The Labor enquirer., 1883-12-22


forms which, in many cases, were made
by men who are dead, or who ought to
have died long ago, forgetting that social
lists evolve. that is to say, roll out of their
shells and seek the light, while you crawl
into your shell, like snspper-turtle, and
snap at everything within reach. The
constitution and platforms you refer to
were were presented as ameliorative de-
mands under the present system, and
intended to catch Knights of Labor,
trades unionists etc, and as an evidence
that they have been successful compare
your declarations of principles and plat
forms with theirs. We presented such
stuff as means to an end -the means
are educational, the end revolutionary;
in the first we succeeded, IN the second
we shall also succeed when the condi-
tons are ready for it. We hold, as q
truth, that q just and equitable distribu-
ton of the fruits of labor is utterly inn
possible under the present system Of
society, You hold contrary opinion.
We claim that the Bage-system has be-
come destructive of the highest interests
of mankind, and we desire to abolish
this system with view Of establishing
cooperative production In its stead, in
order to secure more just and equitable
distribution of the fruits of labor.
What would you substitue2 You say
that "the essential and distinctive plank
in the socialistic platform is the State
regulation of wages and industry" Of
wages, deny it. Socialism, as distinctly
stated in their platform, seeks to abolish
wages and substitute cooperative indus
try, regulated by an equitable exchange
of time and service, or of products with
out profit. AS to the regulation of in
dustry, this is one of the many details
which will adjust itself, once the coop
erative system takes the place of the
competitive. hold, with all other So
cialists, that should the competiev system
be abolished, we will require something
else to take its place. Now, what shall
lit be? We DESTROYED the old because of
its injustice; we must therefore, be very
careful to provide new one based upon
Justice. But no sooner do we present
even theory, and attempt to prove its
practical application, than we find those
come forward to oppose it who claim ig-
norance of tho cruel ..iron law of wages"
and who call upon Socialists to explain
what is the law Gf any that regulates
wages" 1 would therefore advise MI,
Simpson to read Spencer, Mill, Say,
Ricardo, Marx, -Lassalle, and others, for
information upon this cruel law, as it
would consume more space than could be
given in this reply. In Lassalle's "Open
Letter." the workings of this law are
forcibly presented and clearly stated.
The celebrated Catholic Bishop Won
Kettler accepts the doctrine of the cruel
""iron law of wages" !" and assents to the
teachings of socialists. The objects sought
to be obtained by an equitable system of
government should be: The production
of the greatest quantity (of all that man
kinds wants may require) in the least
possible time, with the least expenditure
of physical and mental energy. Under
our present want of system the very re-
verse of this is the case. And ut is
surprising thing that any person mot a
trades-unionist) with any experience Of
production on large scale can entertain"
an opposite opinion upon so clear
proposition as this. "How can one ex-
pect that the state shall be able to deter
mine the fair rate of wages of all the
employees in great piano factory, where
division of labor is carried on to so great
an extent? Before waiting for an answer
to this question, and in order to confuse,
Mr., Simpson employs the same tactics as
our capitalistic enemies resort to, by
iumbling together the wages to be paid
to ''the constructor of wheel-barrow,
court house, Dutch oven, a>shirt, the
builder of an ocean steamship or loco
motive" I will answer this, thus: One
would be an idiot to expect the state, as
it at present exists, to determine any
thing, that is fair, and no socialist ever
advocated the opening of piano or any
other kind of factories by the govern
ment. Some socialists desire to bring
the cooperative system to the attention
of the people, and in order to make their
views clear illustrate as an example the
postoffice management and other govern
ment efforts, as an evidence OF how
economical affairs of general interest
could be managed under cooperative
system. Now the new Jail could be built,
once the old one was removed. You say
Ethat, as member of a trades union, you
fhave seen the difficulty that exists in
forming a scale of prices that can be at
all satisfactory. Your scale has no fixed
basis, no zero point, no starting or end
ing place; it is made out of an elastic and
| crooked material, and expands and con-
tracts under "cruel iron law" of wages.
But this, 1 see, you have almost dis
covered, for you say, continually some
point crops up, shoinwgin equality in the
scale. Revision after revision is necessary,
and yet something is overlooked, or a
clause is found not to work satisfactory
But you again let loose your hold, and In