IMPRESSIONS OF GREAT BRITAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15098, 22 March 1911, Page 5

IMPRESSIONS OF GREAT BRITAIN

THE GREAT MIDDLE CLASS.

Bγ Dk Gobdox Macdonald. In Great Britain there is a great middle class with which lio the destinies of tho nation. Its ranks compriso a large number of very rich people together with an infinitely larger number of comfortably situated persons.' It comprises throe great and important elements in the community, namely, tradesmen, manufacturers, and professionals. Those people possess tho bulk of the brains and the capital of the country. From their ranks are recruited most of the titled aristrocracy and for that section of the community they havo a sneaking regard that Ls difficult to estimate. Time was when the destinies ot the nation lay in the hands of the aristocrats. To-day they struggle hard to retain their ancient power, but without tho aid of the aspiring middle class their efforts would be vain. Every ambitious middle class man hopes somo day to enter their ranks. In the same way every ambitious Wftge-eairnor hopes to cnier tho ranks of the employing class, or even of the titled aristocracy itself. The middle class is constantly being recruited from the brainy class of wage earners, and thus the best of tho wage-oamers, togathor with the coatented middle class mon arc really tho backbone of the nation. They arc hopeful, resoturoeful, peaceful, and contented. The titled . aristocracy, per so, are in many instances excellent examples of the genus homo. In the majority of instances, however, they are a class who do not nqquiro to struggle, to bo sslf-denying, to be complacent—in short, to bo plain, thoughtful, ■ useful men, and hence they degenerate. It seems to be a law in Nature iihat a.ll animals, to b> really fit, must lead more or less of a strenuous life. Now, such _a life does not appeal to tho man born in the purple. As a nation, therefore, wo need not be alarmed at tho prospect of having a few titled aristocrats in our midst. So long as they do not become national parasites they ecrve some purpose in the scale of society. Whenever an individual degenerate, bo he aristocrat or democrat, Old Mbthor Nature steps m, and demands the penalty, by gradual extinction. Titled aristocrats are 1 not the disturbers of national peace, nor do they add much to the progress of the nation, for in either case their numbers are too limited.

I Again, the wage oairners are numerous, but their optiortunities and surroundings— their environment—tend to givo them limited vision, and dangerous passions. In tnqir upward struggle they may cause infinite harm; but they cannot overthrow the nation, nor permanently rulo it. This struggle from below is nothing hew. It is common to all mankind; indeed, to all nature from flic beginning of timo histwv .points to its continuance. It lias been an individual, struggle and it will remain so. . Ino British Constitution has evolved a numerous middle class which promises to be a stable national bulwark. Immediately the wage-earner becomes a ruler that moment ho forsakes tho wage rank Indeed, whenever he aspires to something he conceives to be bettor, that moment he is a new man, and by craft or deceit he acquires capital. Now, in this middle class there are hundreds of thousands of persons wlio are comfortably"'situated. Such persons do not fill the ranks of the Socialists or the Anarchists. It is true that some of them profess, yea proclaim, such tenden?'n' i r ivith * orcserv iiion or prayr, Good Lord; not in our day," for selfishness and insincerity are prevalent in all ranks. It is totally against ou,r overyday teaching and the dictates of human nature that men should willingly plead their own undoing. When hardly pressed, they may yiold tins or that point; but when coercion subsides the diplomatic favour is withdrawn In conversing with numbers of middle class, wage class, and degenerates, we found them to be living in opposite camps. The comfortable man said, "Things are not ! a iir doslro w rwll ' cal change" We want peace," and so on. The poor wage-earner and the degenerate said, u yo\en with them," "Down with it," 1 They are all parasites, bloodsuckers, and worse.' Poor men; between desperation at their present condition and expectation following upon distraction, they are mentally and physically blind. Between these two classes there is a very large body of thoughtful individuals, who hesitate at extreme steps, for they see that in Hiewombof futurity there is mystery. So they thunder, they struggle, they threaten, with their everdividing interests and their uncertainty of the future. Utopia is a grand ideal, but with mans limitations it is practically chimerical. There- is no sue], thing as equality in any of the kingdoms of Nature and wore it so we should soon tire of it. Discontent is seething amongst the Butish. wage-earners. They would prepare for nabellion, for revolution, but they lack discipline and capable loaders. Everyone wishes to bo " general," but if an army is entirely composed of "generals," or rabblerebels, who is to carry the gun, much km lire it? The history of such movements is net inspiring. It never has cural, and iwver will cure, our social inequalities and ills, Pliongh some foolish' mem threaten extremes, wo do not. think thero is t-Lp Jeast fear of their meeting- wi-tih any success, for (hey have not brains, nor the sinews of wa.r. The wage-rarmJi- blames thb aristocrat; tho latter blames tlie middle-class mam, a.nd he something else, and so lihe see-saw «o c s on ad iniimtum.

One of tho titled aristocrats with whom we ewwersed' said:-"I began tho world penniless, and with neither social nor educational advantages. I determined to succeed, and began by sarin" tho pernios than t.1i,0 shillings, tW.ii flic pounds. I gradually accumulated a liuilc capital, locked for safe trading or invtefcnwnit concerns, and therefrom springs all my wealft. Any nra.n wßio has brains, a;nd who ohoosre can make himself itsrlopwidomt in tlm country Tho avenues to education, to wealth, a.Tid oven to tiUed aristcoracy, are cprn to all men. Miiwo me, that want of sense .-nd wamt of thrift, are at tho bottom of two-l,.wrfls of our social troubles, ami these a.w commodities that neither Ohiirch no~ Stote can supply to tho nation.." These are (.ho words of a one? wa<ro-oa.riu>r, now a titled British aristocrat. Tho.v att not new-' they a.ro as old as tho world. A largt* sscb»n of thp British prople kiyjv.- tlio-n cultivnto thorn, act. upon Chom. a.nd hence ttere is no fra.r of naitional co-lhmsc _Thc groit Book loaches us to \v eo-nlfnt with cur lot, a.nd contentmont is cvWnm'y groat pirn; but the politician.? awl t.hc \ri«e iron of the day toll us, and touch us. llw.t tlkoiltent. is t.ho mot.Fmr nf proqnvss. There is abnndanco of discon,ten*. our i>coplc, and let us boipp thai it augurs well for the future of our nation.