5
THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, JUN E 29, 1899.
even those in domestic service; all which Darwin added to evolution­
sacrifice comfort and convenience ary thought, and he made these
to be like their supposed superiors: ideas a part of hie materialistic
and more surprising still, women system.
Buchner’s second principal work,
demanding the right of suffrage, go
t>efore committees of Congress, and “Man—His Past, Present and Fu­
State Legislature, and Conventions ture,” is mainly an exposition of
in the same absurd attire. I re­ Darwinism, with Haeckel’s ideas,
joice that the senior editor of the as given in his “ History of Crea-
Woman’s Journal has made his tion,” added, with chapters relat
protest against the trailing skirt. ing to government, marriage and
What should we think of our sires industrial and social reform, to­
and sons if they were such slaves gether with several pages of inter­
to the behests of fashion? Suppose esting and valuable notes.
Buchner was, unlike Strauss,
some French Beau Brummel should
send forth a decree that they democratic in his nature, and he
should have trailing ruffles on their was deeply interested in the com­
trousers, and the upper gear should mon people. He deplored indus­
be as smooth as the skin, banish­ trial w rongs and inequalities of op­
ing the fourteen pockets from their portunity, which made it possible
usual hiding places; with all their for colossal wealth and extreme
appendages, pocket-book, knife, poverty to exist alongside of each
pencil, letters, and cigars stuffed in other. Buchner is not much read
the crown of their hat or the top of and is not much quoted now, and
the trousers. Imagine our beloved interest in his works is not likely
lords of creation, rushing to and to be revived. As a thinker he
fro in the busy marts of trade, with was not original, but he was honest
their hands behind them holding and fearless, and he helped greatly
up their ruffled trousers, their to weaken theological influence, not
heads decorated with feathers and only in his own country, but in
flags. We may laugh at the pic­ other countries into whose lan­
ture, but our women look quite as guages his works were translated.
Buchner visited the United
ridiculous. The men could no
longer offer an arm in an emer­ States some time in the seventies
gency to a feeble sister, but at the and lectured in a number of cities.
risk of trailing their ruffles in the As a lecturer he did not prove to be
dust. Thus, as citizens of a re­ as interesting as he was as a writer,
public, and in the good time com­ and his expectations were not real­
ing, we should be obliged to go ized. After his return home some
single file to the polls on election articles appeared over his name in
day, and still worse, with these re­ a German paper which were sev­
stricted attitudes in both sexes, the erely critical of much which he had
next generation of children would seen in America. Some of the
probably be ushered into the world criticisms were merited, but others
with withered arms. I tremble to were based upon observations too
think what I have done to get the limited to give them any value,
suffrage for women, fearing all the and were really unjust. Of their
foolish fashions they might by law sincerity and honesty there was no
doubt, as there was of nothing that
cause to appear among us.
he ever wrote for the public.
Although in correspondence with
Dr. Ludwig Buchner.
Buchner, I failed by an accident to
meet him when he was in the
BY B. F. UNDERWOOD.
United States, and I can speak of
Dr. Ludwig Buchner died in him personally only by hearsay.
Darmstadt, Germany, on M ay .l. I am told that he was rather
His work, the one by which he was brusque and dogmatic. I should
best known, “ Force and Matter,” infer this from his writings, but
was published in 1855. It has the concurrent testimony of those
been called “the Bible of the Ger­ who were intimate with him is that
man Materialists.” Twelve editions he was a man of high character
of this book were issued in twenty and of many attractive qualities.
years, and it led to a large amount
No man is good enough to gov«
of animated discussion in which
many distinguished thinkers took ern another man without that
part.
other’s consent. When the white
Buchner owed his popularity as man governs himself, that is self-
an expounder of materialism to the government; but when he governs
unsurpassed clearness of his style, himself and also governs another
his positive and confident manner, man, that is more than self-govern­
his avoidance of abstruseness in ment—that is despotism. Our re­
the treatment of his subject, and liance is in the love of liberty; our
his “enthusiasm of humanity.” He defense is in the spirit which prizes
presented the thought of Vogt and liberty as the heritage of all men in
Moleschott more lucidly than it all lands, everywhere. Those who
had been given in their books, and deny freedom deserve it not for
his name came to be associated themselves.—[Abraham Lincoln.
with theirs.
Buchner was among the first to
Are you acquainted with the
appreciate and accept the ideas I merits of the Forstner auger bit?
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