DUKE UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 The Glenn Negley Collection 
 of Utopian Literature 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2010 with funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/lookingbeyondOOgeis 
 
luninu DCfl 
 
 continuing the sto 
 .fLooking back war 
 
 
 lelto "Looking Backward." By Edwa 
 
 AND 
 
 !r to "Looking Portlier Forward," By Ri 
 
 
 London : WILLIAM REEV 
 
 83 Charing Cross Road, W.C.! 
 
 **^ ^' -n hnuml in Cloth 3!- 
 
rKUUUOTlOb 
 MD WANT 
 
 
 THE 
 
 iCONO- : AND SOCIAL PROBLEM 
 AND SOLUTION 
 
 
 By Michael Flurscheim 
 
 
 CONTENTS : 
 
 PAGES 
 
 1. 
 
 A Problem and its Solution 
 
 1-16 
 
 2. 
 
 Land 
 
 ... 17-69 
 
 3. 
 
 Money 
 
 ... 69-114 
 
 4. 
 
 Circulation 
 
 .. 115-149 
 
 5. 
 
 Capital, Capitalism and Interest •• 
 
 .. 149-177 
 
 6. 
 
 Democracy 
 
 ... 177-200 
 
 7. 
 
 Co-operation 
 
 ... 201-227 
 
 8. 
 
 Socialism and Trusts 
 
 ... 227-267 
 
 LONDON: 
 WILLIAM REEVES, 83 Charing Cross Road, W 
 
LOOKING BEYOND. 
 
 H 
 
LOOKING BEYOND. 
 
 A SEQUEL TO "LOOKING BACKWARD." 
 BY EDWARD BELLAMY. 
 
 AND 
 
 AN ANSWER TO "LOOKING FURTHER FORWARD." 
 BY RICHARD MICHAELIS. 
 
 BY 
 
 L. A. GEISSLER 
 
 London : 
 WILLIAM REEVES, 83 CHARING CROSS ROAD, W.C. 
 
PEINTED BT THI NEW XEMPLB PRESS NOBBURI CBtSCE.VT. S.W.16. 
 

 PREFACE. 
 
 It is and always was one of the tactics of con- 
 servative minds tauntingly to challenge social re- 
 formers : "If you have so much to say about the 
 evils of our present system, show us how the system 
 you advocate would work!" 
 
 This, in his book, ** Looking Backward," Mr. Bel- 
 lamy very ably has done. Of course, the author of 
 that book never made pretension of being a prophet 
 or a dictator, decreeing laws for future generations; 
 his idea evidently was to show in a series of pic- 
 tures how, by general and scientific co-operation, an 
 equitable system could be instituted, the thousand- 
 fold misery of human beings tainting the present 
 system be abolished, and the welfare of all indi- 
 viduals of the human species be accomplished. If 
 this was his object, he certainly was successful, and 
 the immense circulation of " Looking Backward " 
 shows that he struck a chord in the hearts of Ameri- 
 can and English speaking people. 
 
 Since then a book appeared, *' Looking Further 
 Forward," by R. Michael is, in which the author, con- 
 tinuing the thread of the story where Mr. Bellamy 
 left off, attempts to show that the system advocated 
 in " Looking Backward " would lead to the utter 
 ruin of humanity and civilisation Lie gives drastic 
 descriptions of misery and dejection, corruption and 
 
4 Preface. 
 
 humiliation, consequent on such social and political 
 arrangements, and contrasts favourably the present 
 system to the one advocated by Mr. Bellamy. In 
 these attempts the author's style of argumentation is 
 decidedly unfair. He quotes numerous sentences 
 of Mr. Bellamy's book (giving the number of the 
 page in footnotes), independent from their former 
 connections, in such arrangements as to arbitrarily 
 suit his own purposes. Notwithstanding these un- 
 fair means, his argumentation is weak and shallow, 
 which I intend to prove. 
 
 The particulars of what the future will bring are 
 hidden from our knowledge, but anyone who can 
 read the signs of our time must see that the present 
 system of competition, which secures my happiness 
 by the misery of my neighbour, is doomed, and that 
 our era is impregnate with the germ of a more equit- 
 able system, a system of general co-operation, a sys- 
 tem in which the welfare of one is the welfare of 
 all. Any observant mind can see that we are in the 
 midst of revolution, that the former system of in- 
 dividual competition is more and more superseded 
 by a system of combination, in which the financially 
 strongest expropriate the financially weaker, and it 
 naturally follows that the time will come, when the 
 expropriators will be expropriated by the people. 
 Whether this future state of society will be accom- 
 plished by independent groups with voluntary co- 
 operation or by centralisation, the future will tell. 
 Mr. Bellamy in his book has given a picture of the 
 latter, and in the following treatise I shall adopt 
 the same course for the sake of argument. 
 
 In "Looking Beyond" I mean to show the fal- 
 lacies of Mr. Michael is's arguments. I shall use the 
 same form as Mr. Bellamy and Mr. Michaelis, treat- 
 ing "Looking Further Forward" as a continuation 
 
Preface. 5 
 
 of " Looking Backward," and shall resume the 
 thread of the narrative accordingly. 
 
 All quotations from Mr. Michael is's book shall be 
 referred to by footnotes. Mr. Michaelis, in " Look- 
 ing Further Forward/' used his quotations from Mr. 
 Bellamy's book arbitrarily as illustrations of argu- 
 ments, making a great show of statistics. His de- 
 ductions will not bear scrutiny. The candid reader 
 may judge, whether I have disproved his forced in- 
 ferences from the same statistics. 
 
 LUDWIG A. GEISSLER. 
 
 Covington, La., January, 1891. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 Mr. Bellamy's "Looking Backward" having had 
 such a wide circulation, especially since the cheap- 
 ness of later editions has brought it within the reach 
 of all, I shall restrict the synopsis of it to the short- 
 est possible space. 
 
 Julian West, born in Boston in 1857, narrates his 
 own story. ?Ie is well educated, in easy circum- 
 stances and of no particular profession. He is en- 
 gaged to a beautiful and wealthy young lady, Miss 
 Edith Bartlett, and intends to marry her as soon as 
 his new house is built, the completion of which is 
 delayed repeatedly by strikes. 
 
 In the meantime he lives in his old house, and as 
 he suffers from insomnia, he had prepared there for 
 a sleeping apartment a vault under the foundation 
 of the house, undisturbed by the noise of the city 
 and fire-proof, obtaining fresh air by mechanical 
 means. 
 
 On May 30, 1887, after two sleepless nights, he 
 made use of the services of a mesmerist, as he had 
 done before when troubled with insomnia, giving 
 orders to his servant, Sawyer, to awake him on the 
 next morning at nine o'clock. The mesmerist, Dr. 
 Pilsbury, left the city for New Orleans, and the 
 house burned down that night, Sawyer probably 
 perishing in the flames, 
 
 2 
 
8 Looking Beyond. 
 
 None of West's friends knew of the vault, the 
 house was not rebuilt, and so he remained mesmer- 
 ised and dormant, until in the year 2000, one Dr. 
 Leete, on having the ground dug up for the founda- 
 tion of a laboratory he intended to build, unearthed 
 him and brought him to consciousness. 
 
 Mr. West learned in the course of a few days that 
 Miss Edith Bartlett fourteen years after his sup- 
 posed death had married, and that Dr. Leete's wife 
 was her granddaughter. 
 
 He found the social and political conditions 
 materially changed. The former competitive sys- 
 tem had given way to one of general co-operation, 
 the nation being producer and distributor, and simi- 
 lar arrangements in all civilised countries. He was 
 quite overcome by the strangeness of his situation, 
 but consoled by the compassion of Dr. Leete's 
 daughter, Edith, who showed him how, in his 
 moments of depression, he might find solace in most 
 beautiful music, made audible in his bedroom by 
 telephonic arrangements, to which a clockwork was 
 attached, that could be set for any time of the 
 twenty- four hours. 
 
 Dr. Leete gives him full explanation of the mode 
 of living. Education is for all, male and female 
 alike, the highest attainable until the age of twenty- 
 one years, when they enter the industrial army. At 
 the age of forty-five they are released from labour, 
 and can only be summoned to work in exceptional 
 cases of utmost necessity up to fifty-five. During 
 the first three years of labour, they serve as recruits 
 or apprentices in the auxiliary corps, being assigned 
 to common labour, after which time they choose 
 their trade or profession, which they enter in dif- 
 ferent grades, according to the record of their abil- 
 ity and behaviour during their apprenticeship. The 
 honorary members (forty-five years of age and up- 
 
Looking Beyond, 9 
 
 ward) of each trade or guild elect the general of 
 the guild from among the colonels or superintend- 
 ents. All trades are grouped in ten departments, 
 and the honorary members of all allied trades or 
 guilds belonging to one department elect its chief 
 from among the generals of the guilds thus grouped 
 as a department. The term of office of these ten 
 department chiefs is live years. All honorary mem- 
 bers of the nation elect the president from among 
 the retired department chiefs for the term of five 
 years. The outgoing president generally is elected 
 by Congress to represent the nation for five years in 
 the International Council, which regulates the 
 mutual intercourse and commerce of the nations and 
 their joint policy toward backward races. The gen- 
 erals appoint the officers under them, named col- 
 onels, or superintendents, captains or foremen, and 
 lieutenants or assistant foremen, each from the rank 
 next below, and the lieutenants from the first class 
 of first grade of workers. The president, the chiefs 
 and the generals, and several other high function- 
 aries live in Washington; all state governments are 
 abolished. The active members of the industrial 
 army do not vote for their officers ; any complaint is 
 brought before a judge, who is appointed by the 
 president for the term of five years, from among the 
 men who have reached their forty-fifth year. 
 
 There is no money; but a credit card is given to 
 every citizen alike for each successive year; cripples 
 and others unable to work, as well as those exempt 
 from work by their age, all receive the same. The 
 work of the industrial army by division of labour, 
 the united efforts of the nation's workers under one 
 control, the use of machinery in every industrial 
 branch increased continually by new inventions — 
 all combine to make labour so productive, that it 
 provides not only the necessities of life, but also the 
 
10 Looking Beyond. 
 
 comforts and even luxuries for all. The hours of 
 labour arc short; lengthened for those guilds which 
 are most desired; shortened for those where the 
 labour is objectionable to many. 
 
 Each ward has a sample store, where purchasers 
 choose what they want, and the amount is clipped 
 out of their credit cards by the sample clerk. Cards 
 are attached to the samples, giving full description 
 and information of the qualities and price of the 
 article. The orders are sent by pneumatic trans- 
 mitters to the general warehouse, and the goods are 
 thence conveyed to the purchaser's home without 
 delay. 
 
 Large cooking houses furnish excellent meals. 
 The inhabitants can have their meals there in ele- 
 gant private rooms, or can have them brought home. 
 They choose what dishes they please, and have the 
 amount punched off their credit cards. Washing is 
 done in great public laundries. They live in houses 
 rented from the nation, having their own furniture. 
 
 Women likewise are members of the industrial 
 army. They follow such employments as are per- 
 fectly adapted to their sex; their hours of labour 
 are general!)' shorter than men's, their vacations 
 more frequent. They serve the nation for the same 
 term, and leave that service only temporarily when 
 maternal duties call them. Thus, most women at 
 one time or another serve industriallv from five to 
 fifteen years; those who have no children, the full 
 term of twenty-four years. They have female offi- 
 cers and a female general-in-chief, who sits in the 
 cabinet of the president, and who elects the female 
 judges. Causes in which both parties are women, 
 are determined by women judges, and where a man 
 and a woman contend, a judge of each sex must 
 consent to the verdict. They receive the same credit 
 cards as the men, the nation likewise providing for 
 
Looking Beyond. il 
 
 the support of the children, who are dependent on 
 their parents only for the offices of affection. Thus, 
 with most of the household duties taken off them, 
 women are very happy and independent. Marriages 
 are for affection only, and the approval of the other 
 sex acts as the strongest incentive on the young men 
 to excel 111 tlicir services to the nation. Laggards 
 and the baser natures of men invariably form the 
 only class of celibates, as the woman marrying one 
 of these unfortunates has to defy public opinion. 
 Hence, the human race is improved from generation 
 to generation, the average life of individuals is 
 longer than in the nineteenth century, and all look 
 forward to the attainment of the forty-hfth year as 
 the commencement of their happiest period, when, 
 freed from labour, they can enjoy the rest of their 
 lives entirely according to their inclinations — in 
 travelling, study, pleasures of every kind, or ease 
 and comfort at home. 
 
 There are no more lawyers, no courts, or jails, no 
 sheriffs nor tax-collectors. Crimes or misde- 
 meanors, since the abolition of money being very 
 rare, are treated in hospitals as atavism. 
 
 The dread of want no more urges to great efforts. 
 There are nobler motives and more effective. Among 
 the various arrangements to arouse ambition is the 
 investing with the red ribbon, which is the highest 
 honour bestowed for excellence. 
 
 This is about the outline of the existing condi- 
 tions of life, as Dr. Leetc points them out to Julian 
 West. The latter forms a warm attachment to Miss 
 Edith Leete, which is reciprocated, anci he is be- 
 trothed to the great-granddaughter of his former 
 affianced. Anxious to find a place of utility in this 
 to him a new world, he is installed as professor of 
 the History of the Nineteenth Century. 
 
 On the day of his betrothal, it being Sunday, he 
 
12 Looking Beyond. 
 
 heard a sermon by telephone m Dr. Leete's house, ?n 
 which the preacher strongly demonstrated the moral 
 gap between the year 2000 and the nnieteenth cen- 
 tury. Ihe state of depression Mr. West underwent 
 m consequence of it, led to an interview with Edith 
 Leete, his declaration and acceptance, as stated 
 above. That night he dreamed that he was awak- 
 ened in his vault by his man. Sawyer, and that all 
 his experience of the last few days had been a 
 dream. In this fancy he goes out, and, fresh from 
 the recollection of the conversations he had with Dr. 
 Leete after his resuscitation about the institutions 
 and the life under the entirely different social and 
 political conditions, he views the life of the nine- 
 teenth century with abhorrence. Finally to his great 
 relief, he awakes again in the year 2000. His self- 
 reproach for his inactivity toward amelioration of 
 the existing evils, while he lived in the nineteenth 
 century, found a merciful judge in Edith Leete, and 
 here Mr. Bellamy's book ends. 
 
 In "Looking Further Forward," Mr. Michaelis 
 commences with the first lecture held at Shawmut 
 College by Mr. West. The latter explains the evils 
 of the competitive system prevailing in the nine- 
 teenth century, and enthusiastically eulogises the 
 communistic system of the twentieth. From the be- 
 ginning of his lecture he noticed a man standing 
 near the door, who remained after the students had 
 left. This man introduced himself as Mr. Forest, 
 West's predecessor as professor of nineteenth cen- 
 tury history. Fie says that he had been deposed 
 from this position and serves now as janitor, on ac- 
 count of his great preference to the competitive sys- 
 tem, and for exposing the evils of the ruling sys- 
 tem. In a number of conversations he attempts to 
 prove that the ruling communistic system has bred 
 favouritism and corruption to a degree vastly exceed- 
 
Looking Beyond. 13 
 
 iiig that of the nineteenth century. He states that 
 all those who do not bribe the officers, and especi- 
 ally those who are adverse to the administration, 
 live a life of hell on earth, and are worse off than 
 slaves. He asserts that the only opposition the ad- 
 ministration permits at election time is that of the 
 Radical Communists, whose demands are so atro- 
 cious and disgusting that the dread of them makes 
 the people submit to the tyranny of the administra- 
 tion. He accuses Dr. Leete of being a shrewd poli- 
 tician, a leader of tne administration party, enjoy- 
 ing more benehts than others, his daughter doing no 
 work, and the housework being done gratuitously by 
 the female auxiliary corps. All this makes a great 
 . impression on Mr. West, who, knowing the existing 
 conditions only by Dr. Leete's words, finds himself 
 unable to disprove Mr. Forest's sophistic arguments. 
 His mind full with these conflicting emotions, ac- 
 cording to Mr. Michaelis's narrative, he overhears at 
 Dr. Leete's house one Mr. Fest, a clever machinist, 
 captain in the industrial army and a RADICAL 
 Leader. Fie had asked Miss Edith's hand and had 
 been rejected. He is furious, and uses insulting 
 language. Mr. West is informed that Fest, in his 
 childhood, lived in the neighbourhood and used to 
 play with Edith. Some more conversation with Mr. 
 Forest ensues, and then follows the outbreak of the 
 Radicals. A dirty, ruffianly crowd, led by Fest, 
 burst into Dr. Leete's house. Forest rushes into the 
 room, and tries tO' save Dr. Leete, in the attempt of 
 which he is stabbed to death. West is overpowered 
 and bound, to be dumped, as Mr. Fest expressed it, 
 in Boston harbour. Fest, wielding an axe, splits 
 open Dr. Leete's head, then seizing the lifeless body 
 of the fainted Edith, he calls on his ruffian accom- 
 plices to kill every friend of the administration. Li 
 his frantic efforts to free himself from his bonds, 
 
14 Looking Beyond. 
 
 Mr. West finally awal<es in his vault on May 31, 
 1887, a physician and his man, Sawyer, by his side. 
 Thinking over all the experiences he has undergone, 
 he concludes that all was a dream, and blesses the 
 nineteenth century. 
 
 So far Mr. Michaelis, in " Looking Further For- 
 ward." In the next chapter Mr. Julian West will 
 tell his own story. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 1 opened my eyes ; they rested on the clock before 
 me, which Edith had put there, knowing that 1 had 
 lx:en accustomed to it. It wanted five minutes lo 
 eight. 1 was puzzled. Gradually recollections 
 came back. Surely this was my room in Dr. Leete's 
 house, and yet it seemed but a short time tliat I 
 awoke in my own vault, after having passed through 
 such terrible scenes in my dream. 
 
 Now, which was real ? Was tliis awakening in 
 my room in Dr. Leete's house a dream, or the 
 awakening in my vault ? Was tins the nineteenth 
 century or the twentieth ? And if the latter, was the 
 terrible experience with Fest and the Radicals a 
 dream or reality? My head began to swim; I felt 
 intensely miserable; worse than when 1 returned that 
 morning from my early walk. Jlien the sense of 
 loneliness overpowered me at finding all my tender 
 ties of friends and humanity severed, and realised 
 that in all that bustling city 1 was alone, with not a 
 tie to bind me to a mortal being. But oh, how 
 vastly more dreadful were now my sufferings ! I 
 felt a whirling and hammering sensation in my 
 brain. A chill, an icy horror, crept over me. I felt 
 that I was going mad. 
 
Looking Beyond. 15 
 
 At that moment soft notes floated through the 
 room. Sweet, intensely sweet, sounded " Annie 
 Laurie," executed by a violin and flute. Edith, 
 always mindful of my comforts, had set the tele- 
 phonic arrangement for eight o'clock. The effect 
 on me was magical. An intense longing, coupled 
 with sadness, seized me. The whirling in my brain, 
 the mingling and wrangling of confused ideas, 
 stopped. All settled into one thought : " Edith. ^' 
 Tears came to my eyes; my brain was saved. 
 
 There I lay, still sad, but calm, conflding, as ia 
 my childhood I had felt myself safe in my mother's 
 arms. 
 
 " I'd lay me doon and dee " breathed through the 
 air, dissolving, melting away, that I still heard it, 
 mentally, after the last note had sounded. 
 
 Then, majestically and triumphant, the " Song of 
 the Red Ribbon," executed by a full orchestra, 
 stirred my blood. That masterpiece of twentieth 
 century composition, that grand utterance of sub- 
 limest joy and consciousness of victory, aroused 
 me, lifted the depression off my soul and spiritually 
 intoxicated me. 
 
 I rose and dressed. The music ceased, and the 
 depression came bacl^ on me. But my mind was 
 calm. I could reason now; 1 could clearly discern 
 reality and dream. 
 
 Oh }'e5 ! It was yesterday that Mr. Forest had 
 given me such a sickening description of the evil 
 effects of twentieth century's communism, of favour- 
 itism and corruption, that made my heart sink 
 within me, that shattered the enthusiastic pictures 
 of the present generation's happiness which Dr. 
 Leete's glowing description had conjured before me. 
 Yes, I remember now, how I went home depressed 
 and sick at heart, and, feigning headache, sought my 
 room. Then I went to bed. All this was real it v. 
 
1 6 Looking Beyond. 
 
 And the conflicting statements of Dr. Leete and 
 ^Ir. Forest, the strangeness of my reawakening, that 
 seeming double hfc, impressions and experiences of 
 my former life — all these combined to create that 
 terrible dream. Fest ? No, I never saw him, except 
 in my dream; I only heard his name mentioned by 
 Mr. Forest. 
 
