SCIENCE LECTURES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue LXXXVIII, 10 September 1914, Page 2

SCIENCE LECTURES

STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY IN AMERICAN HISTORY. One of the mo6t interesting lectures that ha* yet been given in AVellington m connection with the Science Congress was delivered by Professoi R. T. Ely, Professor of Economics at WiscoiUjh. U.S.A., in the Victoria College la«tevening. The subject was "The Struggle tor Equality in American History," and tho Professor dealt with it exhaustively tracing tho various developments that have taken place. In modern civilisation, he declared, there was a constantly increasing de mand for equality of opportunity. In America in particular it had taken place upon a vast scale, and through America's historic, economic, and geographical situation, had had a great influence upon the rest of the world. The United States oumo into existence in the latter half of the eighteenth century, the daU of the introduction of eleam as applied to machinery and of greater industrial ism./ The laws then Btood m the way of production on a vast scale, which wa» then beginning, and it became necessary to sweep manj 'of them away, particularly those which were oppressive to Labour itself. _ Amongst the new measures introduced, in order to achieve the ideal of equality of opportunity, were the introduction of manhood suffrage, the abolition of titles, declarations agAinet perpetuities and hereditary priviliges, and the division of property equally amongst a man's children. There was a period of individualism in philosophy andl observance generally, but a marked change took place towards 1885, when various reforms were advocated, and commenced to have a general influence on tho public mind. The Bystetn of giving the same course of education to everyone was collapsing, because it was becoming to be recognised that if educa« tion wa-s to give opportunities for all it should be diversified, as all men were not fitted for or desired i to follow , the same occupation or profession. When they came to sound economics, ihey mUBt recognise that all legislation, to be of any value at all, must be class legislation—legislation for the different classes of which mankind was composed, All men were not equal, as was demonstrated in granting the suffrage to the negroes, who did not know what the vote meant, and the measure, consequently,proved one of the most disastrous experiments that had ever been introduced into' America. As a result the negro had been deprived of the vote id the Southern States, and many evils had .grown up. The atruggle > for" equality was going on, there being many movements afoot which were more or less vast. Some of them i were reactionary, going back to primitive times. Referring to the system of government generally, the speaker said he thought they should encourage the people to prepare themselves for the service of the community, ahd reward them as they did so. The task of democracy was the task of selection. What he wanted as a citizen was the t very best men to serve him in doing things which he had not time to do for himself. The deep-set controversies of our time turned on the ideas of, equality and inequality. The Socialists went so far as to say that to secure equality they should abolish private property. He waß unable to follow" them in this, and if he interpreted American public opinion a,right, the American people did hot either/ They" recognised that while tin abolition of tho inheritance of .property would bring about greater equality, if would also bring a lower society, wine, was not desirable America had always been the land of opportunity. Tlic older idea was to let everybody come in, irrespective of colour, race, and habits, but the Americans did not say that any more. They had sounder ideas now, and did not let everyone come in. Instead they said now that America was the land of opportunity for everybody, provided they were able-bodied, capable of maintainiaig a higher level of life, and of playing their part. To such they would always givo" a hearty welcome. (Applause.) . , The lecturer was accorded a vote of thanks by the large audience present.