"THE ONE AND THE MANY."

Press, Issue LVII, 4 December 1900, Page 6

"THE ONE AND THE MANY."

TO THE EDITOR "o_* THK PBESS,

Sir,—Towards the end of the third column of voir extracts from "The One and The Many." in Saturday's issue of your paper, I notice that -Radical.' speaking, does somewhat more than infer that to gain happiness for tlie mass, not only must the fewbe mad-e unliappv. but they must also suffer injustice. For instance, he says, "Though same injustice must be perpetrated—some rich soueezed —still, if more happiness is given to the in ass." Now. it is a false idea to suppose that Radicals, or. I should go furth-er. Socialists, desire unhappiness or injustice to fall on any portion of the community. Are w? really to suppose that the present holders of almost limitless tracts ol land would really be less happy if some of that land was usrd in such a way as to prevent the p-.-«ibility of the slum ever growing into existence? We misjudge the real, true human ar.d divine in every man if we think or say so. The owner of the va«t tracts, or of the profit--!, slum dwelling!, l only falsely fancies that he is happy whilst his poor brother lives in misery. _*_ ,T ain. let v. th. ; r:k for a moment, of th; rich bride's treusse-.u, of which we read. Lavish and wasteful expenditure is indulged in to a frifhtful extent. If. through a social rpairang?nifnf. twelve brides wen- amply <m-l ci-mfortublv outfitted, are we to suppose that really and truly the wasteful woman'would (>3 less happ**? Nay. when that human nature is unearthed from the dross auaongst which it is hidden, bappines-s will b_> irtinitely increased all round. Aipiin. will the ,-.T_pulously-c_?an rich enjoy their easy-to-get and well-appointed baths ; less, when they know that- every toil-worn ! worker also has easy access to Well-appointed j baths? There are. of course, we know, people who do draw their skirts around them and thank God that they urr. clean and tidy. and not as other f-dks. less to. But that i« only because a cloud enwrap? them, and they do not discern that the happiness oi the masa increases the happiness of the intUfiiw*. W« |fti» it aa _-_Jt__e-t __thority

that we are all one, a realisat-on of tihe fact will bring about- a jnster distribution of tuis' world's goods, beaat-iul environment, and equal opportunity for alL —Tours, etc., LOUISA BLAKE. ~ Caristchhrch, November 19tK, 1900.