 Oh yes ! Thank heaven, that brutal conduct of 
 Fest, his murder of Dr. Leete and Forest, his kid- 
 napping of Edith, his gang tying and gagging me 
 — all this was but a dream. But there still remained 
 the doubts created by Mr. Forest's arguments. I 
 needed a long conversation with Dr. Leete, a thor- 
 ough explanation; but first I had to see Edith. 
 
 1 left the room, and, passing through the hall, I 
 found Edith sitting near the open door in the same 
 room where once before she had consoled me. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. West! — Julian!" she exclaimed, as she 
 read in my face the havoc made by the storm of 
 conflicting passions and agonies. She rose quickly, 
 but I gently forced her down again; and, seating 
 myself at her feet, my head resting against her, my 
 hands clinging to hers, a feeling of rest came over 
 me. Then I looked up and feasted my eyes on the 
 tender expressions of mingled love and pity in her 
 sweet face, and then I made a full confession. 
 
 With her rosy fingers she gently stroked the hair 
 back from my forehead. " I noticed yesterday 
 evening that something was wrong," she said. " I 
 was waiting here for you, to be in time to exorcise 
 the clouds from your overburdened mind. Oh ! 
 Why did you not speak last night and save yourself 
 the agonies that you must have suffered ? I can 
 well understand it. The singular idiosyncrasy of 
 Mr. Forest was quite amusing thus far; but common 
 decency should teach him to give you time to become 
 accustomed to our institutions and to understand 
 
Looking Beyond. 17 
 
 them, not from hearsay merely, but from your own 
 observation and experience, before he tries to argue 
 with you on them. And so," she added smihng, 
 " Mr. J:^ orest thinks that neither my mother nor I do 
 any housework, or maybe that I don't do any work 
 at all ? *Oh, 1 daresay, his constant study of nine- 
 teenth century history has so far blinded his know- 
 ledge of the twentieth century that he thinks we 
 are supported all three by my father's credit card. 
 My dear Julian, there is not so much housework to 
 be done, since washing and cooking no more belong 
 to household duties, and this my mother and I do 
 alternately in a very short time. Oh, you will be 
 surprised when you see the machines and contriv- 
 ances we have for that purpose, such as our great- 
 grandmothers never dreamt of. Now, did it not 
 strike you that you never saw me during breakfast 
 and dinner time? Where do you think that I am 
 during that time? There are so many things new 
 to you that I had no chance to tell you yet. I am 
 at my work in the ramie spinning mill. It is only 
 about three months that my duties in the auxiliary 
 corps were ended, and I choose that employment 
 because I have a particular liking for it. It leaves 
 mc plenty of leisure time, only three hours consum- 
 mating a day's work, with two vacations m the year. 
 Any extra housework we have done by members of 
 the auxiliary corps, but we pay for it by having the 
 amount clipped off from our three credit cards." 
 
 " Four," I said, pressing to my heart the sweet 
 creature who had plighted her troth to me ; *' four, 
 since I am allowed a credit card, too, in this happy 
 land." 
 
 " Four be it then, Mr. Professor," and her fresh 
 red lips yielded to the kiss I imprinted on them in 
 
 * Page 73, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
1 8 Looking Beyond. 
 
 my ecstasy. I was happy beyond measure. Of 
 course, I never had doubted Edith's mtegrity, but 
 Forest's lemarks had mdicated an abuse of power 
 from Dr. Leete's side. And now I sincerely hoped 
 that he could as easily blow off all the other accusa- 
 tions against him and against the ruling system. 
 
 No lecture was to be held this day, and i was at 
 full leisure for a long talk with Dr. Leete. 
 
 We were sitting m the library after breakfast, 
 and, when our cigars were lit, 1 unburdened my 
 mind to him. 
 
 " I am glad," he said, with his usual kindness, 
 " that you confide to me the doubts and troubles 
 created by the false arguments and mis-statements 
 of Mr. Forest. He is a very good man and a noble 
 soul ; but he is one of those, tortunately very rare, 
 specimens of humanity who, over their studies of 
 the past, forget entirely to understand the present. 
 Fie studied so deeply the history of the nineteenth 
 century that he formed for himself a theory, and 
 sees and understands nothing but that, notwith- 
 standing that the facts disprove it, as some members 
 of the nineteenth and former centuries loved to look 
 still further back into antiquity for the Golden Age. 
 Of course, his obstinate mis-statements disqualifi.ed 
 him for the continuation of his task. He had the 
 option to choose his future occupation; he preferred 
 to be janitor where he had lectured before, as any 
 kind of labour is honourable with us, and it was 
 granted him. To us, who know better, his argu- 
 ments are harmless ; but you, having seen so little 
 of our life yet, must naturally be startled by them. 
 Now, to begin : what did he tell you about the Radi- 
 cals in general, and about Mr. Fest particularly ? 
 It must have been the most absurd misrepresenta- 
 tion to cause such a terrible dream." 
 
 " Fie says that the Radicals are denouncing re- 
 
Looking Beyond. 19 
 
 ligion, marriage, separate housekeeping and the lim- 
 ited amount of property people are permitted to 
 own ;* that they desire us to live together in lodging 
 houses accommodating thousands of people,t 
 because it would be cheaper to lodge thousands under 
 one roof , -J that they say, if marriage was abolished, 
 the passing alliances of men and women would pro- 
 duce better children, who would be brought up in 
 large nurseries, so that the mothers could attend all 
 day to their work in the industrial army.§ He 
 further says that they advocate to live together like 
 rabbits,!! and dwelling on the particulars of such a 
 system in a manner too beastly to mention,5r he as- 
 serts that the administration permits them to advo- 
 cate their ideas before election to scare the people 
 into submission."** 
 
 Dr. Leete shook his head : " Why, the man is 
 going from bad to worse. All this exists only in 
 his confused brain. As for religion, that is entirely 
 private matter with us, ft and regarding such sexual 
 aberrations, just use your common sense, Mr. West ! 
 Do you think it probable, that ladies and gentle- 
 men, who received the highest attainable education 
 up to twenty-one years — who have plenty leisure 
 time and the means to enjoy it — who mix with none 
 but equally polished and refined people — would ad- 
 vocate such principles? And can you imagine 
 among a nation of thus highly cultured men and 
 women a spiritless, humble mass of people that can 
 
 * Page 57, " Looking Further Forward." 
 
 t Page 71, "Looking Forward." 
 
 T Page 75, ''Looking Forward." 
 
 5 Page 76, " Looking Forward." 
 
 II Page 71, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
 H Pages 77 to 78, "Looking Forward." 
 
 *» Page 58, "Looking Forward." 
 
 ft Pages 272 and 273, "Looking Backward." 
 
20 Looking Beyond. 
 
 be scared into submission? The majority of our 
 people live in private houses as we do, larger or 
 smaller, accordinq^ to the number of their family 
 members. But there are some who club together 
 and rent immense hotels, where they can enjoy the 
 privacy of their own elegantly furnished bed-rooms 
 or the grand parlours and halls for society, ad lib- 
 itum. Mr. P^est lives in one of those phalansteries 
 by his own preference, it being the tendency of our 
 institutions, after exacting a certain very limited 
 amount of labour out of every person for a fixed 
 period, to let every one follow his or her individual 
 taste in spending the very ample income. Mr. Fest 
 is called a Radical, but the object of his endeavours 
 is entirely legitimate, and he and those of the same 
 mind certainly are not a political party in the sense 
 of the nineteenth century. I have informed you 
 that the lieutenants, captains and colonels of the 
 industrial army are appointed by the generals of 
 the guild. Now, Mr. Fest and numerous others, ad- 
 vocate to have them elected by the privates of the 
 industrial army out of the first class of highest 
 grade. The old system suited very well, but I think 
 ifs worth the trial, and at the next voting done by 
 us exempt members, I, for my part, shall be in fav- 
 our of trying it first with the lieutenants. If such 
 should prove superior, then we can always extend 
 it to the captains. Most probably Mr. Forest, whose 
 mind lives continually in the nineteenth century, 
 has mixed up all this in his confused brain, and 
 imagines all sorts of horrors to be dreaded from 
 the very well-meaning and deserving Radicals. Mr. 
 Fest is a machinist of great ability; otherwise he 
 would not be captain at less than thirty years of 
 age, and he has the best chances to be promoted to 
 colonel as soon as there is a vacancy. You see by 
 that how disinterested his motives are, as he has 
 
Looking Beyond. 21 
 
 nothing to gain by such a change. It really is a 
 pity to see a man of Mr. Forest's mental powers to 
 be so much of a monomaniac that he construes in his 
 own mind quite a detestable character and clothes 
 it with such an exemplary young man. I noticed 
 in your short sketch of Mr. Forest's remarks some 
 hints about an administration party. We will dis- 
 cuss that some other time. I merely wish you to 
 use your own judgnjent. If there were an admin- 
 istration party unrestrainedly practising favourit- 
 ism, as Mr. Forest represents it, do you think it con- 
 sistent with the weakest common sense that they 
 would appoint to and keep in such a position a man 
 who is, according to Mr. Forest, their most deadly 
 enemy ? And now picture yourself a young man 
 who, up to twenty-one years, has received the high- 
 est attainable education, who since then has arrived 
 at such perfection, practically and scientifically, in 
 the most important and most difficult of trades, 
 that he holds a high position of the greatest re- 
 sponsibility, even while he is in his twenties yet — 
 picture all this, and compare with it the ruffian Mr. 
 Forest would have you believe him to be ! He is 
 very young yet. His parents formerly lived next 
 door, and, when he was a boy, he used to play with 
 Edith.* From that you may guess his age. You 
 shall see him yourself, and, no doubt, you will soon 
 be great friends.'* 
 
 I must say that while Dr. Leete had been speak- 
 ing in such a calm, kind and convincing manner, 
 I felt a load moving off my heart; but his last re- 
 marks brought back some feeling of uneasiness, and 
 I could not help saying: "There is something at 
 least in which Mr. Forest spoke the truth." 
 
 * Page 68, "Looking Fnrthor Forward." 
 
22 Looking Beyond. 
 
 " Oh yes," said the doctor ; " and even to-day they 
 are fast friends. Oh, you need have no appre- 
 hension," he added, smiling; "he never will be a 
 rival to you. His affection lies in a different quar- 
 ter altogether. It is the great misfortune of his 
 life. He deeply loves a very pretty young lady 
 and a particular friend of Edith but his love is not 
 returned." 
 
 I heaved a sigh of relief, but a revulsion of feel- 
 ings following immediately, I said, with a sigh of 
 pity, "Poor fellow!" 
 
 " Let me see," said Dr. Leete after short reflec- 
 tion : " To-night we have the monthly reunion in 
 my club, the Club of the Professionals of this city, 
 which, of course, you too will join. I can promise 
 you quite a lively time. There will be private 
 theatricals, very good novelties, written for the oc- 
 casion by some of our own members, humorous lec- 
 tures dancing, exquisite telephonic concerts, and so 
 on. You will meet there lots of interesting people, 
 and by their conversation get accustomed to our in- 
 stitutions quicker than at home. I'll send an in- 
 vitation to Mr. Fest. You may be sure that he will 
 accept it, for he knows that his lady love will be 
 there, being the daughter of an old colleague of 
 mine, and he has not given up hope to win her over 
 yet. What do you think of that?" 
 
 " I shall be delighted," I said. 
 
 "Now," the doctor added, "if I understood you 
 aright, Mr. Forest said something about the labora- 
 tory I intend to build." 
 
 "So he did. He said your building a laboratory 
 for yourself is entirely against the intentions and 
 spirit of our institutions. There is a very good 
 laboratory in the basement of the college, and you 
 certainly would be welcome to experiment there at 
 your pleasure. It is an expensive affair, for which 
 
Looking Beyond. 23 
 
 (; 
 the credit cards of ten men would not pay ; and you 
 assume an exceptional position, which not only 
 savours of favouritism, but also involves an indis- 
 creet abuse of power."* 
 
 Dr. Leete laughed. "The very fact that Mr. 
 Forest is permitted to utter such calumnies proves 
 that there is no abuse of power, in treating a 
 troublesome crank at least. There certainly is a 
 very good laboratory in the basement, not of the 
 college, but of a large outhouse at the further end 
 of the college grounds, and I use it occasionally for 
 some experiments when I can do so without dis- 
 turbance. But you will understand that I can use 
 it only occasionally ; besides, I have an object before 
 me. I will tell you in confidence that I made a 
 great discovery, and I am working away at an in- 
 vention which shall make that discovery very use- 
 ful to mankind. A great deal of study and a num- 
 ber of experiments are needed yet before I can hope 
 to succeed. You see, I am striving for the red 
 ribbon in my old days. Now, for such labours I 
 need my own laboratory. But what is it ? Most 
 of the instruments and material I have already, and 
 for that little building? Poor man! To make 
 such wild statements. The credit cards of ten men, 
 indeed ! Just imagine, a tiny brick building with 
 brick floor, chimney, and a few other contrivances, 
 tO' cost the credit cards of ten men, to cost the means 
 for comfortable and even luxurious living for ten 
 men in one year ! Did you ever hear anything so 
 ridiculous?" 
 
 I could not help laughing. 
 
 He continued : " The surplus of our three credit 
 cards will pay for the first start. The rest will be 
 completed next year." 
 
 * Pages 50 and 51, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
24 Looking Beyond. 
 
 I felt rather serious after this. *'A11 this is so 
 plain and so logical," I said, "that I feel ashamed 
 of not having used the same arguments myself." 
 
 "You could not," said Dr. Leete reassuring. "All 
 our institutions are new to you yet. Thus far you 
 only heard my praise of them, followed by Mr. 
 Forest's utter condemnation. Now, you shall judge 
 for yourself. In a few weeks the short vacation 
 begins. I would advise you during that time to 
 study the life of our farmers on the farms, and to 
 hear from their own lips what they have to say. 
 And thus let it be with all the assertions of Mr. 
 Forest ! See hear, and judge for yourself !" 
 
 I shook hands with the doctor and thanked him 
 heartily. I felt fresh and buoyant again. 
 
 That afternoon Edith led me into the mysteries 
 of dancing in the twentieth century. She certainly 
 was a very pleasant teacher, and the time of instruc- 
 tion, which lasted nearly two hours, was spent in a 
 very gratifying manner. She finally agreed that I 
 would do very well in the evening. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 The club house of the professionals was a splen- 
 did, palatial building, some eight or nine squares 
 distant from Dr. Leete's house. The grand hall, 
 gorgeously decorated, was lighted brilliantly. A 
 small stage with exquisitely painted curtain hlled 
 the background, with numerous dressing rooms on 
 both sides. There was no place for an orchestra. 
 The parquette contained very comfortable seats, 
 four aisles passing between them toward the stage, 
 and a broad walk leading all around. A row of 
 boxes, very pleasantly fitted up, extended around 
 
Looking Beyond. 25 
 
 the hall one story higher. A dozen wide doors, 
 opening to the outside, enabled the hall to be cleared 
 in less than a minute in case of an accident; the 
 same arrangements were made on the gallery, which 
 contained the boxes. All these exits led through 
 various rooms to the corridors imd vestibules, from 
 which again the streets could be reached without 
 delay. The rooms around the hall were of differ- 
 ent sizes. There were refreshment rooms of large 
 dimensions for those who preferred to enjoy the 
 pleasures of general society; there w^ere smaller ones 
 for a few inthnate friends and private families; 
 there were smoking rooms for gentlemen and par- 
 lours exclusively for ladies. 
 
 As our party entered the \cstibulc we were ac- 
 costed by a pleasant gentleman of Dr. Leete's age, 
 whom he introduced to me as Dr. Moore. The lat- 
 ter in turn presented to me his wife, his two daugh- 
 ters, Mary and Ellen, and his son, Richard, a 
 sprightly young man of about nineteen years. Miss 
 Mary, who at once took possession of Edith, seemed 
 about her age, while Miss Ellen appeared no more 
 than about twenty-one. Dr. Leete likewise intro- 
 duced to me three or four gentlemen and two ladies 
 of the reception committee. Then, finding that most 
 boxes were vacant yet, it was decided that we all 
 should repair to box No. 11, one of the larger ones. 
 Dr. Leete asked the chairman of the reception com- 
 mittee to direct Captain Fest to our box. 
 
 "Certainly," he said, with a bow, and our party 
 was on the point of moving, when Miss Mary Moore 
 stepped up to him. "Please, direct Mr. Uriah 
 Brown likewise to our box," she said. 
 
 "Whom, Miss Moore?" exclaimed the gentleman 
 in surprise. 
 
 At diat moment I noticed that Edith's hand 
 trembled, and her pretty nose and lips were drawn 
 
26 Looking Beyond. 
 
 up just a little. I also noticed Miss Ellen Moore 
 to blush, lier brother to frown, and everybody 
 around to look slightly embarrassed. I noticed all 
 this at a glance, then I looked at Miss Mary again. 
 She really was a picture. A rich pink spread over 
 her generally pale face, covering even her forehead 
 and the neck behind her ear; her delicate nostrils 
 dilated, her gray eyes almost looked black, shed- 
 ding darts of fi.re. 
 
 "Mr. Uriah Brown," she repeated, with a voice 
 clear and hard like marbles dropped on ar smooth 
 slate. " Mr. Uriah Brown, second class, third grade 
 of the Street Cleaning Fraternity." 
 
 The gentleman by this time had mastered his sur- 
 prise. He bowed politely, and we moved on to our 
 box. I stayed a little behind to get an explanation 
 of all this. Leaning on my arm, as we walked on 
 slowly, Edith whispered hurriedly : " Oh, I'm so 
 sorry that we took a box together with the Moores. 
 You must know, Mr. Fest loves Mary with all his 
 fervour, and as my father had invited him, I thought 
 this a fine chance of bringing them together. She 
 is a great friend of mine. She is a splendid crea- 
 ture, and so clever. We always have been together 
 at school, and we chose the same trade when we had 
 served our time in the auxiliary corps. I entered 
 in the first class of the third grade, but expect to 
 get into the second grade at the next regrading. 
 Mary, however, got into the second grade at once. 
 How well Mr. Fest would be suited to her ! Just 
 imagine ! Only twenty-nine years old and already 
 captain in the Machinist Guild, the most important 
 of all. And that perverse creature cannot appreci- 
 ate him in the least. No ! She just adores that in- 
 significant Uriah Brown, a man who lost his trade. 
 Six years ago he had entered the Machinist Guild 
 in the second grade, rose to the first grade in the 
 
Looking BeyoncL 27 
 
 following year, and gave promise of just such rapid 
 rise as Mr. Fest, when suddenly a change came over 
 him. He grew listless and inattentive, and occa- 
 sionally spoiled his work. He was reduced at every 
 regrading, and finally, being fit for nothing else, 
 he had to join the street cleaners. And even there 
 he plays a sorry figure. He is in the second class 
 of the third grade. And such a man she prefers to 
 Mr. Fest. She takes his part against her family 
 and all her friends. You saw yourself an evidence 
 of her interest in him. She says he works at an in- 
 vention in his leisure hours. And now we will have 
 both suitors with her in the same box. It is very 
 annoying, and I am really sorry for Mr. Fest." 
 
 So was I, but had no chance to say so, as we en- 
 tered the box at that moment. And yet, strong as 
 was the compassion which I felt for Mr. Fest, I 
 could not help being elated to notice how Edith was 
 intent on match-making for him. If any trace of 
 jealous feeling would have lingered in my breast, 
 that would have obliterated it. 
 
 The box was very large. The two elder couples, 
 in lively conversation, took their seats, while the 
 three young Moores stood at the entrance yet. Ellen 
 and Richard must have passed some not very flatter- 
 ing remarks about Uriah Brown, for Miss Moore, in 
 the same striking attitude she had assumed in the 
 vestibule, said just then: "You will ask his pardon 
 on your knees when he wears the red ribbon." 
 
 We went to the front ; I looked around. The 
 parquette was more than half filled already, while 
 in the boxes the people were just coming in. A con- 
 stant humming indicated that a lively conversation 
 was going on all around, and salutations were ex- 
 changed between parquette and boxes. Just as we 
 were seated, Mr. Uriah Brown entered. He was a 
 tall, raw-boned man, with a listless expression in his 
 
28 Looking Beyond. 
 
 face. His dress, although faultlessly clean, hung 
 loosely on him. Bowing stiffly all around, at length 
 his eyes rested on Mary Moore. There was an im- 
 mediate change in his expression, his face seemed 
 to light up. Miss Mary shook hands with him 
 warmly, and then introduced him to me. He looked 
 at me with a curious expression, bowed, and sat 
 down by the side of the young lady. They con- 
 versed immediately in an undertone about move- 
 ments and springs and wheels and other mechanical 
 implements. 
 
