The Social Problem.

Dr. Wines delivered last evening in Sever 11 a most interesting address which deserved a much larger audience than was present. He spoke, in brief, as follows:

There are three functions of reform which become a necessity in every state, namely, that of protection of institutions, relief of privation, and the improvement of social conditions. Only organized effort can accomplish these measures and as the government is the only power in the state which can control every individual it is the duty of the government to supervise these matters. Of course the state cannot interpose any opposition to voluntary effort; where people spontaneously undertake to make roads, build schools and found charitable institutions they relieve the government of some of its duties and the government is generally willing to help them with subsidies. Yet whatever private charities may do, the fact remains that this does not absolve the government from their responsibility. The state ought to superintend everything and there are some things which it ought not to have outside its own power. For instance, there ought to be no system of private detectives, no private armies. The government should reserve the right of declaring war or of putting down armed resistance; riots, insurrections, and especially crime, which breed ill-will and evil, the state is perfectly justified in suppressing.

Now as regards relief from privation. Some take the view that in the social struggle the very people who ought to, perish; that both private and public charities are an injury and that men have no right to take the hard earned money of some and give it to the less fortunate. Others, who go to the other extreme, desire that there should be an equitable distribution of goods. But this is pure idealism and we all know that human nature makes this idea impossible. Between these two courses the state must steer an intermediate course. The large sums expended annually for state schools for the deaf, the blind, lunatics, and for other charitable institutions is proof that the popular mind is in favor of it.

Lastly, we come to the regulation and improvement of the social conditions. All reform should be amended only in the statutes after the most careful deliberation and investigation. This canniest be effected by official inquiry, for individual research never would have the same success as an investigation backed by the government.