created the right to fife and the right 

 to liberty, the right to produce and the right to own the thing pro- 

 duced ; if society insists on industry ; if it condemns the voluntary 

 pauper, should it not also insist that opportunities to produce shall 

 be equally available to all? If it does not so insist ; if it has not thus 

 far made provision for free productive exertion, has not society 

 failed in its functions? To insist that man shall be industrious, and 

 then to impede his industry, is inconsistent. Society demands that 

 its units shall not beg or steal ; has it not therefore created for itself 

 a duty, the duty of assuring to each a free chance to obey its 

 mandate ? 



Has society so far recognized this duty ? It most certainly has 

 not. " Here, you fellow, get to work at once !" cries society, " but 

 before you do work, see to it that you pay some fellowman a proper 

 fee for the privilege of setting to work." If the wretch refuses to 

 pay, or cannot pay, society banishes him from civilization. He may 

 freely locate in the wilderness, if he can get there. There, and there 

 only, may the worker for a while enjoy what society ought to secure 

 him anywhere and everywhere. 



An able man, mentally, physically strong, can pay for the priv- 

 ilege of working, and prosper, becoming himself one of those who 