 And now Mr. Fest entered. A fine looking young 
 man, with a splendid physique, firm expression and 
 elegant manners. A frown hung menacing^ly on his 
 brow for one moment when he saw Uriah Brown, but 
 it passed off directly, and warmly he shook hands 
 with my host, who had risen to greet him. How 
 different he was to the Fest in my horrid dream ! 
 Dr. Leete introduced us. After paying homage to 
 Mrs. Leete and exchanging a few words with Dr. 
 Moore, and a salutation to the others, Mr. Fest sat 
 down by my side. 
 
 At that moment a clear bell sounded, announcing 
 the beginning. All was hushed. The first piece on 
 the programme was the overture to the modern grand 
 opera, " Rena." What ravishing harmony ! How 
 the wonderfully rich sounds swelled and filled the 
 hall ! And that adagio ! Like zephyrs breathing 
 gently amid roses ! And to think that in numerous 
 places all over this great city they enjoy the same 
 music at the same time ! Edith told me that all con- 
 certs in club houses are given by telephonic arrange- 
 ments. There is but one opera house in Boston, but 
 of such dimensions that it can hold forty thousand 
 people. She says that the acoustic arrangement is 
 unexceptional, and that about two hundred musi- 
 
Looking Beyond. 29 
 
 clans of the first grade form the orchestra. We de- 
 cided to go there after a few days. 
 
 The curtain rose, and a highly humorous lecture 
 by Mr. Beard, a renowned painter, was followed by 
 a comedy, well written and as well executed. After 
 a succession of musical pieces and other entertain- 
 ments the bell tinkled again, and I noticed that all 
 the spectators in the parquette rose and leisurely 
 walked out in all directions. Edith smiled and said 
 I soon would have another surprise. Then again a 
 bell struck, and the whole parquette, seats and all, 
 ascended slowly. Slowly and steadily it came up, 
 passed the boxes until it reached the top, where it 
 fitted exactly. The reverse side of it was beauti- 
 fully painted, and thus it formed a new ceiling, 
 while the new floor was polished and splendidly 
 adapted for dancing. The tune of the opening 
 dance sounded, and from every side young ladies and 
 gentlemen swarmed into the hall. Richard had left 
 the box as soon as the first chords struck, and ap- 
 peared now below, a pretty young damsel on his 
 arm. 
 
 All this time poor Mr. Fest must have suffered 
 tortures. Now and then he had thrown a side glance 
 at Miss Moore, who never noticed him, beine wholly 
 absorbed in Mr. Uriah Brown. Miss Ellen had 
 watched the unrequited lover with pity and compas- 
 sion, and hnd done her best to divert his mind, but 
 she met with but poor result. Now Miss Moore rose, 
 and, taking Mr. Brown's arm, she left the box with 
 liim, and soon afterward they could be seen below, 
 sauntering about. Edith looked at Mr. Fest and 
 then at me. I understood her meaning and asked 
 her for a dance. She rose, laid her arm into mine 
 and asked Mr. Fest to join us with Ellen. He 
 blushed. He looked at Edith quite confusedly, like 
 a person awaking suddenly from an evil dream. 
 
30 Looking Beyond. 
 
 Then he rose; he was himself again directly. 
 Politely he offered his arm to Ellen, and we joined 
 the dancers together. 
 
 After an hour or so our little party met again 
 in one of the smaller refreshment rooms for sup- 
 per. We were a pretty lively party, and even Mr. 
 Fest did his best to appear cheerful. If he did not 
 feel so, it certainly was not Ellen's fault. She did 
 her best to make him forget her sister. Even Mr. 
 Brown, who had at first been eating silently, after- 
 ward joined the conversation, and when Dr. Leete 
 in his kind manner asked him about his invention, 
 he grew quite eloquent. His listless manner was 
 changed, his eyes shone, and he spoke with fervour 
 
 "We pride ourselves so much on our civilisation," 
 he said. "What is there to be proud of? True, we 
 have machines for almost any kind of performance, 
 and even I, second-class, third-grade worker of the 
 Street Cleaning Fraternity, need not wield the 
 broom, as they did a hundred years ago, but can sit 
 on my machine, which is the slave to do the labour 
 for us." His eyes darted sparks of fire as he said 
 so and Miss Moore looked at him with enthusiasm. 
 " But," he resumed, " where is the progress in the 
 power we have subjugated for our labours? What 
 lights our streets and houses, cooks our meals, warms 
 our rooms, sets all our machines in motion? Elec- 
 tricity. Where did we get the knowledge of sub- 
 jugating that giant to serve our demands ? Did we 
 discover it ? Did we invent the process ? No, we 
 inherited it from the last century. We merely im- 
 proved on it. Our ancestors could well be proud 
 of it; for them it was an innovation, a great pro- 
 g-ress; it was the child of their time. But we, dur- 
 ing a whole century have found nothing better; we 
 still use that clumsy wasteful power, dangerous in 
 the highest degree in spite of all our improvements 
 
Looking Beyond. 3^ 
 
 and safety-guards. Where do all these different 
 powers, that man has employed already, originate? 
 Do they not all come from the sun? The rays of 
 the sun striking our earth give us light and warmth, 
 and keep up that constant circulation from the ocean 
 to the clouds, from them through the hearts of the 
 mountains in brooks and rivers to the ocean again. 
 Why not seize that power in its origin, concentrate 
 and condense it, and have an unerring and constant 
 slave to human will and human energy?" 
 
 It was a splendid sight to look at Miss Moore. 
 She was radiant with enthusiasm, when Uriah Brown 
 spoke thus. 
 
 " Then you mean to say," asked Dr. ^Moore, with a 
 mocking smile, "that you aim at condensing the rays 
 of the sun?" 
 
 "I mean to say no more on the subject," said Mr. 
 Brown, rising. " My invention is my own, and 
 nobodv will be the wiser of it until I can bring it 
 before the public as a final success, I will not share 
 the red ribbon with anyone. And now, ladies and 
 gentlemen, I have to depart. My task, as second- 
 class, third-grade street cleaner, begins shortly." 
 
 With a light bow he left the room, accompanied 
 by Miss Moore. 
 
 " I am afraid he is chasing after some wild chim- 
 era," said Dr. Moore. 
 
 " Perhaps so," mused Dr. Leete. And yet who 
 can tell ? His general remarks give me no hints 
 whatever, but that he is labouring on a new motor. 
 He certainly shows no lack of energy for his hobby, 
 and no doubt he has knowledge." 
 
 " That he has," said Mr. Fest. " Before this list- 
 lessness came on him, he was the best machinist prac- 
 tically in this city, and his theoretical knowledge of 
 natural philosophy was immense. I suppose, it was 
 
32 Looking Beyond. 
 
 brooding over this invention that caused the sudden 
 change in him, the want of attention to his task." 
 
 Miss Moore entered the room again. 
 
 "This case ilUistrates strikingly the difference be- 
 tween this century and the nineteenth," I added. 
 "Then, a man in such condition would have been 
 compelled to work long hours for a mere pittance. 
 His energy would have been worn off, or his bodily 
 strength Wasted. He would most probably have 
 found a premature death as a drunkard, vagrant or 
 suicide; and even if the power of his genius would 
 have been so great as to overcome with the greatest 
 personal sacrifices all obstacles, it could have been 
 only to see at the last moments the fruits of his brain 
 racking, and the honour, too, reaped by an impostor 
 with means. Now, it is different. The man losing 
 his grade, and even his trade, whatever he does, works 
 but a portion of the day, enjoys all the necessities 
 and comforts of life, and his mind is not burdened 
 with care for them. He has ample spare time to work 
 out the design which the sparks of genius awaken 
 in his brain, though it should take the whole period 
 of his life. He can even marry and enioy the com- 
 pany of his family in ease and comfort." 
 
 Dr. Leete then spoke of the strang^e idiosyncrasy 
 of Mr. Forest. Dr. Moore informed us that Mr. 
 Yale, the professor of statistics, volunteered to have 
 a public discussion with Mr. Forest, and to " smash " 
 all his nonsensical theories into splinters. 
 
 "I am elad of that," I said. "I shall certainly 
 not miss this opportunity. My ears are yet ting'ling 
 with his description of the miserable condition 
 rniised by the present system, and yet T see nothing 
 but comfort around me. He says that those members 
 of the industrial army who have drawn down upon 
 themselves the ire of the officers of the administra- 
 tion, or whose voting relatives are on the opposition 
 
Looking Beyond. 33 
 
 side — such members lead a life that may be termed 
 as twenty-four years of hell on earth * He also as- 
 serts, there is an established favouritism of the 
 officers to their friends and relatives, to the extent 
 that they pass an easy time with best records during 
 the three years of apprenticeship, enter at once the 
 first class of first grade in the guild they have 
 chosen, and are thus immediately appointed to 
 lieutenancy, whence they may run up to the higher 
 honours in a few years.! Also that occasional pre- 
 sents of wine and cigars may secure the friendship 
 of some of the officers." 
 
 "Why, that is outrageous," exclaimed Mr. Fest, 
 " And do you believe that ?" 
 
 " He certainly made it appear very feasible to me. 
 I sincerely hope that it is not true." 
 
 "To begin with the last, the most petty of these 
 slanders, let me point out to you a parallel, Mr. West. 
 Imagine you live again in the nineteenth century ! 
 Then imagine a body of men, all having received 
 college and university education ! Imagine, then, 
 furthermore, all to be in such conditions of life that 
 they can procure all necessities and comforts and 
 even some luxuries as long as they live ! Their duty 
 calls on them during twenty-four years of their life 
 for a certain task that will occupy a few hours a day. 
 What would you have called these men?" 
 
 " Why gentlemen, of course," T said. 
 
 "Very good," he continued. "Now, one of these 
 gentlemen is assigned to direct the task required of 
 them. Do you think it probable that some of such 
 highly-educated gentlemen, all equal, all without 
 care for their subsistence, would be mean enough 
 
 * Page 43, '' Lookinn; Fnrtlier Forn-arrl." 
 t Page 40, " Looking Fnrtlier Forward," 
 
34 Looking Beyond. 
 
 to bribe their lieutenant, so that they might shirk 
 some of their light and short-timed duty? And do 
 you think the highly-educated gentleman directing 
 their tasks, whose income permits him to have as 
 many cigars and as much wine as he likes, would be 
 capable of being bribed with some wine and a few 
 cigars?" 
 
 "Of course not," I said. "Why, that's simply 
 ridiculous." 
 
 " Well, and that's just how our people stand to-day. 
 Wx. Forest's study of the nineteenth century must 
 have been so intense that he imagines the same condi- 
 tions to exist yet as they did then with what they 
 called workinp- men. I have read something about 
 the nineteenth century, too, and then such conditions 
 were quite natural. Of course, a man who works hard 
 from morning till night, who had no chance of any 
 decent education, who barely received in return for 
 such labour the means of keeping himself and family 
 from starvation, with no security for the future^ — such 
 a man might sacrifice even something of his pittance 
 for a bribe, and the taskmaster, with no better educa- 
 tion and the same uisecurity, might be capable of 
 receiving petty bribes. And as to the members of the 
 industrial army leading a life of hell on earth, if 
 they happen to be on bad standing with the officers, 
 or if their voting relatives should be on the 
 opposite side, always keep in mind that the educa- 
 tion and long intellectual training we receive, all 
 alike, plants firmly in our hearts a sense of honour 
 and self-respect which renders men incapable of ever 
 being enslaved ! Remember also that during the 
 twenty-four years of work our tasks are light and 
 hours of labour short, our leisure and decent living 
 keeping up mental and bodily vigour, so that none 
 of us are in a condition to lessen the sense of honour 
 
Looking Beyond. 35 
 
 and self-respect ! Do you really think it possible 
 that such a body of men would submit to such 
 tyranny and injustice?" 
 
 " No, certainly not," I exclaimed, quite delighted. 
 " That's entirely out of the question. Why, even 
 in the nineteenth century, among those that had 
 been raised in factory towns or near mines, who, yet 
 in their childhood, had to labour for their subsist- 
 ence, with no knowledge but their task, cowering 
 before the frown of their overseer, brow-beaten and 
 cuffed, systematically trained for slavery — even 
 among those were men who held up their self-re- 
 spect, who scorned to crouch before their lords. What 
 Mr. Forest asserts is simply impossible." 
 
 " The same it is with Forest's assertion of favour- 
 itism practised by the officers. I have to remind you 
 again of the fact that all our men are highly edu- 
 cated. Don't you think a body of such men, work- 
 ing together, should be efficient to know who is en- 
 titled to promotion, and who not? Is it not self- 
 evident that wholesale favouritism, as suggested, or 
 rather asserted, by Mr. Forest, would create such a 
 storm of indignation as to oust the corrupt parties 
 practising it? Still, for the very reason that we all 
 have received the highest attainable intellectual 
 training, the members of the industrial army them- 
 selves are good judges of the efficiency to promotion 
 among their comrades, and it seems to me but right 
 that they should themselves elect their lieutenants 
 out of the first class, hrst grade, and the captains 
 among the lieutenants, while the right of electing 
 the generals and chiefs might still be reserved to the 
 exempt members solely as heretofore. There is a 
 strong movement on foot to that effect, which some 
 call a radical movement, and I am active in that 
 cause." 
 
36 Looking Beyond. 
 
 " And I am willing to give it a trial with the lieu- 
 tenants for a beginning," said Dr. Leete. "I shall 
 vote in favour of it at the next Congress." 
 
 "So will I," added Dr. Moore. 
 
 After listening to the performance of a beautiful 
 symphony, our party broke up for the night. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Two days later I was married to Edith Leete. The 
 procedure is very simple. The loving couple, gener- 
 ally accompanied by the parents and a few friends, 
 call on the judge nearest their new home, and enter 
 their names into a book of records kept there. Those 
 who belong to some religious community are wedded 
 again by their minister or priest, but that is entirely 
 optional. We had just entered our names, when 
 Mary Moore came up with Uriah Brown for the same 
 purpose. They were alone. The poor girl had to 
 brave the disapproval of her whole family and all 
 her friends, who thought it an outrage that a woman, 
 standing so high in the guild, should marry a man 
 who not only had lost his former high grade, but 
 even his trade, and now belonged to the lowest grade 
 of common labourers. Her swollen eyes indicated 
 that she felt severely the rupture with her family and 
 the sneers and taunts of her friends, but she re- 
 mained firm. Her great love for Uriah Brown, and 
 her staunch belief m his genius, which would tri- 
 umph finally, bore her through the ordeal. Edith, 
 too, was incensed against her for breaking with what 
 might be called the spirit of the age — that is, to scorn 
 the idea of marrying a laggard. She likewise felt 
 greatly disappointed to have failed in match- 
 making, having set her heart on seeing Fest and 
 
Looking Beyond. 37 
 
 Mary Moore united in wedlock. Still, her friend- 
 ship and great pity overcame these ill-feelings. She 
 embraced and kissed Mary, added her name as wit- 
 ness to the signature of the bride and groom, and 
 prevailed on me to do the same. Nor did her char- 
 ity end there. As I found out afterward, she took 
 her part against the taunts of Mary's former friends 
 to such an extent that some of the odium even fell 
 on her. 
 
 My vacation setting in shortly afterward, and 
 Edith exchanging hers with one of her co-workers, 
 whose two weeks' vacation occurred at tlie same time, 
 we started on our bridal tour. 
 
 Aeronautics have improved greatly since the nine- 
 teenth century, yet they are far from perfection. 
 . . . . The electric railroads, like electric water 
 traffic, have come to such perfection, that wonderful 
 speed, comfort and safety are united. 
 
 Our first destination was a lov'cly spot at the foot 
 of the Catskill mountains, near the Hudson river, 
 where I enjoyed for a week in solitude the company 
 of my beloved wife. 
 
 That time passed away like a blissful dream; a 
 letter from Dr. Leete, however, aroused us to the fact 
 that I had an object before me. 
 
 A few hours' ride brought us into the heart of the 
 Adirondack mountains. We had a beautiful view 
 as we left the extensive depot. To the right of us 
 a grand waterfall was utilised to create the electric 
 power used in the numerous works around. These 
 electric works were adjoined by an immense sawmill, 
 where everything, even the handling of the logs, as 
 well as of the sawn lumber, was done by machinery. 
 Planing mill, paper mill and other works were near 
 by. Right before us the broad valley, surrounded 
 by heavily timbered hills, was occupied by quite a 
 little city. Comfortable one and two storey houses 
 
38 Looking Beyond. 
 
 lined the streets, intersecting at right angles, all 
 having little flower gardens in the rear. The centre 
 of this town formed an immense square, with fine 
 shade trees, lawns, walks and beautiful flower 
 patches, and some magnificent palatial buildings. 
 The largest one of these edifices was the hotel, with 
 immense kitchen arrangements in the basement, 
 grand dining halls, libraries, etc., on the first floor, 
 and in the higher stories a number of nicely fur- 
 nished bedrooms for those unmarried members of 
 the industrial army who had no family connections, 
 and for the use of occasional visitors to the place. 
 Other imposing structures were the school house and 
 the warehouse ; there also were the theatre and a few 
 more public buildings. The depot being on ele- 
 vated ground, the whole presented a delightful pic- 
 ture. 
 
 After partaking of a sumptuous dinner, we spent 
 the rest of the day in examining the different ar- 
 rangements, which were all a marvel to me. I 
 learned that not only the Adirondacks, but all moun- 
 tain chains of North America, were under scientific 
 treatment, the land being divided into sections, which 
 were replanted immediately after the lumber was 
 taken off. Rail tracks passed through the woods in 
 various directions, the working force and needed 
 machinery being always conveyed to and from the 
 place for labour by electric cars and vans, four hours 
 being the assigned time for each set of men. Women 
 were employed in the public laundry, in the cooking 
 establishment, and in the paper mill, where wood 
 pulp was used up by a new process. We had a trip 
 on one of these trains that conveyed a new labour 
 force to the place of work, bringing back those who 
 were relieved. It was highly interesting to me to see 
 labour, that used to exert the utmost strength of 
 man, performed almost playfully and in an in- 
 
Looking Beyond. 39 
 
 credibly short time, by machinery. A curiously 
 constructed ring was placed around the tree and con- 
 nected with the electric wire — a whizzing sound — 
 and the tree fell. By the same process the trees were 
 cut up into saw-logs of the required length. Another 
 machine loaded the trucks with logs, and when there 
 was a sufficient number of trucks thus loaded, the 
 train started off for the mill. All the labour re- 
 quired was connecting and disconnecting the various 
 implements and machinery with the electric current. 
 Still constant attention was necessary. 
 
 Half an hour's walk brought us back to the next 
 section, where the woods had been cleared the week 
 previous. Here another force was at work. The 
 sound of constant detonations led us to a place 
 where the stumps were annihilated by explosives ig- 
 nited by electric sparks. Further on an electric mon- 
 ster plough was at work. After passing this, we saw 
 a machine in action, boring big holes in the ground, 
 and a set of men right behind the machine, busy 
 in planting young trees. I have been informed that 
 since this system of clearing and replanting by sec- 
 tions had been introduced in the forests, inunda- 
 tions, as well as occasional droughts, which did so 
 much damage in the latter part of the nineteenth cen- 
 tury, are almost unknown. 
 
 The gentleman who had been our cicerone since we 
 had left the depot was a young man of about thirty 
 3'ears, whose acquaintance we made while we were 
 at dinner. He had introduced himself as Mr. Ben 
 Rouleaix, second grade worker. He had that morn- 
 ing been employed planting trees and as one set of 
 men worked four hours in the morning, the other set 
 four hours in the afternoon, he was at liberty. Of 
 course; they all had read about my wonderful resus- 
 citation, and it had been discussed at great length 
 among them; therefore, it was no news to him. Still 
 
^0 Looking Beyond. 
 
 the gentlemanly tact with which he mastered his 
 surprise, when 1 told him who I w^as, seemed to me 
 quite admirable. While we were watching the plant- 
 ing of the trees, our conversation drifted on Mr. 
 Forest's queer theories, of which he had read in the 
 paper. 
 
