When Olympia Readers Argued About Inequality and the Machine
At a Unitarian class in 1891 Olympia, seventeen adults debated Henry George, concentrated wealth, and whether machines were turning workers into automatons.
An Interesting Class Discussion at the Unitarian Church.
Yesterday immediately after the morning service of the Unitarian society at Tacoma Hall, seventeen adults met in a class, under the leadership of Byron Millett, to consider chapter four of Henry George's Social Problems, entitled "Two Opposing Tendencies." The teacher gave an original interpretation to Nebuchadnezzar's dream about going out to grass.
Then present conditions relating to the discontent of the masses, the concentration of great wealth in the hands of the few, and the impoverishment of the many were discussed by Mesdames Whitney, Stone, Hale and Sternberg and Messrs. Chilberg and Large. Mrs. Whitney thought that on the whole the rich had about as hard, if not a harder, time than the poor. Mr. Large spoke very pointedly about the tendency of improved machinery to make men automatons. Mrs. Stone took exception to where Mr. George states, "In whatever lies beyond common experience we assume the beliefs of those about us, and it is only the strongest intellects that can raise themselves above the accepted opinions of their times." She said that she had from childhood been disinclined to accept the opinions or conclusions of even her nearest and dearest friends or relatives unless they appeared reasonable; that she believed such to be the rule with regard to others and not the exception in any age. Mrs. Hale said that she believed Mr. George to be correct on this proposition. Mr. Chilberg contended that we look too often at effects and do not endeavor to ascertain the underlying causes that produce so much discontent in our social relations. Next Sunday's subject will be the "March of Concentration," when the unhealthy growth of large cities to the detriment of agricultural districts will be canvassed, and why the number of large farms in the United States is increasing while small ones are decreasing.
In about two weeks Mrs. Hale will have a room fitted up in her new brick block opposite the theater, so that this class can meet twice a week. Mrs. Hale's offer is greatly appreciated by the members of the class.
“Mr. Large spoke very pointedly about the tendency of improved machinery to make men automatons.”
The class was reading Henry George at a moment when Olympia's economy was tied to steam, timber and rail—and its members worried openly about concentrated wealth and machines displacing labor. Those arguments have a familiar ring in a city now debating housing costs, automation and who benefits from growth.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.