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Southland Times, Issue 3318, 7 February 1879, Page 2

Almost no branch of , science affords greater scope, and presents greater attractions for the theorist and the doctrinaire, than political economy and sociology. Its calculus -is so difficult and its proolemssopomplicatedthattheirsolution, even j approximately, is almost beyond our powers j of calculation. 'As in medicine, indirect action is often more effective than 'direct, I and secondary causes often more potent j than the primary, so, in sociology, obscure causes and indirect influences often upset general principles, and reverse the direction . of the forces which act on the masses. As in mathematics; plus* quantities often unaccountably require the minus sign to bring out the proper answer, and as in electrical science, positive currents of life and thought often capriciously, at a slight change of temperature, or even under no alteration ,of condition we can perceive, suddenly become negative, and undo the work as fast as it was done. To caleiilate , the effects .of a single changed condition in social life is like a mathematician attempting to determine the deflection of each thread of "the spider's web when the spider changes place. When P,unch effectively satirizes an absurdity of dress, he littlethinksthatheis depriving thousands of their daily bread by throwing them out of employment till a new fashion employs their labor. If the security of property is, even in idea only, interfered with, who can tell how much indnstry is lessened and entei'prise checked ? If confidence in a Ministry is shaken, who can calculate what it costs the country? No doubt, as in other sciences, general conclusions may be drawn which will be true if a few hundreds of other things are true, but the truth of which are more difficult to get at than that of the general "principle. Hence it is we always see that in actual practice in the government of a country, or in the initiation of some great enterprise, ihe theorist always fails, and the naturally shrewd man makes his. " wee pickle " sense go mu6h further than the profoundest doctrinaire. The tenure of land is a case in point. It no doubt looks more reasonable: that the land, which unquestionably is the birthright of every being that is formed to move on it, should belong 4o the state and be common property, instead of the freehold system. The theorist sees every reason why it should be so and none why it should not be so, and jumps (especially if he happens to be a young one, and a little conceited) to the conclusion that the land of the world is not where it should be, and that everybody must be intensely stupid that happened to be born .before him not to have perceived; it. He rushes into Parliament, perhaps, or into the Ministry, with ; such ; mad haste that he knqeks down everybody in the : way, and wonders why his colleagues (the donkeys!) didn't see it before. After he has wasted his own time ■ and his country's money in -useless experiment, he begins to see that there is a little condition ,in the problem he did not see. He sees that people will work harder and longer hours on land which they can call their own, and that for ever and ever. Poor fools! he may wisely exclaim, to think that anything is your own ; it belongs to society. Never mind, however, he has now learned to say, if it makes you work, the better, if the thought of it makes you happier, be it so ; it really does not matter much — work is the main thing — activity .and action are the true constants of life's variable function. ■ It is very certain that industry' forms the foundation of wealth, either in the individual or m the state. That country will be at its; richest when the greatest number is the best "employed." The Mormon Society throve- under great difficulties, and in spite of a false system of government and an unsound constitution, just.because its ethics promoted, and its creed^taught,!this one cardinal principle, viz., industry. Anything that causes men to be more industrious, whether it be an idea, "as in the case of a freehold, or love of offspring, as with the Mormons, or love of fame, ought s iiot to be neglected in the theory 1 of "The greatest good of the greatest nunibeiv" ;The system is, after, all, only the harness, arid' that will be the best which allows the animal to pull with the greatest [ease ;and freedom in; accordance jwith its shape and idiosyncrasies. « '