 " It seems to me," he said, '* that Mr. Forest's 
 theories are not consistent with his actions. While 
 he denounces our present civilisation, he enjoys all 
 the benefits of it. We can boast here of a man 
 whose consistency in that respect cannot be denied. 
 It is a very strange case of atavism. The man I'm 
 alluding to is now about seventy years old. He is 
 generally called Old Pete. At the age of twenty- 
 one, when his labours in the industrial army should 
 have commenced, he refused to work. It was repre- 
 sented to him that society thus far had educated, 
 fed and clothed him, and that now it would be his 
 duty to return to society these benefits by his labour. 
 He answered that he had not asked for these benefits 
 — they were forced on him — therefore, he owec' 
 nothing to society. On being reminded that the 
 comparatively slight task required of him for 
 twenty-four years only would sustain him in ease 
 and comfort for the rest of his life, he said that he 
 could live without it. He knew how his grandfather 
 used to live in the woods, and he would do the same. 
 He didn't care how hard he worked for himself, but 
 he would never work under another man's orders for 
 society. No, not one minute. He was placed under 
 medical treatment in the hospital, but he denounced 
 that as tyranny. His atavism was incurable. He 
 demanded his liberty, and so he was permitted to 
 live outside the pale of society, as long as he in no 
 v/ise would encroach on it. The general impression 
 was that the misery of his condition would soon 
 bring him back to civilisation. But if he was a 
 
Looking Beyond. 4^ 
 
 crank, he certainly was a consistent one. Do you 
 see yonder peak ? It is very steep, its wood growth 
 is virgin. There is a plateau of about an acre's dim- 
 ensions on the top of it, where he has built a little 
 room out of young trees, and something attached to 
 it, made of clay, which he calls a chimney. There 
 he lives in quite a savage state, boasting to enjoy 
 the liberty of the nineteenth century, raising some 
 kinds of vegetables with the utmost labour, gather- 
 ing mushrooms and herbs in the woods. When he 
 first ino\ed up there, nobody cared for him any more. 
 He was considered non-existent, the more so, as he 
 never showed himself. But our present generation 
 of young people often take a stroll up there for curi- 
 osity. They generally take some provisions along 
 and leave them there. Not only old age, but more 
 so the hardships he endured, are telling on him. He 
 is very weak now, but he is too proud to ask for 
 anything, or even accept gifts when offered to him. 
 Yet he is not too proud to eat and drink what they 
 have left there, after diey have gone." 
 
 Our curiosity was aroused, and we decided to 
 avail ourselves of Mr. Rouleaix's kind offer to be 
 our guide there on the following afternoon. We re- 
 turned to the forest towTi on the train which brought 
 back the labour force, and after enjoying a hearty 
 supper, we witnessed a very good amateur perform- 
 ance in the theatre. 
 
 The following morning we strolled about in the 
 pleasant town with its neat houses and pretty flower 
 gardens, and in the woods, which in the immediate 
 vicinity of the town were quite park-like. Coming 
 back to the hotel, we rested awhile on the beautiful 
 terrace, enjoying some refreshments, the little town 
 and pretty valley spread before us like a panorama. 
 How well everything is arranged for travellers in 
 this happy and enlightened age! All they need is 
 
42 Looking Beyond. 
 
 tlieir credit card, the amount of what they get being 
 punched off from it. 
 
 After dinner another tram conveying labour force 
 brought us to die foot of the peak. Mr. Rouleaix 
 led us up on a winding footpath, past some very 
 romantic scenery. Edith was somewhat fatigued 
 when we reached the top. 
 
 Sure enough, there stood before us the poorest 
 little log house imaginable. 
 
 At the sound of our voices a man emerged from 
 it, with long white hair and beard, unkempt and 
 shaggy, the skin of his face and hands looking like 
 smoked parchment. The dress he wore was com- 
 posed of rabbit skins, patched together with bark 
 fibre. That miserable, savage-looking suit hung 
 loosely on his shrunken limbs. 
 
 "What do you want up here?" he asked, in a 
 croaking voice. ** Why do you not stay down in 
 your gilded slavery? Why will you pollute the air 
 of liberty with your presence?" 
 
 Edith shuddered with disgust. " Let us go," she 
 said. Nor could the disgust she felt be worse than 
 that I experienced. It made me sick at heart com- 
 paring the two men, both woodmen, the one follow- 
 ing the simple and easy rules civilisation imposed on 
 all citizens alike— elegant, refined, accustomed to 
 comfort and intellectual intercourse; the other boast- 
 ing in the liberty of a maniac, a living caricature of 
 man. 
 
 We turned to go down again. Mr. Rouleaix 
 placed on the ground the basket with provisions that 
 wc had brought up, and followed us. I was shocked 
 even more than Edith, and only gradually the lively 
 conversation of Mr. Rouleaix dispersed tlie gloom 
 this adventure had cast over me. 
 
 This evening we enjoyed some fine music, fol- 
 lowed by a dance, in the theatre of the town. 
 
Looking Beyond. 43 
 
 After a hearty breakfast early on the following 
 morning, we bid adieu to the pleasant valley and 
 its jolly inhabitants, and the next train sped us 
 further southwest. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 The great plains between the rivers Ohio and Mis- 
 sissippi, as well as those to the west of Mississippi 
 and Missouri, are the prominent grain and fruit pro- 
 ducers. A nephew of Dr. Leete, James Robson by 
 name, was lieutenant of the Orchardist Guild in one 
 of those western farming towns. Our train stopped 
 at several of these towns, and it was a pretty sight, 
 on one side of the depot the blocks of comfortable 
 looking houses, with little gardens in the rear, 
 grouped around the big square with the palatial pub- 
 lic buildings, and on the other side the immense 
 machine sheds, the electric works, the canning fac- 
 tory, the cheese and butter or condensed milk fac- 
 tories, the immense stables with surrounding pas- 
 tures. 
 
 When, we arrived at the farming town where Mr. 
 Robson lived, we were met at the depot by that 
 gentleman, a pleasant, jovial man of about thirty- 
 five years, who conducted us to his comfortable 
 home. His wife, a fine-looking woman, a couple of 
 years the junior of her husband, her mother, a well- 
 preserved matron, and two bright little cherubs 
 awaited us there. Edith knew the family already, 
 and they showed us so much ingenuous kindness that 
 I, too, felt at home among them very soon. We did 
 not stay in the public hotel of the town, accepting 
 the offer of a nicely-furnished spare room in their 
 house. Mr. Robson's working hours were in the 
 
44 Looking Beyond. 
 
 morning, so he was at leisure to devote the rest of 
 the afternoon and the evening to me. Mrs. Robson 
 worked m the condensed milk factory, likewise in 
 the morning, and, after we had partaken of a some- 
 what late dinner in the hotel, she took possession of 
 Edith. 
 
 There was a big clock tower attached to the hotel, 
 with a gallery running around it right under the 
 spire. Under the guidance of Mr. Robson, I 
 mounted the winding stairs, leading to the top, and 
 came out on the gallery, where I had a most exten- 
 sive view. The fields stretched as far as the eye 
 could reach, being interspersed by orchards extend- 
 
 in^f the full Icnoth of the fields. No fence was to 
 
 • 
 be seen anywhere, excepting around the pasture at 
 
 the stables. Mr. Robson explained to me, that at 
 his grandfather's time they had laid out these mam- 
 moth farms, with not a shrub to relieve the eye. This 
 not only had an evil effect on the people, creating 
 melancholy, but it also fostered evil clim^itic influ- 
 ences. Since then the present system had been in- 
 troduced. The fields are a mile in width, extending 
 some fifteen or twenty miles, some even more, and in 
 their whole length they were divided by strips of 
 land planted with fruit trees. Rail tracks run out 
 in every direction, so that the working force may 
 lose no time in getting to the furthest ends of the 
 farm land. Mr. Robson pointed out to me the kind 
 and quality of the fruit trees in the various orchards, 
 a great proportion of which were mulberry trees, an 
 immense establishment for raising cocoons from silk 
 worms belonging to the farm. He also informed 
 me that corn, wheat, barley, oats and potatoes, con- 
 stituted the main crops raised on this farm; to a 
 smaller extent, but still on a grand scale, onions and 
 vegfetables were cultivated. Their rotation of crops 
 was for a period of six years, after which the grounvi 
 
Looking Beyond, 45 
 
 was for two years in grass and clover, thus returning 
 humus to the land, which, besides, was kept rich by 
 artificial fertiliser. The cattle manure was used for 
 the vegretables. The farms in the south cultivated 
 ramie to a great extent. 
 
 Afterward we passed through the flour mill and 
 the canning establishments. They made no cheese 
 and butter on this farm, except for their own con- 
 sumption, condensed milk being the chief industry 
 attached to then* mimense dairy. The stables were 
 a marvel to me on account of then' size as well as 
 their commodious arrangements, the cattle being of 
 the purest and most profitable breed. They were all 
 fed indoors, the pastures being small and only in- 
 tended for a few hours' exercise every day. Quite 
 fatigued from our extensive walk and all the novel- 
 tics I had seen, I returned as the night set in. After 
 a hearty supper, which was sent for from the hotel, 
 we had a pleasant chat together over our wine and 
 cigars, the ladies not objecting to our smoking. Mr. 
 Robson informed me that most of the wine was 
 raised along the Pacific coast and on the hills be- 
 tween the Missouri, Arkansas and Mississippi rivers. 
 Our conversation naturally drifted toward Mr. 
 Forest's strange and incongruous assertions. 
 
 "I know something about it," said Mr. Robson. 
 " I read it in the paper, and we had a good laugh 
 about him. He says the farmers have but one gen- 
 eral and one department chief, and are outvoted by 
 the representatives of the other guilds.* The poor 
 man's studies of the life in the nineteenth century 
 must have been so intense that he mixes the past 
 with the present, not knowing any more which is 
 which. If by farmers he means all those who arc 
 
 Page 59, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
46 Looking Beyond. 
 
 occupied with the various labours done by farmers in 
 the nineteenth century, then we have two depart- 
 ments, the Live Stock department, to which the fish-' 
 eries are attached, and that of Soil Produce. The 
 latter is a very great and important department, 
 containing a number of guilds. There are the For- 
 esters, the Orchardists, to whom I belong, the Cereal- 
 ists, and so on. 1 read something about the farming 
 life in the nineteenth century. I know they had 
 small places; some of them so small that one man 
 with his family had to do all the labour personally, 
 having only a few primitive tools to do it with. Of 
 course, there was toil from sunrise to sunset, to eke 
 out a meagre subsistence, numbers of them living 
 in poor one or two-roomed houses scattered in the 
 woods or in the prairie — often miles away from the 
 nearest neighbour — poor schooling for the children, 
 no enjoyment. He must have thought we are living 
 in that style yet." 
 
 ''Surely !" I said. "He must think so. He men- 
 tioned that, though it would be impossible to build 
 a theatre or concert hall at every country cross-road, 
 -still the number of such places in the city is out of 
 proportion to those in country towns and villages, 
 which has created a great deal of dissatisfaction."* 
 
 Mr. Robson laughed heartily at that. " Country 
 cross-road is very good," he said, " and so is our dis- 
 satisfaction. What should we envy the city people 
 for? Have we not libraries, theatre, and all other 
 enjoyments as well as they ? If we cannot have here 
 the grand operas they have in the large cities, we 
 can enjoy them occasionally in our vacations, and 
 the invigorating influence of the free and open air 
 is a boon that calls for envy rather than regret." 
 
 * Page 60, '^ Looking Further Forward." 
 
Looking Beyond. 47 
 
 " There's another thing to be taken into account, 
 to use Mr. Forest's words," I said. "The nation is 
 frequently left with small lots of goods on its hands, 
 through changes of taste, unseasonable weather, and 
 various other causes. These have to be disposed of 
 at a sacrifice, and the loss charged up to the expenses 
 of the business. It has been charged by the repre- 
 sentatives of the farming population that such of 
 these goods as are of poor quality are largely given 
 out to farmers, while other things that are in first- 
 class condition are disposed of in the storehouses 
 of the cities at reduced prices, and that in such in- 
 stances favouritism and corruption are coming in."* 
 
 Mr. Robson was highly amused at that. 
 "Granted," he said, "that occasionally goods are 
 left at the nation's hands, which have to be disposed 
 of at a sacrifice. This is entirely correct. But what 
 kind of goods are they ? Mr. Forest says quite truly 
 that these goods are less desirable through changes 
 of taste and unseasonable weather. Now, where 
 does the unseasonable weather come in ? What kind 
 of goods are affected by the weather? Can you 
 imagine anything else but what we are raising on 
 the farms? Of course, the greatest care is taken, 
 but it cannot always be prevented to have some part 
 of a crop slightly inferior by the inclemency of the 
 weather. Now you may be sure that we keep only 
 the best quality for our home consumption, being 
 the best judges of their quality, and if some of the 
 goods we send off are so markedly inferior that they 
 have to be disposed of at a sacrifice, then it follows 
 that only in the cities they will be used up. As for 
 the other cause of less desirability, the change of 
 taste, I plead guilty to the farmers suffering the loss 
 
 * Pages 60 and 61, ''Looking Further Forward." 
 
48 Looking Beyond, 
 
 — if it is a loss, and not rather a gain. The taste 
 does not change as quickly here as in the large cities, 
 and we gladly avail ourselves of the chance of ob- 
 taining otherwise perfect articles manufactured in 
 the cities, disposed of at a sacrifice, as it leaves a 
 balance on our credit cards for procuring a variety 
 of articles more desired by us. Now, where in the 
 world could favouritism and corruption come in m 
 such transactions ?" 
 
 " That's settled," I exclaimed, more and more 
 pleased to sec Mr. Forest's gloomy Doubting Castle 
 crumble to dust. " Another thing, however, he as- 
 serts: that the country people flock into the cities, 
 and the nation would suffer from a want of agricul- 
 tural products if all the people crowding into the 
 large cities would be accepted. But they are not 
 welcomed. They are appointed to farm work. That 
 settles their desire to live in the cities, and at the 
 same time destroys their ambition. The country 
 people are satisfied that they cannot improve their 
 lot, that they have to do farm work, and that the 
 city people are imposing on them. The consequence 
 is that they are working as little as possible, and 
 the farming products have decreased to such an ex- 
 tent that city workmen of class B of the third grade 
 have to be appointed to farm work, in order to pro- 
 tect the city people from starvation."* 
 
 Mr. Robson smiled. " Let me answer his last as- 
 sertion first ! We have in our library here some pic- 
 tures of farm life in the nineteenth century. One 
 of these pictures represents a forest. A miserable 
 hovel, built up of raw logs, stands in midst of a 
 small clearing, and two men are employed wielding 
 big axes and chopping away at immense trees, while 
 
 Pages 80 and 90, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
Looking Beyond, 49 
 
 a poorly-dressed woman is cooking at a fire out of 
 doors, and a few half-clad children roll about in the 
 grass. Another picture represents the same miser- 
 able hovel, with a low porch added and a rawish 
 looking chimney at one end. The trees are a little 
 further back. There is a held of apparently two 
 acres' size, surrounded by an uncanny-looking zig- 
 zag fence; a man ploughing in the held; one horse 
 pulls the plough, and he is holding it, using all his 
 strength. The other man and the woman, with bent 
 back,\rc wielding mighty hoes, breaking the shining 
 strips of sod, turned by the plough. If that was 
 farm work in the nineteenth century, then I wouldn't 
 wonder if they had preferred the city. And if our 
 farm life would be such, as Mr. Forest seems to 
 think, then I would not blame them for working as 
 little as possible. But how different it is with us! 
 We have our few hours of labour, and we go there, 
 when our turn comes to relieve the set of men work- 
 ing before us. The machine does the work, always 
 steady, always the same, neither more nor less. Once 
 on the machine, we have to attend to it, willy-nilly. 
 And as to the country people crowding into the 
 cities, that is only one side of the question. There 
 are just as many city people coming to work among 
 us in the country. The fact that a person is born 
 in one place does not compel him or her to live there 
 always during a lifetime, When the young people 
 have passed through their three years' apprentice- 
 ship, so that they may select their profession, they 
 find here quite a variety to choose from — three or 
 four guilds, not to speak of the different branches, 
 being always represented in a farming town. But 
 there are some persons who have a special liking, 
 some special faculty or aptitude, for a particular 
 trade, art or science, to study which to perfection 
 and to practise which, a constant residence in the 
 
^o Looking Beyond. 
 
 city is required. The schools of technology, of 
 medicine^ of art, of miisic, of histrionics, and of 
 higher liberal learning, are always open to aspirants 
 without condition. Of course, some may honestly 
 mistake their vocation, but finding themselves un- 
 equal to the requirements of the schools, drop out 
 and return to the industrial service; no discredit at- 
 taches to such persons, for the public policy is to 
 encourage all to develop suspected talents!'^ Thus, 
 every year, some young- men from farming towns 
 move into the large cities for the purpose either to 
 study or to enter a guild for which they have a 
 special aptitude. On the other hand, there are 
 numerous young men in the cities who would prefer 
 country life, and who gladly avail themselves of an 
 opportunity to do so, whenever it opens. In all our 
 farming and forest towns a number of machinists 
 are employed to keep our numerous machinery in 
 constant good order, make minor repairs, and, when 
 necessary, set up and adjust new ones. Only first 
 class first grade men of the Machinist Guild are sent 
 from the cities for these positions, and they are 
 greatly coveted, as much independence and import- 
 ance is attached to them. It is the great ambition 
 of a young man bred in a farming or forest town, 
 when he succeeds in entering the Machinist guild 
 in the nearest city, to return in after years to his 
 birthplace as machinist of the town.'* 
 
 Edith and Mrs. Robson by this time being ready 
 to go out, and the children put to bed and imder 
 the guardianship of their grandmother, we took a 
 stroll through the well-lighted street up to the great 
 square. It was a fine night, very mild for the season, 
 and many promenaders were met with in the park 
 
 Page 72, "Looking Backward." 
 
Looking Beyond. 5^ 
 
 around the public buildings. We afterward entered 
 the theatre. The Erst play was just over, and we 
 enjoyed yet a very good comedy, very ably exe- 
 cuted, and some very fine singing. 
 
 On the next day I had a delightful stroll with 
 Edith in one of the many orchards. We all had 
 dinner- together at the hotel, and in the afternoon 
 Mr. Robson took us out into the fields on a small 
 electric car. We witnessed the ploughing and har- 
 rowing by electricity, and the electric drilling 
 machine planting tlie wheat. Our electric car 
 brought us about twenty miles off from the town, 
 when a broad ditch impeded our further progress. 
 Mr. Robson then told us that the fields across the 
 ditch belonged to the next farming town, which was 
 about eighteen miles distant. There was a bridge 
 across the ditch on the mam road. We passed along 
 the ditch for a considerable distance, and then en- 
 tered another track that brought us back to the town, 
 running between an orchard and an immense clover 
 field. Other machines were at work there. Some 
 mowing the clover, others converting it into hay by 
 a quick process, and others again loading a train of 
 cars standing on the track ready to deliver the hay 
 into the immense barns back of the depot. ■ 
 
 The next morning we left for Boston on a dif- 
 ferent route, stopping a day in New York. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 We had returned, and, the vacation being over, we 
 resumed our daily occupations. I felt happy. 
 Happy in the love of my sweet wife, in whom I dis- 
 covered new charms every day; happy in the com- 
 pany of her refined and kindly disposed parents; 
 
52 Looking Beyond. 
 
 happy in the pursuit of my new avocation. I had 
 brought with nie from the country a freshness and 
 vigorous dehght in the existing conditions which 
 lent more strength and power of conviction to my 
 lectures. 
 
 I had one more discourse with Mr. Forest, explain- 
 ing to him how mistaken he was concerning the 
 farming population. The poor man, wrapped in his 
 own notions, merely shook his head and gave me 
 up, seeing that I was no longer a subject for him to 
 experiment on. He never conversed on his gloomy 
 notions with me any more after this, seeing that my 
 credulity was gone. Yet some of his objections that 
 appeared logical to me lingered in my mind yet, and 
 I was longing for the promised discussion between 
 him and Professor Yale. 
 
 Finally the appointed day came. The whole city 
 was expectant; and to give a chance to every one 
 who took an interest in witnessing the discussion, 
 the Grand Opera House was chosen for the purpose. 
 I was fortunate to get a front seat, with Edith to 
 my right, and Dr. Leete to the left of me. The mag- 
 nificent hall was brilliantly lighted, and every avail- 
 able place in it was filled. The beautiful curtain 
 was dov/n. Seats were placed for the two gentle- 
 men on the stage in front of the curtain. 
 
 The bell rang. Mr. Forest and Mr. Yale ap- 
 peared, bowed to the public, and the controversy 
 commenced. 
 
 Mr. Forest was the first one to speak. Holding up 
 a bundle of papers, containing his notes, he said : 
 
 " Ladies and gentlemen ! It inspires me with 
 hope for the future, that this evening to me is given 
 a chance to open your eyes about the abyss, on the 
 verge of which we all are wandering. I mean to 
 demonstrate to you that our organisation of society, 
 with its pretended basis of human equality has 
 
Looking Beyond. 53 
 
 proved to be a failure— that there prevails to-day an 
 inequality m many respects more oppressive than 
 that of the nineteenth century — that favouritism and 
 corruption are about as potent under our communistic 
 rule as they were at the end of the nineteenth cen- 
 tury — that personal liberty is almost entirely de- 
 stroyed — that the members of the industrial army, 
 without having the right to vote at the election of 
 their superiors, are at the mercy of their officers — 
 that the members of the industrial force, who are 
 considered enemies of the government, are leading a 
 life that may be very properly styled as twenty-four 
 years of hell on earth — that since abolishment of 
 competition the people are mentally degenerating for 
 want of intellectual exercise, and that not even a 
 greater wealth is a consolation for the loss of the 
 greater liberty and independence the people enjoyed 
 in the last century, as the shortening of both the 
 years and the hours of productive labour, abolition 
 of competition and the increase in the number of 
 consumers have reduced the average daily income 
 of the inhabitants of the United States to such an 
 extent that the amount inscribed on our credit card 
 is so small that it affords only a very frugal living to 
 the people of the twentieth century."*" 
 
 Mr. Forest paused, and Professor Yale, who had 
 been making shorthand notes, now addressed him : 
 
 " Mr. Forest, I have noted down all your assertions, 
 and now I propose that you take them up one by one, 
 so -that after you have given- your arguments on one 
 of your assertions, I may state what I have to say on 
 the subject, and that we finish each single assertion, 
 before you take up the next one." 
 
