the vision spendid(美景)-第12章
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Preventable poverty stared at him from all sides。 He saw that our
social fabric is thrown together in the most haphazard fashion； without
scientific organization； with the greatest waste； in such a way that non…
producers win all the prizes while the toilers do without。 Yet out of this
system that sows hate and discontent； that is a practical denial of
brotherhood； of God； springs here and there love like a flower in a
dunghill。
He felt that art and learning； as well as beauty and truth； ought to walk
hand in hand with our daily lives。 But this is impossible so long as
disorder and cruelty and disease are in the world unnecessarily。 He heard
good people； busy with effects instead of causes； talk about the way out； as
if there could be any way out which did not offer an equality of
opportunity refused by the whole cruel system of to…day。
But Jeff could be in revolt without losing his temper。 The men who
profited by present conditions were not monsters。 They were as kind of
heart as he was； effects of the system just as much as the little bootblack
on the corner。 No possible good could come of a blind hatred of
individuals。
His Bohemian instinct sent Jeff ranging far in those days。 He made
friends out of the most unlikely material。 Some of the most radical of these
were in the habit of gathering informally in his rooms about once a week。
Sometimes the talk was good and pungent。 Much of it was merely wild。
His college friend； Sam Miller； now assistant city librarian； was one of
this little circle。 Another was Oscar Marchant； a fragile little Socialist poet
upon whom consumption had laid its grip。 He was not much of a poet； but
there burnt in him a passion for humanity that disease and poverty could
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THE VISION SPLENDID
not extinguish。
One night James Farnum dropped in to borrow some money from his
cousin and for ten minutes listened to such talk as he had never heard
before。 His mind moved among a group of orthodox and accepted ideas。 A
new one he always viewed as if it were a dynamite bomb timed to go off
shortly。 He was not only suspicious of it； he was afraid of it。
James was； it happened； in evening dress。 He took gingerly the chair
his cousin offered him between the hectic Marchant and a little Polish Jew。
The air was blue with the smoke from cheap tobacco。 More than one
of those present carried the marks of poverty。 But the note of the assembly
was a cheerful at…homeness。 James wondered what the devil his cousin
meant by giving this heterogeneous gathering the freedom of his rooms。
Dickinson； the single…taxer； was talking bitterly。 He was a big man
with a voice like a foghorn。 His idea of emphasis appeared to be pounding
the table with his blacksmith fist。
〃I tell you society doesn't want to hear about such things；〃 he was
declaiming。 〃It wants to go along comfortably without being disturbed。
Ignore everything that's not pleasant； that's liable to harrow the feelings。
The sins of our neighbors make spicy reading。 Fill the papers with 'em。
But their distresses and their poverty！ That's different。 Let's hear as little
about them as possible。 Let's keep it a well…regulated world。〃
Nearly everybody began to talk at once。 James caught phrases here
and there out of the melee。
〃。 。 。 Democratic institutions must either decay or become
revitalized。 。 。 。To hell with such courts。 They're no better than
anarchy。 。 。 。In Verden there are only two classes： those who don't get as
much as they earn and those who get more。 。 。 。 Tell you we've got to get
back to the land； got to make it free as air。 You can't be saved from
economic slavery till you have socialism。 。 。 。〃
Suddenly the hubbub subsided and Marchant had the floor。 〃All of
life's a compromise； a horrible unholy giving up as unpractical all the best
things。 It's a denial of love； of Christ； of God。〃
A young preacher who was conducting a mission for sailors on the
water front cut in。 〃Exactly。 The church is radically wrong because〃
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THE VISION SPLENDID
〃Because it hasn't been converted to Christianity yet。 Mr。 Moneybags
in the front pew has got a strangle hold on the parson。 Begging your
pardon； Mifflin。 We know you're not that kind。〃
Marchant won the floor again。 〃Here's the nub of it。 A man's a slave so
long as his means of livelihood is dependent on some other man。 I don't
care whether it's lands or railroads or mines。 Abolish private property and
you abolish poverty。〃
They were all at it again； like dogs at a bone。 Across the Babel James
caught Jeff's gay grin at him。
By sheer weight Dickinson's voice boomed out of the medley。
〃。 。 。 just as Henry George says： 'Private ownership of land is the nether
mill…stone。 Material progress is the upper mill…stone。 Between them； with
an increasing pressure； the working classes are being ground。' We're just
beginning to see the effect of private property in land。 Within a few
years。 。 。 。〃
〃What we need is to get back to Democracy。 Individualism has run
wild。 。 。 。〃
〃Trouble is we can't get anywhere under the Constitution。 Every time
we make a movecheck。 It was adopted by aristocrats to hold back the
people and that's what it's done。 Law〃
Apparently nobody got a chance to finish his argument。 The Polish
Jew broke in sharply。 〃Law！ There iss no law。〃
〃Plenty of it； Sobieski； Go out on the streets and preach your
philosophic anarchy if you don't believe it。 See what it will do to you。
Law's a device to bolster up the strong and to hammer down the weak。〃
James had given a polite cynical indulgence to views so lost to reason
and propriety。 But he couldn't quite stand any more。 He made a sign to Jeff
and they adjourned to the next room。
〃Your friends always soso enthusiastic？〃 he asked with the slightest
lift of his upper lip。
〃Not always。 They're a little excited to…night because Harshaw
imprisoned those fourteen striking miners for contempt of court。〃
〃Don't manufacture bombs here； do you？〃
Jeff laughed。 〃We're warranted harmless。〃
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James offered him good advice。 〃That sort of talk doesn't lead to
anythingexcept trouble。 Men who get on don't question the fundamentals
of our social system。 It doesn't do； you know。 Take the constitution。 Now
I've studied it。 A wonderful document。 Gladstone said。〃
〃Yes； I know what Gladstone said。 I don't agree with him。 The
constitution was devised by men with property as a protection against
those who had none。〃
〃Why shouldn't it have been？〃
〃It should； if vested interests are the first thing to consider。 In there〃
with a smiling wave of his hand〃they think people are more important
than things
