Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 85.djvu/273

Rh

A previous age witnessed the industrial revolution, which introduced the machine, and through it worked the entire reconstruction of society; now a second industrial revolution is in progress, which aims to lay a foundation of administrative principles underneath business practise, and which will inaugurate a new era of progress.

It lies within the power of this generation to end much of the drudgery and antagonism from which the operative classes suffer, by devising more just methods of partnership with the other factors in industry, and by harmonizing administrative methods with the requirements of human nature. It will be possible to unlock much of the energy of administrators, which is at present unused, because of the lack of an enthralling object of effort. It will be possible to raise the general tone of industry, by setting forth new ideals of efficiency, distributive justice and democracy.