 " I agree with your proposal," said Mr. Forest. 
 
 Pages 93 to 94, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
54 Looking Beyond. 
 
 " Then I have only one more request," added Pro- 
 fessor Yale, turning to the audience, "that this as- 
 sembly may elect an umpire to decide disputable 
 points on the right of having the floor." 
 
 A low murmuring passed through the whole as- 
 sembly of about forty thousand persons. Suddenly 
 a voice cried : " The man of the nineteenth century !" 
 Laughter and clapping of hands followed; then it 
 rang through the whole building : " Mr. West !" " Mr. 
 Julian West !" " Professor West !" 
 
 I rose, and when the storm had subsided, I bowed 
 and acknowledged my thanks for the confidence ex- 
 pressed. I then asked permission of the two combat- 
 ing gentlemen to remain on my seat, which they 
 granted. 
 
 " The first thing for you to prove, Mr. Forest," said 
 Professor Yale, " is that our organisation of society 
 with its basis of equality has proved a failure, and 
 that there prevails to-day an inequality more op- 
 pressive than in the nineteenth century." 
 
 " Exactly," was Mr. Forest's answer. Then he 
 turned to the public : " Ladies and gentlemen, look 
 around ! Is the leading principle in creation equality 
 or inequality ? You find sometimes similitude, but 
 never conformity. Inequality is the law of nature, 
 and the attempt to establish equality is therefore un- 
 natural and absurd. We may just as well try to 
 make every man six feet long, forty two inches 
 around his chest, with a Grecian nose, blue eyes, light 
 hair and a lyric tenor voice, as to attempt to equalise 
 all lives and reduce them to a communistic state. 
 Consider, in connection with the difference in the 
 mental and physical powers of men, their different 
 inclinations and tastes, the variety of their occupa- 
 tions, and then say whether the establishment of 
 society on the basis of communism, of absolute equal- 
 
Looking Beyond. 55 
 
 ity, is possible.* The question before us is a very 
 plain one. Are we all alike? If we are not alike, if 
 we differ in mental power and in physical ability, if 
 the results of the labour of men are different, then 
 there is no reason why the wealth of the nation 
 should be equally divided. t Thus it is plainly seen 
 that an organisation of society with a basis of equal- 
 ity is a failure. But more : We divide the workers 
 into six classes for the reason that their ability dif- 
 fers. The inequality of men is thus distinctly recog- 
 nised, but the products of labour are equally divided 
 in the name of equality. Now, everybody has a 
 natural right to the products of his activity, but we 
 are taking a large share of the results of the labour 
 of a clever worker of class A of the first grade, to 
 give it to a lazy fellow of class B of the third grade. 
 This is downright robbery. + We have, in the name 
 of equality and justice, established the 'right' to 
 rob an industrious man of a part of the product of 
 his labour and give this booty tO' his lazy comrade. § 
 In the nineteenth century the labourers of the differ- 
 ent trades had a perfect right to organise co-opera- 
 tive societies, and thus secure all the profit that was 
 in their labour. If they would rather work for an 
 employer, leaving the cares and risks of the manage- 
 ment entirely to him, they had certainly no reason to 
 complain of the profit of the employer.il And if they 
 were not satisfied with their treatment, they could at 
 any time seek other employment.^ This shows that 
 
 * Pages 30 to 31, ^'Lookinp; Further Forward." 
 
 f Page 31, '' Looking Further Forward." 
 
 X Page 32, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
 § Page 34, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
 n Page 33, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
 ^ Page 34, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
 5 
 
56 Looking Beyond. 
 
 to-day there prevails an inequality more oppressive 
 than m the nineteenth century." 
 
 Mr. Forest bowed and sat down, and Professor 
 Yale rose to address the vast audience : 
 
 " Ladies and Gentlemen : It almost seems to me an 
 insult to this highly intelligent audience to refute the 
 first part of Mr. Forest's arguments, their inconsist- 
 ency being self-evident. Permit me, therefore, to 
 pass them over with a few remarks merely. True, 
 there is no equality in nature. Every plant differs 
 more or less from the surrounding ones; but they all 
 rest securely in their common soil. They all alike 
 enjoy the genial rays of the sun, giving them light 
 and warmth, the refreshing rain, aiding in their de- 
 velopment. But, while they all share equally in these 
 boons, there is inequality, variety in their size, their 
 colours, their general appearance, their fruits. Thus 
 with us. We all share alike the great boon we derive 
 from our combined labour under our present system 
 — the credit card. But as our tastes differ, we make 
 different use of it, everyone according to his or her 
 inclination; and it certainly does not trouble any 
 well constituted mind that we are not equal in size, 
 colour of the eyes, or the sound of the voice. To in- 
 fer from the inequality of physical phenomena that 
 there should be no equality in justice and in natural 
 right, is both illogical and absurd. It would be like 
 carrying owls to Athens to say any more on this sub- 
 ject. 
 
 " But Mr. Forest says that to-day there prevails an 
 inequality more oppressive than in the nineteenth 
 century. His objections are, and his arguments rest 
 on the fact, that our credit cards are all alike, and 
 that the clever worker of first class, first grade, re- 
 ceives the same recompense as the less experienced 
 worker of class B, third grade, and he calls that 
 downright robbery. He uses, in speaking of class B, 
 
Looking Beyond. 57 
 
 third grade, the epithet * lazy fellow.' I am ex- 
 tremely sorry that an otherwise highly polished and 
 well-meaning gentleman like Mr. Forest should thus 
 grossly and by wholesale insult an immense number 
 of his fellow-beings, the sixth part of our working 
 force. Laziness with our system, where most of our 
 labour is attention to and direction of the machine — 
 laziness in most cases is impracticable, even if the 
 worker should be so inclined, which again is very 
 improbable with our short working hours. But some 
 have to be the last, some must belong to the lower 
 grades, and these generally are the younger mem- 
 bers, rising gradually into higher grades, as they at- 
 tain more perfection in their trades. The idea is 
 absurd that the highest grade workers should con- 
 sider it robbery to see their less experienced com- 
 rades enjoying the same recompense. What enables 
 them to live in ease and comfort and security with 
 such short working hours as we have, if it is not the 
 combination of all the workers? Let the high grade 
 worker stand alone, and soon he would be reduced to 
 want and suffering, barbarism and savagery, with all 
 his skill and energy. But it is needless to dwell any 
 longer on this subject ; it is well understood by all of 
 us, and it was so even by the workers of the nine- 
 teenth century. Looking. over the files of newspapers 
 in that period, we find that in all strikes, in all ad- 
 justments between employer and employed, the 
 washes finally agreed on were for all alike, the most 
 skilful receiving the same as the less experienced 
 worker in the same trade; and the leaders, who gen- 
 erally were of the highest capacity among them, in- 
 sisted on it. None of the workers at that period 
 thought that unfair, or a downright robbery. What 
 they complained of was the great difference in the 
 income of the employer and of the real worker. Mr. 
 Forest has a great deal to sav about the census of 
 
58 Looking Beyond, 
 
 1880. I own that it gives us very interesting statis- 
 tics, and I will point out a few figures shown by it. 
 I find there that at that time the employees of manu- 
 factories numbered 2,019,035 males above sixteen 
 years of age, 531,639 females above fifteen years and 
 181,921 children. These were employed in 253,852 
 establishments, which represented a capital of 
 $2,790,272,606. The wages paid in one year were 
 $947,953,795, the value of the material was 
 $3,396,823,549 and the value of the products 
 $5,369,579,191. Now, granting eight per cent interest 
 on the capital — a procedure which but few of the 
 ladies and gentlemen present may understand cor- 
 rectly, as we have nothing in our system to compare 
 with the monetary system of the nineteenth century 
 — then there yet remains a profit of $801,580,039. 
 This secured to the employer in the average $3157.66 
 and to the worker $346.90 per year. Yet, considering 
 that vast numbers of these 253,852 establishments 
 were merely small shops, the employer working him- 
 self, either alone or with the assistance of one or two 
 men or a few children, and consequently earning a 
 great deal less than the average of employers, but 
 more than the average of workers — considering that, 
 the difference in the income of the worker and that 
 of the employer assumes vastly greater proportion. 
 
 "The difference between the income of the em- 
 ployer and the worker is better illustrated, if we in- 
 vestigate some particular manufactures. There is the 
 manufacture of gas and lamp fixtures. With thirty- 
 five establishments and working force of 3,069, the 
 average income of the worker was $478.75, and of the 
 employer $26,417.77. Twenty-one galvanizing es- 
 tablishments employed 501 men and seventeen chil- 
 dren with an average income of $22,999.71 for the 
 employer, and $472.58 for the worker. Fifty wood 
 pulp factories averaged an annual income for the 
 
Looking Beyond. 59 
 
 employer of $14,989.14, and $367.88 for the worker. 
 There were 1,990 manufactories of woollen goods, 
 averaging an income of $13,184.45 for the employer, 
 and only $298.67 for the worker. Four establish- 
 ments for jute and jute goods averaged $18,677.25 
 per year to the employer, and but $270.43 for the 
 worker. 872 slaughtering and meat-packmg estab- 
 lishments, employ mg 26,113 men and 1,184 children, 
 averaged a yearly income of $24,497.06 for the em- 
 ployer, and $384.97 for the worker. In the manu- 
 facture of wool hats the average income of the em- 
 ployer was $36,007.30, and of the worker $346.10. 
 Four lamp and reflector manufactories in Chicago 
 employed 345 males over sixteen years of age, 
 twenty-five females over fifteen years of age, and 
 fifty-five children; the employer's income sums up to 
 $51,852, and the worker's to $374.70. Dyeing and 
 finishing of textiles was done m 191 establishments, 
 the working force employed amounted to 12,788 
 males over sixteen years, 2,038 females over fifteen 
 years, and 1,872 children. With a capital of 
 $26,223,981, the expense for wages, $6,474,364, and 
 for material, $13,664,295, and with a return of 
 $3-»-974-^ for products, allowing eight per cent 
 interest on the capital, the income of the employer 
 averaged $52,674.57, and that of the worker %},'^7.7l. 
 Thus, too, we find that of the 6,435 men, 9,473 women 
 and 2,895 children employed in the manufactories of 
 worsted goods the average yearly income of the 
 worker was $301.60, and of the employer $55,578.58. 
 These are a few items to show the inequality in the 
 income of the workers and the employers in the nine- 
 teenth century. I might continue for a long time 
 yet; but these few examples are quite sufficient. 
 Under such auspices to say that to-day prevails an 
 inequality more oppressive than in the nineteenth 
 century, is simply absurd. 
 
6o Looking Beyond. 
 
 " Again, Mr. Forest says that in the nineteenth cen- 
 tury the labourers of the different trades could have 
 organised co-operative societies, and thus secure all 
 the profits themselves. That had been tried repeat- 
 edly and invariably failed. The few items I just 
 have mentioned show the great advantage capital 
 had over labour. Any co-operation of working men 
 could be and was easily crushed by a combination of 
 capitalists. It lay in the competitive system, that the 
 greater capital swallowed up a number of smaller 
 ones, and the few of equal strength and power re- 
 maining combined, which rendered them next to 
 omnipotent. 
 
 Finally, I will but mention the concluding remarks 
 of Mr. Forest, that in the nineteenth century those 
 workers who were not satisfied with their treatment 
 could at any time seek other employment. So they 
 could ; but what good would it do them ? They 
 found the same conditions wherever they went." 
 Professor Yale bowed, and amid the applause of the 
 audience he took his seat. 
 
 Then Mr. Forest rose again. " The learner profes- 
 sor of statistics," he said, with somewhat of a sneer, 
 " has given you some figures, and made statements, 
 to answer which at the present I am not prepared." 
 
 "And never will be," whispered someone audibly 
 among the audience. 
 
 " Therefore," resumed Mr. Forest, " I shall give you 
 my very just reasons and proofs for the next state- 
 ment, namely, that favouritism and corruption are 
 ruling, personal liberty is nearly destroyed, the mem- 
 bers of the industrial army are at the mercy of their 
 officers, and, if their voting relatives are considered 
 enemies of the government, are leading a life of hell 
 on earth. 
 
 " Under our system all recruits or apprentices be- 
 long for the first three years of their service to the 
 
Looking Beyond. 6i 
 
 class of unskilled or common labourers, assignable to 
 any work at the discretion of their superiors, after 
 which period they are allowed to select a special 
 avocation. Thus the young- man is during these three 
 years at the absolute mercy of his superiors. They 
 may assign him to easy and clean work, or they may 
 send him to dirty and unhealthy jobs.* Records are 
 kept for ability and industry, and upon these re- 
 cords they are assigned their places among the full 
 workmen as first, second and third grade workers. 
 High grading gives them the preference in selecting 
 the trade they wish to follow. f Regradings take 
 place at fixed periods, and when a man loses his 
 grade, he also risks having to exchange the sort of 
 work he likes best to some other less to his taste. The 
 lieutenants, captains or colonels, are appointed by the 
 generals of the guild, who in turn are under the com- 
 mand of the ten chiefs of the ten great departments. 
 These officers may give their young friends, who en- 
 ter the industrial army as apprentices, easy jobs and 
 good records, and enable them, on the strength of 
 their records after their first three years' service, to 
 enter the first class of the first grade of a trade, when 
 they are immediately appointable to a lieutenantship 
 and can run up to the higher honours in a few years. J 
 On the other hand, relatives of outspoken opponents 
 of the administration can be placed in the second 
 class of third grade of their trade, and their records 
 can be so kept that they can never hope to secure a 
 high position. They have practically to live worse 
 than slaves, and are sometimes treated like footballs. 
 Of course, they can go to a judge; but the minor 
 judges being merely men who hav^e passed the forty- 
 
 * Page 38, ''Looldnp; Further Fbrward." 
 t Page 39. "Looking Further ForAvard." 
 \ Page ^0, '' Looking Further Forward." 
 
6 J Looking Beyond. 
 
 fifth year and arc appointed for five years by the 
 president, they are of course trustworthy friends of 
 the administration and not expected to decide 
 against the officers of the government in favour of 
 the 'Kickers.'* Such ill-used member has to go 
 back to his position, where he will only be treated 
 worse by his superior. And as the workers have no 
 suffrage and nothing to say about the choice of their 
 superiors, they are twenty-four years absolutely at 
 their mercy. t If they want to have a good time, they 
 must influence their friends, who have votes, to stand 
 by the administration. Thus Congress has no influ- 
 ence. X Many of the men and women from forty-five 
 years upward spend their time in Washington 'hust- 
 ling around,' trying to gain favours for their friends 
 and for such people as address themselves to the 
 hustlers. Millions of people who desire better work 
 or promotion and who have no influence at home, 
 WTite to the hustlers at Washington to secure their 
 services. To enable some of our administration 
 leaders to receive guests and entertain them with 
 delicacies and wine, an applicant for favours has to 
 give a part or perhaps nearly all of his credit card.^ 
 We have in Washington a great many young women 
 who prefer flirtation, fine meals and a last life to the 
 regular employment in the industrial army, riiey 
 hold clerical positions in the different departments 
 which are sinecures, and some of the higher officials 
 spend fifty times the amount of their credit cards 
 with these women, as I have been told.'"|| 
 
 aid.' 
 
Looking Beyond. 63 
 
 Here a general commotion throughout tlie house 
 could be noticed, and a few cries of " Shame," but 
 Mr. Forest quite unconcernedly continued : 
 
 " A part of their income is obtained by those seek- 
 ing favours, who willy-nilly give up a part of their 
 credit cards. Another part of the values squandered 
 by inHucntial persons comes from the public store- 
 house, where only a small proportion of the values 
 taken out is pricked from their credit cards by the 
 clerks, who would otherwise risk to be degraded to 
 class B of their third grade.* And to conclude : the 
 number of positions at the command of the govern- 
 ment is very large. There is one lieutenant or over- 
 seer to about twelve men or women, not to mention 
 the captains, colonels, etc.; and the amount of book- 
 keeping done 15 simply enormous. We are keeping 
 books in ?11 the producing as well as in the distribut- 
 ing departments, and every citizen has an account in 
 the police books. Our population is now estimated 
 at 500,000,000, which figure I arrive at by increasing 
 twenty per cent for every decade since 1890. The 
 complicated system of bookkeeping and the short- 
 ness of working hours granted to the bookkeepers, 
 who are favourites of the members of the administra- 
 tion, make it necessary to appoint a bookkeeper for 
 every hfty people. This gives to the government a 
 chance to provide at its own pleasure over 10,000,000 
 of men and women with clean and easy work. Add 
 to these 10,000,000 of positions about 10,000,000 offi- 
 cers of the industrial army, add furthermore the 
 clerkships in the distributing places and many other 
 preferred positions, then we can see at a glance what 
 an enormous power the administration possesses, and 
 
 Page iV), " lyookin^ Further Forward." 
 
64 Looking Beyond. 
 
 how tempting this power is."* Mr. Forest took his 
 seat again, and Professor Yale rose. 
 
 " These are many accusations in one breath," he 
 said, " and it is well that I made shorthand notes of 
 all, so that I may not omit to refute one; for refute 
 them I will, one and all. Regarding his hrst general 
 accusations about the ill treatment of our workers by 
 their superiors, it is clearly seen that Mr. Forest's 
 veneration of the nineteenth century has taken pos- 
 session of him so completely that he mixes the condi- 
 tions of that period with the present. Let us suppose 
 under the conditions of the nineteenth century some 
 great work to be done, as cutting a canal through an 
 isthmus, the digging of a tunnel through a chain of 
 mountains, or a bridge across a strait which divides 
 continents. Under the then prevailing system a com- 
 pany or association would be formed of shareholders, 
 that is, of persons who contributed certain sums with 
 the expectation of reaping an immense benefit. Their 
 own self-interest would induce them to appoint for 
 the superior manager of the works the most able civil 
 engineer available, who in his turn would appoint for 
 the different branches superintendents who well un- 
 derstood their business and were capable to execute 
 his orders. But many of the foremen or overseers 
 appointed by them would be a different class of peo- 
 ple. They would be mostly men of little or no edu- 
 cation, who by fawning or some other mean trait 
 wormed themselves into the confidence of their 
 superiors, and thus rose above their former fellow- 
 workers. With such men naturally favouritism and 
 corruption would rule. They would assign those 
 men who bribed them or fawned on them to the 
 easier jobs, and those that were averse to them to the 
 
 * Pages 45, 4G and 47, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
Looking Beyond. 65 
 
 dirtier and more dangerous jobs. And the men 
 themselves, generally recruited from a floating popu- 
 lation of common labourers, mostly without educa- 
 tion, kicked about in the world, lU-treatcd and ill- 
 paid since childhood, knowing that they hnd the 
 same conditions wherever they work, with no choice 
 but either to accept such treatment during ten or 
 twelve hours' work with liberty at least for the rest of 
 the twenty- four hours, or to starve, or to have worse 
 treatment in workhouses or penitentiaries — they had 
 to submit. 
 
 " How different it is with us ! Our young men en- 
 joy their childhood and their youth. They have, all, 
 without exception, the best possible education until 
 twenty-one years of age, and then they are assigned 
 to their work. The tasks are easy, the hours short, 
 the recompense most ample, for all alike, the third 
 grade worker the same as the president. We give 
 more hours of labour to the preferred pursuits, less 
 hours to those most objectionable. Dangerous jobs 
 we have not in our common routine of labour. You 
 all know that whenever the unavoidable difficulties 
 and dangers of a -pursuit are so great that no induce- 
 ment of co7npensaiing advantages zuould overcome 
 men's repugnance to it, then the administration only 
 needs to take it out of tJie common order of occupa- 
 tions by declaring it ' extra hazardous^ and those 
 wJio pursue it especially worthy of the national grati- 
 tude^ to be overrun witJi volunteers. There are nu- 
 merous young men present in this hall who are 
 greedy of honour and u/otdd not let slip such an op- 
 portunity. Of course, we Jtave abolished any thin '7^ 
 like unhygienic conditions or special peril to life and 
 limb. Health and safety are conditions common to 
 all our industries?^ And now let us consider the 
 
 rage C8, "Looking Backward." 
 
