The Forgotten Man, and Other EssaysSumner, William Graham
Science
The Forgotten Man, and Other Essays
Sumner, William Graham
Economics; Social sciences
There are dangers in the Coöperative Commonwealth which demand
vigilance. There is danger of jealousy and division amongst
coöperators. Harmony is essential to the Coöperative Commonwealth and
we must have it at any price.
Some say that our Commonwealth is weak. It is the strongest state that
ever existed. No one before our time ever knew the power of a “mob,”
as it used to be called. At a tap of the bell, every coöperator is at
hand. Our only danger is factious division of this power. Let every
coöperator have rewards for harmony and penalties for faction--strict,
sure, and heavy!
There is danger from science. The evolution heresy is a worse foe to
coöperation than the old Christian dogma. Stamp it out!
There is danger from the virus of the old anarchism--worst of all
because it is often enough like the truth to deceive the elect. It
means liberty and individualism. Stamp it out!
* * * * *
Under the heading “Domestic News” occurs the following:
The Commissioners of Emigration have detected several persons striving
to leave the city for Long Island, carrying gold with them. It is well
known that many rich persons, animated by selfishness and disregarding
their duties as trustees of their wealth for the public, have escaped
to the wilds of Long Island beyond the Commune of Brooklyn, carrying
with them all the gold which they could obtain. Hence the Commissioners
of Emigration have arranged to patrol the East River by the
Commonwealth galleys and have limited the ferry transits to the Fulton
ferry between 8 and 9 A.M. and 5 and 6 P.M. Any persons found carrying
away gold will be sent to the galleys and the gold confiscated. Gold is
needed to buy supplies for the Commonwealth.
No dispatches from Philadelphia have been received for a fortnight. A
steamboat of 100 tons burden is cruising in the Hudson River, taking
toll of all goods in transit across the river. Reports disagree as to
the character of the persons on this boat. By some it is asserted to be
manned by coöperators who, being poor, are putting into effect ethical
claims against material goods. By others it is said to be manned by a
gang of monopolist scoundrels and vagabonds, who, driven to desperation
by the boycott and plan of campaign, seek this means to perpetuate
their existence. It behooves the Board of Ethical Control to learn
which of these reports is correct before taking action.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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