66 Looking Beyond. 
 
 young- men of one class ! They all know one another 
 perfectly since childhood. They learned their alpha- 
 bet together and their multiplication table, and they 
 rose together from year to year into the higher 
 classes. Their education is finished when they are 
 twenty-one years old, and then you may justly con- 
 sider them a band of brothers. Now their toil be- 
 gins; not a very severe one, not many hours in the 
 day, but they have to use all their will power, all 
 earnestness, to fulfil what is required of them; they 
 have to accomplish a task. They are still together, 
 for three years yet, under the same officers, that band 
 of brothers who know everyone's ability and charac- 
 ter since childhood, who see every day how their 
 comrades fulfil their tasks; they see the records kept 
 daily and are competent judges of the justice of such 
 records. Now let us bear in mind that they are 
 highly educated, have plenty of leisure, no want, no 
 cares, that they possess all the ardour, elasticity and 
 enthusiasm of youth, and let anyone, who can, ima- 
 gine that they would permit one man, even if he is 
 their superior, to falsify the records, to give bad 
 records to deserving young men on personal grounds, 
 or the best records to the most backward on account 
 of relation or friendship ! Why, all the youth of the 
 nation would revolt from one end of the country to 
 the otl^er, before they would submit to that. The 
 three years passed, their records decide to what grade 
 they belong; no friendship, no relation can change 
 this. Then the old alliance is broken up, they choose 
 different trades, new acquaintances, new friendships 
 are formed, but still the proud spirit of independ- 
 ence, created by education, leisure and competence re- 
 mains and cannot be stamped out any more. Mr. 
 Forest says, the workers are twenty-four years at the 
 mercy of their superiors, because they have no suff- 
 rage and nothing to say about the choice of their 
 
Looking Beyond. 67 
 
 superiors. Well, suffrage they have to a certain ex- 
 tent, as the voting for communal works and such 
 like, but they have really nothing to say about the 
 choice of their officers. ' What of that? The ex- 
 members, the men who have passed through their 
 twenty-four years' service as workers, certainly have 
 the most experience, and are therefore the most able 
 to elect the general of the guild they used to belong 
 to, among the superintendents or colonels of their 
 guild, and as they themselves are entirely independ- 
 ent, and provided for the rest of their lives, without 
 any more labour being exacted from them, it is self- 
 evident that they would not give their votes for 
 general to any superintendent whom they or their 
 fellow-workers had found unjust, when they had to 
 work under him. So it is pretty certain that under 
 our system only a highly able, well meaning and fair 
 minded man will be elected general, and he certainly 
 will remain so, if he has any ambition to be elected 
 department chief after his five years' service. And 
 such a man, with no inducement whatever for cor- 
 ruption, surely can be trusted to appoint all the offi- 
 cers under him, especially as the choice of candidates 
 is limited — the lieutenants from among the first class 
 first grade workers, the captains from among the 
 lieutenants, and the colonels or superintendents from 
 among the captains. However, it is well known to all 
 of you that a movement is on foot to give each 
 company of workers the right to elect their own 
 minor officers, reserving only the superintendency to 
 be appointed by the general, and it is most probable 
 that the next Congress will give it a trial. 
 
 " Mr. Forest says, furthermore, that if one of the 
 workers has a complaint against an officer, the judge, 
 being appointed by the president for five years, and, 
 therefore, a friend of the administration, will not dc-. 
 cide against an officer of the government, and will 
 
68 Looking Beyond. 
 
 send such worker back to his position, to be treated 
 worse than before by that officer. Now, let us con- 
 sider first, what interest would the president have to 
 take up the part of the lieutenant or captain against 
 the worker ? He has not appointed them ; they can- 
 not benefit him in the least; so why would he try to 
 induce a judge always to decide in favour of the offi- 
 cer, right or wrong? And even if he would, what 
 would the judge care about it ? When the judge ac- 
 cepted the appointment of the president, he conferred 
 a favour on him and on the community ; for his term 
 of labour was passed ; he could enjoy the rest of his 
 life in tranquility. He accepted an extra charge, for 
 which there was no obligation. Besides, in most 
 cases, the president would be out of office before him. 
 He had nothing to expect from the president, 
 nothing from the accused officer. They could not 
 benefit him, nor could they ever harm him. But there 
 certainly is one thing the judge has to care about, 
 that is public opinion. If ever there is a complaint 
 against an officer — which, indeed, is very rare — then 
 you may be sure there are plenty of witnesses; and 
 could it be supposed that they would pass it by 
 quietly if the judge would make an unjust decision? 
 You all know that anyone can publish a book or 
 pamphlet, if he gets sufficient subscribers to cover 
 the expense, by having their portion of the expense 
 punched off their credit cards. The same system 
 prevails with our newspapers and other periodicals.* 
 Therefore, we have the most positive means to have 
 the voice of the people heard by the people. And, 
 in such a case as Mr. Forest asserted, pamphlets and 
 magazines and the newspapers would ring with it 
 from one end of the country to the other. The claim 
 
 Pages 166 and 167, " Looking Backward." 
 
Looking Beyond. 69 
 
 of the ivorkmen to just and considerate treatment is 
 backed by the whole power of the nation. No officer 
 is so high that he dares display an overbearing man- 
 ner toward a workman of tlie lowest class. Not only 
 justice, but civility, is enforced by our judges^ 
 
 " Next, Mr. Forest says : Congress has no influ- 
 ence, because the voters have to stand by the admin- 
 istration, to secure a good time for their friends in 
 the industrial army. That would indeed be a queer 
 kind of favouritism ! How can an administration 
 show favours to the majority of a people ? That is 
 just as amusing as his assertion of the 'hustlers' 
 in Washington. Imagine a number of men and 
 women upward of forty-five years, instead of enjoy- 
 ing their years of rest in ease and comfort at home, 
 or in travelling and seeing new sights, instead of that 
 'hustling around' to gain favours for millions of 
 people who write to them. Why ! I never knew that 
 Mr. Forest could produce so much genuine humour. 
 How many men are there in Washington who could 
 give favours, if such a thing as giving favours would 
 be in vogue with us ? There's the president, there 
 are ten department chiefs, and about one hundred 
 and fifty generals, the few members of the board 
 of regents and the inspectorate, not two hundred 
 persons in all. Well, they have to eat and drink; 
 they have to do something at least, some time dur- 
 ing the day; they certainly could not make 'arrange- 
 ments ' v^'ith more than five of these hustlers in a day. 
 Now, supposing that each and every one of these 
 less than two hundred highest functionaries would 
 arrange ' matters with five of these hustlers every 
 day; that would give a chance to nearly one thou- 
 sand hustlers in a day. He says they have to 'work 
 
 ♦ Pages 206 to 207, "Looking Backward." 
 
yo Looking Beyond. 
 
 for millions of people. What is 'millions'? More 
 than one million, two millions at least, rather more; 
 but let us say two millions. Then every one of these 
 thousand hustlers would have to get favours for two 
 thousand persons in the year, that is about seven 
 every working day ; and with all the letters to write, 
 that would keep them pretty busy, and the high 
 officials in Washington, too. I cannot see what time 
 would be left for their legitimate duties. And all 
 this just for the fun of the thing? Oh, no! Mr. 
 Forest tells you, that all these applicants for favour 
 have to give up a part, or perhaps nearly all of their 
 credit cards. Supposing they could do it, what 
 would they live on then ? Would it not be 
 wiser to ask no favours and enjoy the good living 
 their credit cards secure them without any favour? 
 But they cannot do it. Our credit cards are not 
 transferable^ hut strictly personal* If ive don't 
 spend our allowance, it is permitted to accumidate 
 to a certain extent^ when a special outlay is antici- 
 pated. But unless notice to the contrary is given, it 
 is presumed that the citizen ivho does not fidly ex- 
 pend his credit, did not have occasion to do so, and 
 the balance is turned into the general surplus.'\ So 
 it is plainly seen, that idea of giving up parts of the 
 credit cards is merely one of the wild fancies of the 
 very learned gentleman. But amusing and risible 
 as these two last-named notions or accusations of 
 Mr. Forest are, the one next in order is an outrage, 
 I might almost call it a blasphemous calumny. To 
 insinuate that a beautiful young lady, reared in ease 
 and comfort, intellectually and morally trained to 
 the highest attainable perfection up to the age of 
 
 * Pnge 88, "Looking Backward." 
 t Page 89, " Looking Backward." 
 
Looking Beyond. 7^ 
 
 twenty-one years, with light tasks and plenty of 
 leisure, with a certainty of having all her wants, her 
 comforts and desires supplied during her lifetime, 
 with no barrier to part her from the man she loves — 
 to insinuate that such a happy creature would pre- 
 fer a life of shame, the very name of which, for- 
 tunately, is obsolete in our time — is the height of 
 insult. He says he has been told so. No doubt he 
 has, and our young men will pardon him on the plea 
 of monomania; but it is a cruel and a detestable 
 joke of him who practised it on the poor man's 
 credulity." 
 
 An awful silence reigned all over the immense 
 hall; not a breath seemed to stir among the forty 
 thousand people assembled, and looking at Mr. 
 Forest, I could not help pitying him, as he was lean- 
 ing back in his chair, white as marble, and his fore- 
 head and eyes covered with his right hand. 
 
 Professor Yale continued : *' The idea that the 
 sample clerks would only punch out a small portion 
 of the value taken out from the public storehouse 
 by the higher officers, is preposterous. Such a thing 
 could never happen with us, where the sample clerk 
 pricks out the value and immediately sends the order 
 by pneumatic process to the storehouse, where like- 
 wise a copy is retained, entering it at the same time 
 in the account book, which is kept for everyone. And 
 all these books are open to public inspection, and 
 everything has to tally. 
 
 "Finally Mr. Forest speaks of the enormous power 
 the administration has for Ending easy places for 
 its favourites, and illustrates it by a number of wild 
 statements. First of all, he forgets that the presi- 
 dent has nothing to do with the appointment of such 
 officers, as every general appoints the officers under 
 him, being himself elected. He says there is one 
 
^2 Looking Beyond. 
 
 lieutenant or foreman to about twelve men or women, 
 which IS absolutely false; the average being one to 
 fifty, in some trades more, in some less. And if 
 he adds the amount of book-keeping done is 
 simply enormous, what does he mean? Does he 
 know so little of the institutions he is living under 
 that he thinks we have special book-keepers for 
 all accounts? Does he not know that the 
 officers have to keep the records, w^hich are 
 always open to public inspection? He calls them 
 Police records, thinking of the nineteenth century. 
 Does he not know that the sample clerks have to 
 keep the accounts of the credit cards, that the dis- 
 tributing clerks keep their own accounts, and that 
 only comparatively few clerks and book-keepers are 
 permitted to the superintendents and generals to 
 assist in regulating the produce? He says our popu- 
 lation is estimated at 500,000,000. Where does he 
 get these figures? According to the census of 1990 
 we are far off from half that number yet. But Mr. 
 Forest has his own way of statistics, and he arrived 
 at this figure by counting twenty per cent increase 
 for every decade since 1890. Yet there only was a 
 twenty per cent increase from 1890 to 1900; after 
 this the percentage of increase sank gradually from 
 decade to decade, until now it is less than ten per 
 cent. And this is borne out by general observation; 
 for we all know that, as nations grow older, the 
 number of their inhabitants does not increase so 
 rapidly as it did when these nations were in their 
 infancies. Why, even in 1890, in Germany, among 
 a nation remarkable for large families, the increase 
 of the population had been found less than ten per 
 cent in a decade. And it is a generally acknow- 
 ledged fact, w^hich was even known already in the 
 last century, that in continued general prosperity 
 
Looking Beyond. 73 
 
 people do not multiply as fast as they do in pros- 
 perous periods preceded by hard times. This is 
 quite obvious to those who have studied anthro- 
 pology and sociology. But to return to Mr. Forest's 
 figures. He counts a book-keeper for every fifty 
 people, thus bringing out at his own figures an army 
 of 10,000,000 book-keepers, to whom he adds 
 10,000,000 officers of the industrial army, and if he 
 is as lavish with the sample and distributing clerks, 
 whom he only mentions, he might bring up his army 
 of what he calls non-producing favourites, to about 
 30,000,000. That's the reverse of the medal, Mr. 
 Forest's own figuring. Now let us look at the face 
 of the medal, the actual figures ! The 10,000,000 
 book-keepers he dreams about dwindle down at once 
 to less than 50,000, two or three for each superin- 
 tendent, and from ten to fifty to each of the gen- 
 erals, department chiefs, the president, and other 
 high functionaries in Washington, together with 
 those employed on statistics. The number varies ac- 
 cording to the amount of work required. The lieu- 
 tenants at the rate of one to fifty workers, the cap- 
 tains at an average of one to 500, and the superin- 
 tendents at about one to 5,000 workers (in some 
 guilds more, in some less), at that rate our officers, 
 including the highest functionaries, number about 
 1,650,000, which is near the correct figure. The clerks 
 in the sample stores average about one to 1,000 in- 
 habitants, while in the distributing places they may 
 be averaged at one to 5,000. All this added brings 
 out a force of nearly 2,000,000, all in all, of what 
 Mr. Forest calls preferred positions, and not 
 30,000,000, as according to his standard. But it 
 must be borne in mind that the president has nothing 
 to do with the appointment of these men. The gen- 
 erals, who themselves are elected, do this, each one 
 
^4 Looking Beyond. 
 
 in his particular guild. And then let me add that 
 these positions are not preferred at all, as they im- 
 pose on those so employed generally more hours of 
 labour than some of the trades." 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 A tremendous applause followed, after Professor 
 Yale had sat down, and it was some time before Mr. 
 Forest so far composed himself as to rise and to 
 address the public again : 
 
 " In comparing our time with the last century, we 
 miss now the great power of competition they had 
 tlien, which was permanently spurring everybody to 
 use his best efforts to elevate himself and humanity.* 
 I'hus we are mentally degenerating for want of in- 
 tellectual exercise. And in sight of all these de- 
 plorable retrogressions we cannot even console our- 
 selves with possessing greater wealth. The decrease 
 of production as well as the increase in the number 
 of consumers have reduced our average daily income 
 far beyond that of the nineteenth century. t Accord- 
 ing to the census of 1880 the whole industrial army 
 of that day numbered 17,392,099 out of an entire 
 population of 50,155,783; only 2,647,157 of this 
 working force being girls and women, including the 
 servant girls. Of the people under fifteen years of 
 age 1,118,356 were employed, and out of the men 
 and women over sixty years 933,644 were males, and 
 70,873 females.i Thus that census shows that over 
 twelve per cent of the population of tlie United 
 
 * Page 114, "Looking Further Forward." 
 t Page 93, "Looking Further Forward." 
 \ Page 86, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
Looking Beyond. 75 
 
 States belonging- to the industrial army were under 
 fifteen and over sixty years of age, and there lived 
 15,527,215 persons of the age that would make them 
 to-day members of our industrial army. They em- 
 ployed therefore, 2,173,184 more persons than the 
 whole population between the ages of twenty-one to 
 forty-five numbered. Therefore they furnished a 
 stronger working force than does our generation.* 
 
 Now in that day the people engaged in the occu- 
 pations, trades and professions that we would call 
 non-productive numbered 1,654,319, including all the 
 servants. Deducting these from the 2,173,084, under 
 the age of fifteen and over sixty, there still would 
 be a surplus of 518,765 women and men of that time 
 over the number of people that would belong in our 
 days to the industrial force. So they had undoubt- 
 edly in 1880 a surplus of productive persons above 
 the age that would place them in our industrial army, 
 which amounted to over three per cent of persons of 
 the age where they to-day would have to be mem- 
 bers of the industrial army.t Deduct all ladies oc- 
 cupied by their duties as mothers, before and after 
 the birth of their children, deduct all persons per- 
 manently sick, cripples, and others unable to do pro- 
 ductive work, and consider that these people in the 
 nineteenth century were stimulated by competition, 
 and you must admit that they could obtain more and 
 better work than we can to-day. They also worked 
 longer hours than we do,+ and we squander a greater 
 amount of labour in overseeing and book-keeping. § 
 Thus the productive power is lessened, and there- 
 fore the production decreased. As our people live 
 
 * Pages 86 to 87, "Looking Further Forward." 
 t Pago 88, " Looking Further Forward." 
 \ Pages 88 to 89, " Looking Further Forward." 
 § Page 90, " TiOoking L'nrther Forward." 
 
76 Looking Beyond. 
 
 longer than they did in the nineteenth century, tak- 
 ing Hfe easy, the number of consumers is larger in 
 proportion than at that time.* Hence it follows 
 that the average income is smaller to-day than it 
 was one hundred years ago." 
 
 Professor Yale took the stand again. " Mr. Forest 
 sorely misses the great power of competition, which, 
 as he says, spurred everybody in the former century 
 to use his best efforts for elevating himself anvd 
 humanity. Therefore, he says, we are degenerating 
 for the want of intellectual exercise. This is one of 
 his very amusing statements, and little is needed to 
 refute it. COMPETITION, which brings out the worst 
 passions in man, which PUNISHES men for the finer 
 qualities, as GENEROSITY, TRUTHFULNESS, INDE- 
 PENDENCE, MAGNANIMITY, and which ranks him high- 
 est who has the least regard for his fellow-men — 
 that curse of former ages — thank God ! we know no 
 m.ore of it. But Mr. Forest says it spurred every- 
 body to use his best efforts to elevate himself and 
 humanity. That is rich indeed, and so is his state- 
 ment that we degenerate for want of intellectual ex- 
 ercise. Intellectual training, systematically prac- 
 tised in our schools until the age of twenty-one, that 
 is no intellectual exercise, oh no! And during the 
 twenty-four years of labour that follow, as well as 
 the remainder of his life, there is no occasion for in- 
 tellectual exercise, when everyone has leisure, has 
 libraries, museums, art galleries, debating clubs and 
 — what not? — at his disposal! Oh, no! With 
 numerous distinctions of honour to spur his ambi- 
 tion to great efforts — there is no intellectual exer- 
 cise, oh, no ! It seems, Mr. Forest recognises intel- 
 lectual exercise to consist of mere struggle for exist- 
 
 * Pagt^ 02, "Looking Further Forward." 
 
Looking Beyond. 77 
 
 ence, in which the competitor seeks to acquire, with- 
 out equivalent return, the product of the labour of 
 others, and then certainly the now almost extinct 
 wolf would be the most intellectual being. The sys- 
 tem of the nineteenth century COMPELLED competi- 
 tors to be beasts of prey, seeking whom they might 
 devour, and so darkly obscured the intellect of their 
 victims, that they called a man smart "who dishon- 
 estly acquired great ill-gotten wealth. Shall we 
 return to that system ?" 
 
 As from one stentorian throat came a thundering 
 " No," which shook the building. 
 
 After the storm of indignation had subsided. Pro- 
 fessor Yale continued : " But Mr. Forest again tried 
 his hand at some figures, and, starting with the cen- 
 sus of 1880, he attempts to prove that they had a 
 stronger working force at that time than v/e have. 
 Now, I mean to show you that just the reverse is the 
 case, in spite of the criminal recklessness of that age, 
 which made them employ children and old men and 
 women at hard labour. The figures Mr. Forest takes 
 from the census of 1880 are correct enough, but he 
 certainly does not apply them correctly. As he 
 seems blind to the evidence of social comforts in the 
 everyday life around him, and to prefer dry cal- 
 culations based on that census, I shall also adopt it 
 in my refutation of his erroneous deductions. 
 
 "He states, correctly, that there had been in 1880 
 a population of 50,155,783 in the United States. All 
 men, women and children employed or active in any 
 trade or calling were 17,392,099. Of these we have 
 to deduct all non-productive workers, and those 
 whose functions are not required now. There are 
 25,467 clerks and copyists, 1,075,655 domestic ser- 
 vants, 64,137 lawyers, 26,761 men in the army and 
 navy, 115,531 officials and employes in government, 
 state, county, city, or town service, 13,384 private 
 
78 Looking Beyond. 
 
 watchmen and detectives, 77,920 persons employed 
 in personal service not specified, 18,523 agents, 
 445,513 clerks and salesmen in stores, 481,450 traders 
 and dealers, 81,649 commercial travellers, peddlers, 
 etc., 30,928 persons employed in banking, 17,750 in 
 insurance. Deduct furtliermore 64,698 clergymen, 
 whose services with us are private, 68,461 employed 
 in saloons and bar-rooms, and 77,740 of various non- 
 classed orders engaged in private transportation. 
 This sums up the non-productive or now obsolete 
 trades and professions to 2,685,558. 
 
 " We see by the fifth annual report of the United 
 States Labour Secretary, 1888-9, that the railroad 
 companies employed 187 workers to every 100 they 
 actually needed, so they always had an actual re- 
 serve force, counted but not worked and not paid, 
 of 46.53 per cent. This system prevailed also in 
 other branches ; but as their statistics for the moment 
 are not available, let them pass ! So we deduct from 
 the 250,453 railroad employes 46.53 per cent, or 
 116,535 workers. Thus we reduce the labour force 
 of 1880, including children and old people, to 
 14,590,006 workers. 
 
 " And, again, our system of consolidating the labour 
 of persons similarly employed renders superfluous a 
 vast number of workers necessary under the former 
 system, when they were scattered and antagonistic 
 to each other. Thus half of the 133,856 persons em- 
 ployed in hotels and restaurants would have done 
 more in half the time under our system; one-fourth 
 of the 121,942 launderers and laundresses would 
 have sufficed with shorter hours if they had been 
 employed in large public laundries, such as are in 
 use now; half of the 177,586 hackmen, draymen and 
 teamsters, with only half their working hours, would 
 have been more than needed. The same is to be 
 said of the 44,851 barbers, the 85,671 physicians and 
 
Looking Beyond, 79 
 
 surgeons, the 100,902 sailors, steamboatmen, pilots 
 and canalmen; likewise the 131,426 fishermen, the 
 12,314 dentists and the 19,085 employed in board- 
 ing and lodging. This again gives a reduction of 
 383,330. We will not change the number of ostlers 
 and servants in livery stables, nor of employes of 
 the telegraph, street railroad and express companies, 
 for although our centralised system involves a great 
 saving of labour, yet the shortness of hours may be 
 counted as offset. 
 
 "Again, there were in 1880 seven million, six hun- 
 dred and seventy thousand, four hundred and 
 ninety-three persons employed in agriculture in the 
 United States. There were 4,008,907 farms, contain- 
 ing 536,081,835 acres, of which, however, only 
 284,771,042 were improved. This shows one person 
 employed in one capacity or other on 37.125 acres. 
 Yet it should be borne in mind that many of these 
 farms were small, and the labour of a whole family 
 often was confined to a few acres, which would still 
 further reduce the acreage worked by one man. As 
 our farms average from one to two millions of acres, 
 and as we count one person for five hundred acres, 
 even with our reduced hours, we need the labour of 
 one man, where over thirteen had to be employed in 
 1880. But we will give Mr. Forest the benefit of 
 doubt, as we can afford to be liberal, and will only 
 mark one of our force to do the agricultural labour 
 of eight in 1880, and deduct seven-eighths of their 
 agricultural labour force, leaving 958,812. Even 
 Mr. Forest's study of the nineteenth century must 
 corroborate this statement, as there were even at that 
 time some mammoth farms in the West and South, 
 where, with the defective steam power, a few persons 
 cultivated a large acreage with enormous increase of 
 production. And, yet, what were they compared 
 with ours ? Now, there will remain as an equivalent 
 
8o Looking Beyond. 
 
 to our workers the number of 7,495,000 or 14.95 per 
 cent of the entire population, not forgetting that 
 among them were children and old men and women. 
 
 " Now let us arrange that census according to our 
 system! There were in 1880 among the population 
 of 50,155,783, men and women from the age of 
 twenty-one to forty-five to the number of 16,887,017, 
 and not 15,527,215, as Mr. Forest would have it. hi 
 his addition he falls short of over a million and a 
 quarter. We have on an average one lieutenant for 
 fifty workers, one captain to ten lieutenants, and one 
 superintendent to ten captains. We likewise have 
 one sample clerk to one thousand inhabitants, one 
 distribution clerk to five thousand; then the book- 
 keepers and the higher functionaries, who all in all, 
 according to the population of 1880, would amount 
 to about 448,000. Add to these one to each ten thou- 
 sand, employed on statistics and various minor du- 
 ties, then you may figure up the non-productive 
 workers to about 500,000 at the most. Deduct them 
 from our working force, then you will have left yet 
 16,387,000 productive workers of the industrial army, 
 or a percentage of 32.67 on the whole population. 
 
 " Thus, comparing the two systems, we find that 
 the army of producers of 1880 is to that of the pre- 
 sent day in the ratio of 14.95 per cent to 32.67 per 
 cent, and this while granting that women, children 
 and the aged produced as much as the flower of the 
 nation, our present industrial army. 
 
 " But Mr. Forest says there is another drawback 
 against us in the twentieth century, and he mentions 
 all ladies occupied by their duties as mothers, before 
 and after the birth of their children, all persons per- 
 manently sick, cripples and others unable to do pro- 
 ductive work. That is true. But they had in the 
 nineteenth century a vast number of workers marked 
 as such in the census, but out of work part of the 
 
Looking Beyond, 8i 
 
 year. These were all the workers on a strike, or those 
 temporarily out of employment by a lock-out, bank- 
 ruptcies, by destruction of manufacturing establish- 
 ments in consequence of fire, inundation or cyclone. 
 Bricklayers and masons, carpenters, slaters, painters 
 were out of work a considerable portion of the year; 
 so were milliners, dressmakers, tailors, or any other 
 persons employed for fabrics of fashion, which 
 counted two busy and two slack seasons in the year. 
 Let us be liberal, as we can afford it, and mark all 
 these down as offset for the mothers nursing their 
 babies, as well as for the permanently sick, the lame, 
 the blind, the insane, who fortunately with us arc 
 very few. 
 
 " Again, note that there were $77,763,473 expended 
 for fencing in one year of the former century, an ex- 
 pense which we have reduced to less than the thou- 
 sandth part in proportion, no fencing being done, 
 except around the small pastures, which are only 
 used for the exercise of the stock — an immense sav- 
 ing, which enables us to spend more on magnificent 
 public structures. Note, furthermore, that among the 
 2,732,595 men, women and children employed in 
 1880 in 253,852 manufacturing establishments, a vast 
 proportion was working in small shops, with one, 
 two or three persons to do the labour. They aver- 
 aged 10.768 persons to one establishment; but as there 
 were some employing one thousand and more per- 
 sons, it follows that numerous establishments em- 
 ployed less than ten. We see there, for instance, that 
 28,101 blacksmithing establishments, employing 
 33,992 males over sixteen, eighteen females over fif- 
 teen years of age, and 516 children, averaged not 
 quite i^ persons to the establishment; 10,701 wheel- 
 wrighting establishments, with 15,821 men, seventeen 
 women and 270 children, average to a little over ij 
 worker to the establishment. Thus also plumbers 
 
82 Looking Beyond. 
 
 and gasfitters, painters and paperhangers average 
 4^; the 24,338 flour and grist mills average less than 
 2\\ saddlery and harness-making, a little over 2\\ 
 tinware, copperware and sheet ironware manufactur- 
 ing averages less than 3^, and the cheese and butter- 
 making two workers to the establishment, I could 
 continue for a number of trades, but let these suffice ! 
 You can imagine the waste of labour with one or two 
 persons working independently with their primitive 
 tools. 
 
 " Again there are named among the industrial 
 army of 1880 as many as 1,859,223 common labour- 
 ers, a special class, not mentioned by me before. If 
 you consider that they had nothing to work with but 
 strong hands, and, may be, a pickaxe, shovel, or 
 other primitive tool, while our common labour is 
 done mostly with machinery to-day, and add that 
 loss of labour to the loss of labour suffered by the 
 small establishments as mentioned before, then you 
 may commence to get an idea of the vast superiority 
 of our system, and that we can afford to live longer, 
 being able to get more than ten times the amount of 
 products with less than half the hours of labour, em- 
 ploying none but the cream of the nation, the vigor- 
 ous people from twenty-one to forty-five years. I do 
 not think it necessary to add anything. We all 
 know, of course, the great amount of necessities and 
 comforts our credit cards guarantee us; but as Mr. 
 Forest does not acknowledge facts, I had to follow 
 him' on his own ground step by step, arguing, draw- 
 ing logical conclusions from the statistics he alone 
 acknowledges, the census of 1880, and I sincerely 
 hope I have succeeded." 
 
 The immense building shook with the applause 
 that followed. Poor Mr. Forest took up his hat and 
 passed out quietly. Some of the most intimate 
 friends of Professor Yale, to whom Dr. Leete be- 
 
Looking Beyond. 83 
 
 longed, went up on the stage to shake hands with 
 him, and they all were confident, that he could not 
 miss the votes for getting tlie blue ribbon, perhaps 
 the red one. 
 
 For my part I shook Professor Yale's hands with 
 a sincerity coming from the bottom of my heart. 
 Any faint doubts that had lingered yet were extir- 
 pated by the iron clad arguments of the clever pro- 
 fessor of statistics. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Next morning at breakfast the result of the discus- 
 sion between Mr. Forest and Professor Yale was the 
 topic of our conversation. The newspapers of the 
 city were full of it, and the telegraph had carried the 
 report of the shorthand notes to the most remote 
 parts of the United States, as well as to the foreign 
 countries enjoying the same blessings of our modern 
 civilisation. 
 
 I had been delighted on the previous evening at 
 having the last doubts removed that had been con- 
 jured up in my mind by Mr. Forest's arguments. 
 This feeling prevailed with me yet; still I felt some- 
 what abashed at finding that I knew so little of my 
 own time, and yet was employed as professor of the 
 nineteenth century's history. This feeling took pos- 
 session of me to such an extent that I gave it utter- 
 ance while we were at breakfast. 
 
 " This need not trouble you at all," said Dr. Lecte, 
 in his kind manner. "Among your former contem- 
 poraries, there were comparatively few who under- 
 stood what you used to call the labour question; and, 
 as the nation was divided into classes, you, belong- 
 ing to the privileged one, had no inclination to un- 
 
84 Looking Beyond. 
 
 derstand the wants and desires of the labouring 
 classes, consequently took no interest in studying the 
 statistics so important to them. All that which came 
 under your own observation, is of sufficient interest 
 to qualify you for lecturing on the nineteenth cen- 
 tury." 
 
 This kindness on the part of Dr. Leete, the smiling 
 approval of Mrs. Leete, and Edith's tender caresses 
 reassured me, and with renewed vigour I entered 
 into my task of lecturing. 
 
 The great excitement caused by Professor Yale's 
 victory had also spread over the college. The 
 learned gentleman's desk was richly decked with 
 flowers, and thundering cheers from the lips of his 
 students signalled his arrival. The same excitement 
 had taken hold of my hearers, who greeted me with 
 unusual warmth. Poor Mr. Forest looked rather 
 downhearted. To the honour of the young men of 
 the twentieth century I must say that they were ex- 
 ceedingly polite to Mr. Forest, while according to the 
 practice of the nineteenth century they might have 
 been supposed to gloat over his defeat. 
 
 A few hours later, during recess, I was enjoying 
 my cigar in company and in conversation with the 
 other professors of the college, when suddenly the 
 door burst open, and a man about thirty years of age 
 rushed in and ran up to Mr. Bowen, the professor of 
 astronomy. He was his head assistant, who took his 
 place in the observatory during his absence. Astro- 
 nomy, like all the other sciences, has developed 
 greatly during the last century, and every city of 
 any importance has an observatory. The lenses, as 
 I have been told and found out myself afterward, 
 are more powerful than they were in the nineteenth 
 century. The young man whispered a few words to 
 Professor Bowen, who, on hearing them, immediately 
 jumped up in the utmost excitement. He grabbed 
 
Looking Beyond. 85 
 
 his hat and cane, and exclaimed, " Gentlemen, 
 excuse me ! A matter of the greatest importance." 
 
 He rushed through the door and among his own 
 students. "No more lecture to-day gentlemen!" he 
 shouted, "I am called off on a most important mat- 
 ter. You may go home." He rushed off again, and 
 soon was out of sight. 
 
 We greatly wondered at this extraordinary be- 
 haviour, but, recess being over, we resumed our duties. 
 
 I had just closed my lecture when Professor 
 Bowen came back. He beckoned me and the other 
 professors, who were then leaving their respective 
 rooms, aside, and said : " Gentlemen, come along 
 with me. I will show you something that will make 
 you rejoice to have lived to see it. To-morrow morn- 
 ing the journals will bring the news of it to every 
 breakfast table on this continent, in Australia and in 
 Europe, adding considerable parts of Asia and 
 Africa. Come along ! You will be grateful for 
 having been among the first to see it." 
 
 We caught his excitement, we wanted to know 
 more about it, but he only said : " Come and see !" 
 
 In a few minutes the electric car brought us to the 
 observatory ; we mounted the tower together. Ex- 
 pectantly we stood around the enormous telescope. 
 He pushed Professor Yale forward and said : 
 " Look ! It is the planet Mars that you see." 
 
 Professor Yale did not look a long time before he 
 uttered an exclamation of surprise, and when he left 
 the telescope he was as excited as Mr. Bowen. 
 
 My turn came next. It took me some time before 
 my eye was adjusted to see the object before it. 
 
 "You must bear in mind that it is night on that 
 hemisphere of Mars on which you are gazing," said 
 Mr. Bowen. 
 
 Presently I saw a triangle, a right-angled triangle, 
 very small apparently, but quite distinct and clear, 
 
86 Looking Beyond. 
 
 and as exact as mathematical instruments can make 
 it. I gazed and gazed. Very indistinctly I could 
 make out some lines in different directions, but bright 
 and clear shone that wonderful triangle. 
 
 The other gentlemen took their turn each at the 
 telescope, and then we looked at one another in mute 
 surprise. 
 
 " What is the meaning of this ?" finally asked Mr. 
 Yale. 
 
 "What is the meaning of this?" repeated Mr. 
 Bowen. " No more and no less than that the inhabit- 
 ants of Mars wish to communicate with the inhabit- 
 ants of the earth." 
 
 We fairly gasped with surprise; but there was no 
 other explanation. 
 
 " That triangle is on the plain which we denote on 
 our maps of Mars as Prairie No. j," explained the 
 professor of astronomy. Its hypotenuse cannot be 
 less than three hundred miles long. This brilliant 
 light in midst of darkness, these clear lines of mathe- 
 matical precision can possibly be naught but the con- 
 trivance of intellectual beings. The civilised world 
 will be in a flurry to-morrow and for some time to 
 come. Something must be done to show our friends 
 on Mars that we understand them, that our planet is 
 peopled by beings of intellect as well as theirs. 
 Come forward, Mr. Ward !" he added, addressing 
 the assistant who had called him away from the col- 
 lege, and who modestly stood behind. " Come for- 
 ward, sir ! Let me shake hands with you ! You 
 were the one who discovered the triangle. To-mor- 
 row your name will be pronounced by every person 
 as far as our modern civilisation reaches." 
 
 We all shook hands with the gentleman, who was 
 quite overcome with emotion. 
 
 Great was the surprise of Edith and her parents 
 when I brought home this wonderful news. 
 
Looking Beyond. 87 
 
 We read it over again the next morning, on perus- 
 ing the journals after breakfast. Special meetings 
 were held by the voters of every ward on that day, 
 and resolutions passed, and telegrams sent off to 
 Washington. The same happened in every city in 
 the land, and, in most of the agricultural, forest and 
 mming towns. Great excitement prevailed, and the 
 wires were kept busy all day, the people clamouring 
 for devising means to correspond with the inhabit- 
 ants of Mars. That same evening our representative 
 at the International Council, which this year meets at 
 Constantinople, received instructions from Washing- 
 ton to that effect. Nor was the excitement any less 
 in the other civilised countries. All the numerous ob- 
 servatories were beleaguered by crowds of persons 
 eager to sec the wonderful triangle. The pheno- 
 menon continued on Mars. Every time the night set 
 in on that planet, the geometrical figure was seen. 
 
 The International Council in Constantinople was 
 busy day and night. Our representative reported as 
 follows : 
 
 "We decided that on some large plain a RIGHT- 
 ANGLED-TRIANGLE should be formed by electric 
 lights, having a hypotenuse of about 150 miles 
 length, with the addition of the SQUARES DESCRIBED 
 ON ITS TWO SIDES. I proposed to have it on the 
 great plains of the West, but on the representation 
 of astronomers, that a great plain where the atmos- 
 phere was nearly always free from clouds was neces- 
 sary for the observation of such a large triangle, the 
 Libyan Desert, part of which is reclaimed by artesian 
 wells, was chosen by the Council to be the place on 
 which our knowledge of geometry should be demon- 
 strated to the residents of our neighbour planet. The 
 enormous electric power required should be produced 
 by utilising the cataracts of the Nile. The shortness 
 of time in which this stupendous undertaking has to 
 
 7 
 
88 Looking Beyond. 
 
 be accomplished, the great amount of machinery and 
 immense number of labourers required, necessitate 
 the co-operation of all civilised nations in this truly 
 international work. Volunteers shall be called for 
 in every country, and the work commence at once. 
 Ferdinand Lorello, the most renowned civil engineer 
 of the age, shall be appointed to direct the whole. 
 He can make his plans and theoretical preparations 
 while crossing the Atlantic, which may be accom- 
 plished in about four days. Lightning cars may 
 bring him in a few days across Europe to Athens, 
 where the lightning floating palace, " Aquila," may 
 convey him to Alexandria and up the Nile. He 
 shall appoint his own assistants, and give his orders 
 by telegraph while travelling. At the same time the 
 machinery, implements, tents, provisions and the 
 labour force should be on the move from every coun- 
 try. The people of the various nations are requested 
 to vote on the acceptance or rejection of these pro- 
 positions at once, the whole labour force from 
 twenty-one years upward being eligible to vote, as 
 such immense withdrawal of workers from their 
 regular occupations may necessitate an additional 
 hour of labour for some time to come. An inter- 
 national badge of honour shall be given to every 
 volunteer on his return." 
 
 This we read at breakfast on the fourth day after 
 that wonderful discovery. It was followed by the 
 publication of the order from Washington, that all 
 labour not absolutely necessary should be dispensed 
 with this day, and the vote of the people taken. 
 Thanks to the perfect telegraphic system, there was 
 not a family in the United States that did not read 
 the same in the morning. 
 
 By noon the question was thoroughly discussed, 
 and the voting commenced. The members of the 
 various guilds assembled in their respective club 
 
Looking Beyond. 89 
 
 houses, where the rear part of the stages served for 
 improvised polling places, while in the front the 
 counting of the votes was carried on as soon as one 
 of the suffrage-boxes was full. An electric indicator, 
 an invention for some time in vogue counted the 
 votes as quick as six men could read them off. The 
 audience hall was crowded with the members and 
 honorary members of the guild, who returned to it 
 as soon as they had voted. Great enthusiasm and 
 rejoicing ruled everywhere, as vote after vote was 
 reported containing the stereotyped " Aye." There 
 was not one dissenting vote in any one of these 
 polling places. 
 
 In the meantime the head statistician with a num- 
 ber of assistants was busy on the stage of the Grand 
 Opera House receiving and booking the receipts as 
 they came in. Gradually the house filled up by those 
 who had done their voting and wished to witness the 
 final result. 
 
 The clock struck six, when the last report had 
 come in and was read aloud and booked. Soon 
 afterwards the result (which was telegraphed to 
 Washington immediately) was announced from the 
 stage. Boston gave 631,523 "ayes" and not one 
 " nay." 
 
 Tremendous was the applause that followed this 
 announcement. Friends shook hands, others em- 
 braced, some wept with joy. 
 
 By this time the two hundred musicians of the 
 grand orchestra had taken their usual seats, and the 
 sonorous and stirring sounds of the anthem, " The 
 March of Human Genius," filled the immense hall. 
 
 There was not much sleep that night. People went 
 in and out the club houses, visited friends, listened 
 to the reports made from time to time about the tele- 
 grams, as they came in. 
 
 Early next morning we read all the particulars 
 
90 Looking Beyond. 
 
 and discussed them at breakfast. The result had 
 been the same everywhere as in Boston, unanimously 
 
 assenting 
 
 The same result was also cabled from Europe and 
 other quarters. 
 
 The lightning ship " Arrow " had been waiting in 
 port the previous evening with Mr. Lorello and his 
 assistants on board, and as soon as the result was 
 telegraphed from Washington, they started off across 
 the Atlantic. 
 
 A number of ships was to leave during the day 
 with the advance guard of volunteers, with machin- 
 ery, provisions, tents and so on. Numerous men and 
 machines were already busy loading at the ships, 
 and the proclamation of the president, calling on 
 volunteers, was published in every paper. 
 
 The president, in his proclamation, reminded those 
 who would volunteer of the difficulties and hard- 
 ships, and, possibly, sufferings they might endure. 
 He reminded them that unaccustomed labour and a 
 tropical climate awaited them; that sickness and 
 even greater dangers might be in store for them, and 
 that possibly many of them who ventured forth 
 would return with shattered health, some perhaps no*- 
 at all. For all this the only recompense would be the 
 nation's thanks and the International Badge of 
 Honour. 
 
 We were yet discussing these momentous events 
 after breakfast, when the sound of the gong an- 
 nounced a visitor. Edith left the room and soon re- 
 turned, ushering in Mr. Fest and Ellen Moore. Ellen 
 was leaning on Mr. Pest's arm. Their faces were 
 bright and beaming with joy and enthusiasm. They 
 had just left the judge of our ward, by whom they 
 had been married. They both had volunteered, and 
 considered themselves extremely fortunate to be ac- 
 cepted. The rush of offers for volunteering had been 
 
Looking Beyond. 91 
 
 so great, so far above the number requested, that lots 
 had to be drawn to decide who should be the fav- 
 oured ones to brave the danger and hardship, and to 
 share in the nation's thanks. Ellen's brother likewise 
 had volunteered, with numerous others of his age, 
 but as they required two years of schooling yet, they 
 were not accepted. Ellen had offered her services for 
 the steam laundry m the main camp of the Ameri- 
 icans, or as sick nurse in the hospital, or for any 
 other service of the female auxiliary corps. Fest had 
 volunteered to work in any branch of machine work 
 or engineering, or, if necessary, as common labourer. 
 
 They were happy. Fest had succeeded to find 
 solace for his wounded heart in the love of the sister. 
 
 What a strange courtship, and what an extraord- 
 inary honeymoon ! 
 
 Edith was delighted, and their enthusiasm so 
 much infected me that I likewise wished to volunteer, 
 and it needed the clinging arms of Edith, the cool 
 reasoning of Dr. Lecte, and the energetic dissuasions 
 of all to make me yield. 
 
 The happy couple took their leave, as their lime 
 was very limited, having to embark that very day. 
 
 Shortly afterwards we parted again, Edith to re- 
 sume her duties in the ramie mill, I to lecture on the 
 nineteenth century. 
 
 I could not let this opportunity pass without 
 dwelling on the wonderful events to some extent. I 
 told my hearers that there were some events in the 
 nineteenth, as well as in preceding centuries, which 
 caused universal excitement, enthusiasm and self- 
 sacrifice, the same as we were witnessing and feeling 
 ourselves at present. But what was then the object 
 of such enthusiasm ? It was war, popular war. 
 Sometimes a grand idea had taken possession of a 
 whole nation, or even nations. With the same fer- 
 vour they rushed to sacrifice life and all they held 
 
92 Looking Beyond. 
 
 dearest on the altar of their mother country, or for 
 certain hberties, or for the realisation of some doc- 
 trines that had taken hold of the people. Sometimes 
 it merely was national prejudice. But whatever the 
 object may have been, the outcome invariably was 
 the same, WAR, cruel, destructive war. Lacerated 
 bodies, tens of thousands, and even hundreds of 
 thousands of men, the flower of the land, in their 
 premature graves, twice and thrice that number crip- 
 ples for life ! Weeping- mothers, widows and 
 orphans ! Cities and villages consumed by flames ; 
 the harvest of the fields destroyed; ruin, desolation 
 and misery ! How different with us ! The object is 
 knowledge, the means are labour, dignified labour; 
 labour that is ennobled almost to sublimity by the 
 grand and lofty object, "KNOWLEDGE!" 
 
 In the course of a few days the fever heat of ex- 
 citement had abated; but the strong yet placid un- 
 dercurrent of enthusiasm remained. The daily la- 
 bours were undergone as usual, but eagerly the con- 
 tents of the papers were devoured every morning. 
 Step by step we followed the doings of that devoted 
 body from almost every part of the globe. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 About six weeks had passed, when we received a 
 letter from Mr. Fest, which was highly interesting. 
 
 " We live here as in a dream," he wrote. " Not 
 that we can indulge in any dreaminess during our 
 labours ; hands and mind have to be pretty active 
 and wide-awake. Our tasks are severe, the climate is 
 enervating; yet if our labours would be twice as 
 hard, none of us would complain. But the peculiar 
 sensation that fills everyone out here is difficult to 
 
Looking Beyond. 93 
 
 describe The strange surroundings, the mildness of 
 na ure"the glaring lights with deepest shadows th^ 
 
 oXne t3e me feel doubtful of ->' o-^d - 
 titv I have a sensation sometimes, as if behind tne 
 nhvsical eves with which I see all objec s around me 
 E wer/another pair of incorporeal eye^ -lu^J 
 have the DOwer to penetrate to the core of all 1 see. 
 ThTnkin- over sonie events of history that always 
 Semed fncomprehensible to me I now have a sensa^ 
 tion as if I were living through them myself. I am 
 enginee ng one of the trains that pass over the im- 
 Ssed rails from camp to camp, which is not with- 
 SnrHano-er and requires the utmost of nerve and 
 °Hin am capable of. You, in comfortable matter- 
 of fact BostoHm undoubtedly find it strange tha 
 during these tnps I cannot get the crusades out of 
 mv mmd As then the various nations of Christen 
 dom united for one purpose, under the same cloud- 
 fesrsky. wondering alike at the f angeriess of a 
 their surroundings, were yet divided >" their separate 
 camos speaking different languages-thus here, the 
 vaXi's n'ations'-of civilisation with their d^^rence of 
 lane-uac^es, of temperament and habits, in their dit- 
 ferfr?amps, waved over by different flags yet ai'e 
 united for one purpose-LABOUR. Labour to break 
 another link in the chain of the arch-fiend of hu- 
 manity, Ignorance! Labour, combined labour for 
 knowledge. It is grand. It seems to me the most 
 
 ^°"To"or^EUen sees very little of her surroundings. 
 We have a large tent-hospital in our American tent- 
 city, which unfortunately is pretty well suppbed 
 with invalids. You should see how devoted she is 
 to her duties as nurse, and how bravely she keeps it 
 up Her praise is in everybody's mouth, and the 
 
94 Looking Beyond. 
 
 grateful convalescents spread the fame of Sweet 
 Ellen beyond the limits of the American camp. It 
 would do you good, also, to see the eagerness with 
 which the convalescents long for the time when the 
 physician will pronounce them fit for duty again. 
 
 " Everything is in good running order now ; all 
 our railroads are complete. The machines needed 
 are all here by this time, and the ships are busy 
 bringing up wire from the States, as well as from 
 England, Germany and Sweden. France and Spain 
 send the lamps, Italy the burners, and Greece the 
 isolators. Most of our provisions come from 
 Russia; some, too, from the Nile valley. The ships 
 come up the Nile as far as Assuan. From there we 
 have rails along the river as far up as the fifth cat- 
 aract. At the bend above Dongola a railroad is 
 constructed across the land to Khartoum, where we 
 receive the posts, which come down the Nile from 
 the Soudan. Branch roads lead likewise from the 
 second and from the third cataract into the so-called 
 desert. The second, third, fourth and fifth cataracts 
 are to be utilised, and the work never ceases there. 
 The German camp and that of the Scandinavians, 
 both are near the second cataract; the American 
 camp is a little above the third; the French and the 
 Russian camps are between the fourth and fifth cat- 
 aracts. The English camp is at Khartoum. The 
 other camps are scattered over the desert. Numerous 
 trains bring their necessities on the branch railroads ; 
 for their water supply many hundreds of artesian 
 wells have been driven. In some unreclaimed parts 
 of the desert, huge machines are at work, levelling 
 the dunes. Long trains, carrying posts and wire, are 
 continually on the road to the desert. There, 
 machines, manned by an engineer and a surveyor^ 
 drive the holes for the posts, which are carried there 
 from the vans on the back of camels. , Men follow 
 
Looking Beyond. 95 
 
 them to plant the posts, and to fasten the cross pieces 
 and isolators. The posts are short — a little over 
 man's height above ground. A machine follows 
 them, rolling off and stretching the wire, which is 
 fastened on the isolators by men standing on 
 wagons. Behind them, other vehicles bring out the 
 lamps, etc., and men on top of these wagons fasten 
 these fixtures to the posts and connect them with 
 the wires. Thus the work goes on continually. 
 
 " The hypotenuse of the triangle will be one hun- 
 dred and fifty miles long. The lights along the 
 lines of the whole geometrical figure, triangle as well 
 as squares, will be five miles in width; the lamps 
 one hundred feet distant from each other. 
 
 '* While the work goes on briskly in the desert, the 
 men of the river camps are busy leading off the water 
 above the cataracts, constructing the buildings and 
 putting up the machinery for the electric force works, 
 setting posts and putting up the wires for the con- 
 nection with the works in the desert. 
 
 " All these various, vivid pictures pass before mc 
 like the figures of a magic lantern, as I guide my 
 train from camp to camp." 
 
 Shortly afterward we read that many thousands 
 of blue spectacles had been called for, the eyes of 
 many of the workers in the desert being badly 
 affected. And so the days passed on, and we read 
 every morning how the work progressed. 
 
 One morning the papers published a telegram, 
 stating that the International Council had ad- 
 journed in Constantinople, to meet again on the 
 banks of the Nile. 
 
 Nearer and nearer the day approached on which 
 the works were to be completed, and then, finally, 
 we read the report of our delegate at the Interna- 
 tional Council relating the grand success. 
 
 "When everything was ready," stated that report, 
 
96 Looking Beyond. 
 
 " Mr. Lorcllo ordered every living being off from 
 the plains. He had invited us to witness the 
 great event from an eminence at a safe distance from 
 the hypotenuse, which place was connected by a wire 
 with the electric works at the cataracts. It was a 
 moonless night, and we had a very clear sky. Many 
 thousands of the workers had assembled, in fact, 
 every one whom not duty or sickness had kept away. 
 We all wore blue spectacles, Mr. Lorello having, by 
 proclamation, notified us all to that effect. My 
 heart was beating with eager expectation, and I have 
 no doubt the same feeling prevailed with every one 
 present. 
 
 "At last Mr. Lorello gave the signal. A few 
 moments of breathless suspense, and then a light 
 flashed up before us, which rendered all around us 
 and as far as the eye could reach, as bright as day. 
 Then a shout arose, a long-drawn continuous shout 
 of exultant joy. We saw before us a broad, straight 
 belt of brilliant light, as brilliant as the sun itself, 
 stretching to the left, far, far away, until it finally 
 dissolved into indistinct clouds of light, when it yet 
 was reflected on the sky. To the right it also 
 stretched far away, but not endless. We could yet 
 see sharp and clear the angle and two lines of the 
 square. Beyond that and far, far off, right before 
 us, it likewise melted into clouds of light, and the 
 reflection hovered like an aurora above it in the sky. 
 
 "We heard some cries of pain. Quite a number 
 of persons, in their excitement, forgetting the ad- 
 monition of Mr. Lorello, had pushed back the blue 
 spectacles, and the glaring light struck their eyes 
 like a destructive acid. They held their eyes with 
 both hands ; they had to be carried back and at- 
 tended to by physicians. Although they suffer 
 great pain, yet it is to be hoped that their eyesight 
 may be saved. 
 
Looking Beyond. 97 
 
 "Then we mounted the electric lightning car,. and 
 about an hour's ride brought us so far out, that we 
 could see in furthest distance to the left the other 
 angle and two sides of the other square. The reflec- 
 tion of the light still further off indicated that the 
 geometrical figure was complete. Thus the grand 
 object was accomplished, a perfect success. 
 
 "We rode back to headquarters and the various 
 workers to their respective camps, where the rest of 
 the night will be spent in general rejoicing. Just re- 
 turned to headquarters, I send off this telegram. My 
 colleagues of the International Council will do the 
 same to their respective countries. To-morrow we 
 will return to Constantinople." 
 
 Mr. Lorello's telegram was shorter. In matter-of- 
 fact language he reported the successful accomplish- 
 ment of his task. He likewise stated, that after this 
 only a limited number of men of each country would 
 be required to keep the electric works going, to 
 patrol the geometrical figure on electric cars during 
 daytime and make the necessary repairs. They will 
 all move together into two camps. The bulk of the 
 various armies would commence in a day or two to 
 embark for home. The sick, most of whom are con- 
 valescent, will be benelited by the sea voyage. Half 
 of those remaining should be relieved in three 
 months by new comers, to be continued thus, in order 
 that always half of the garrison were accustomed to 
 the task and the climate. He sent the same report 
 to all confederate nations. 
 
 And so at la^t the day arrived when our army 
 returned from their glorious campaign. 
 
 What are all the campaigns of Cyrus and Alex- 
 ander, Caesar, Alaric, Charlemagne, the campaigns 
 of the crusaders, of the first Napoleon, of Grant and 
 Moltke — what are they compared with this brilliant 
 campaign of labour in the cause of science ! 
 
98 Looking Beyond. 
 
 That day was a general holiday. 
 
 Our gardens were literally devastated. Not a 
 flower was left in any one; but the streets and 
 houses, and more so our club palaces and the grand 
 opera house, were decked with them. An immense 
 triumphal arch of great architectural beauty was 
 erected at the landing. 
 
 They had been signalised, and an expecting mul- 
 titude watched their coming. 
 
 Where is the poet laureate whose panegyric would 
 be so powerful as justly to describe that shouting 
 of welcome, that waving of handkerchiefs, while the 
 ship flew swiftly into the harbour, renewed again 
 and again as if it never would end, when they 
 landed ! 
 
 That marching up to the opera house to the lively 
 strains of music, amidst the acclamations of their 
 rejoicing fellow-citizens and almost smothered with 
 flowers ! 
 
 The bronzed faces of our campaigners, even of 
 the ladies, gave evidence of what they had under- 
 gone. The sick had mostly so far recovered that 
 they could march in the procession, although some 
 of them had to lean on their stronger comrades, and 
 but a few had to carried in litters. 
 
 The front seats in the grand opera house had been 
 reserved for the returned volunteers. The curtain 
 was up, and the stage was beautifully decorated. 
 Broad steps led up to the stage on the two ends, and 
 the principal officers and all the judges were as- 
 sembled there. 
 
 The whole orchestra of two hundred musicians 
 gave a fine performance of the popular song, " WEL- 
 COME!" with its sweet adagios and rousing fortis- 
 sime. After the last sounds had died away, the 
 Chief Justice stepped to the front. He spoke a 
 short but feeling address to the returned cam- 
 
Looking Beyond. 99 
 
 paigners, and then read the proclamation of the 
 president, rendering the thanks of the nation to the 
 brave volunteers in the cause of science. He next 
 requested them to come up on the stage, ten at a 
 time, to receive the badge of honour. 
 
 The orchestra struck up the rousing march, " THE 
 International Badge of Honour," composed for 
 the occasion by Frank Ricardeau, in New Orleans; 
 and the volunteers, ten at a time, walked up the 
 stairs to the immense bower of many-coloured 
 flowers, where they received each the badge and a 
 very elaborately executed copy of the NATION'S 
 Thanks. The greatest order prevailed. As fast 
 as they were decorated, they marched down the other 
 stairs and took their seats again. 
 
 When this was over, the officers and judges re- 
 tired to the rear, and a number of ladies and gentle- 
 men entered, the professional singers of the Grand 
 Opera. An elderly gentleman with grey whiskers 
 preceded them. With a few motions of his hand 
 he assigned them their places, and then he stepped 
 down to the orchestra, where the leader resigned his 
 place to him. Edith whispered to me that this gen- 
 tleman was Mr. Charles Mayer, the celebrated com- 
 poser, who on this occasion personally directed the 
 performance of his latest work, the grand oratorio, 
 " Science and Labour Rule the Earth." 
 
 What a wonderful composition, and what an exact 
 and beautiful performance ! I was so enraptured 
 that Edith had to arouse me when the performance 
 was over. This closed the official part ; but the fes- 
 tivities were kept up in the various club-houses all 
 over the city. 
 
 We paid a visit to the Machinist Club House on 
 special invitation of Mr. Fest. It was a pleasure to 
 see him and his young wife together. How devoted 
 they were to each other, and with what expressions 
 
lOO Looking Beyond. 
 
 of tender love his eyes beamed on her ! He was 
 entirely cured of his love to her sister. He shook 
 hands with the latter and chatted pleasantly, with- 
 out showing any emotion whatever. 
 
 When I entered the lecture room on the following 
 day, I could not help saying to Mr. Forest : " What 
 do you say now? It does not look as if the people 
 were mentally degenerating for the want of intel- 
 lectual exercise." 
 
 Mr. Forest merely shrugged his shoulders and 
 said : " Facts prove nothing." The poor man is in- 
 curable. 
 
 I cultivated a warm friendship with Mr. Bowen, 
 the professor of astronomy. Every Sunday I spent 
 a few hours with him on the observatory ; Edith and 
 her parents were generally with me. He often turned 
 the telescope on Mars, and we never got tired ad- 
 miring that triangle. One Sunday we were visiting 
 him again. As usual, he turned the telescope on 
 Mars and took a peep through it; but this time he 
 jumped up and uttered an exclamation. Then he 
 looked again. Long, long time he gazed into it ; 
 suddenly he left it and said : " There's the answer." 
 He wrote a few lines in furious haste, then rushed 
 into the telegraph room and called on his assistant 
 to send off the telegram to Washington immediately. 
 
 I looked into the telescope, and an exclamation 
 of surprise likewise escaped my lips. Sure enough, 
 there was the answer. The triangle was there yet, 
 hut clear and bright shone the square of the hypo- 
 tenuse. We and the inhabitants of Mars have con- 
 structed the Pythagorean Proposition together. 
 We have shown them the squares of the two sides, 
 and they have shown to us the square of the 
 hypotenuse, which is equal to the sum of the squares 
 of the sides. 
 
 The wonderful discovery soon was known all over 
 
Looking Beyond. loi 
 
 Boston, and the rush to see it was so great, that the 
 people had to stand in ranks five abreast, the last 
 of them at one time being six blocks off. 
 
 The newspapers on the following morning showed 
 us that again Boston had the honour of being first 
 in discovering, and this time Professor Bowen could 
 conscientiously claim it personally. Numerous were 
 the suggestions and propositions made about our 
 next venture. At present it seems that Professor 
 Bowen's proposal has the most advocates. 
 
 He says, the fact that Mars is inhabited by think- 
 ing beings wishing to correspond with us being es- 
 tablished, there would be no necessity for such haste 
 at such sacrifice in signalling to them again. 
 Smaller dimensions could be adopted, too ; for we 
 may be sure that for years to come the Mars inhabi- 
 tants would watch with closest inspection that par- 
 ticular spot on our earth, as we assuredly watch 
 theirs; so that with plenty time before us, thrice the 
 present garrison at the Nile might be sufficient for 
 the future development. The most important thing 
 for the Mars people to know, he says, would be what 
 kind of beings we Earth people are. Therefore, he 
 would propose to have the outlines of two persons, 
 a man and a woman, represented by electric lights 
 in the style of pen-pictures, having a length of one 
 hundred and ninety miles, respectively. The posts 
 bearing the lamps which should represent the out- 
 lines of these figures should at first be so arranged 
 as to show them in their nude form. The posts bear- 
 ing the lamps meant to show the outlines of their 
 dress should be added afterward ; and the three 
 kinds — the posts showing the line common to 
 dressed and undressed figures — the posts marking 
 the difference of the dressed, and those marking the 
 difference of the undressed ones — these three kinds 
 should have their wire connection with the electric 
 
102 Looking Beyond. 
 
 works separately. Thus it could be arranged that 
 at first the two figures would represent man and 
 woman in their nude state, and at any given time, 
 by withholding the current from one set and con- 
 necting it with the other, they could be changed into 
 man and woman wearing the dress of the day. 
 
 There is all probability that Mr. Bowen's plan will 
 be carried out, and, if continued, in the course of 
 centuries, there may be an established constant com- 
 munication with the inhabitants of Mars. 
 
 Thus I take leave of my readers for the present. 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 The foregoing was in print already, when Edith's 
 friend, Mary Brown, came up quite breathlessly, 
 telling her in joyful excitement that her husband's 
 invention is completed, and an entire success, and 
 that next Wednesday week he will experiment with 
 it before the public at the Grand Opera House. 
 
 What a glorious time we are living in ! 
 
 THE END. 
 

 WOMAN 
 
 ENVIRONMEN 
 
 BY 
 
 VIOLET ASHMOLE 
 
 in both Man and Woman a more important, 
 indental Sex of Mind — the passive and 
 , the active and creating. 
 
 «i <4 «4 
 
 ion of the Individual destiny, that is the 
 lifting." 
 
 .ondon: WILLIAM REEVES. 
 iARING CROSS ROAD, W.C 
 
SEQUEL TO 
 
 30KIN6 BACKWAR 
 
 OR 
 
 )OKING FURTHER FORWARD 
 
 BY 
 
 Richard Michaelis 
 
 .f*. — 
 
 LONDON 
 
 Wm, Reeves, 83 Charing Cross Road, W.C.2. 
 
 POPULAR PAMPHLETS BY NOTABLE MEN. 
 
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 Manifesto of the Communist Party. By Marx 
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