The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1883-02-24

cOmDhatl0n OF junction, to which w
have referred. As the life of society
is implicated in the health of its parts
the preservation of the public hcaltl
imposes on the government new
function, which was unknown in tn,
lower forms of social organization.
And so in the development of the
industrial organization of society
The multiplication of human want
aud caprices, the diversified interest.
of an expanding civilization, the active
inventive genius of our century, have
produced an infinite diversity in the
forms of human labor. In the first
stages Of these processes Of speciali-
cation. they were safely regulated by
tabsolute freedom in the selection OF
employment, and by the law of sup
ply and demand; and in the beginning
of this development, the economical
writers united in ascribing unlimited
potency to the law of supply and de-
mand, as the arbiter and regulator of
these processes. But within the last
| quarter of century new agencies
have come in play, which have
brought the efficiency of this law into
serious question, and it has suffered
infringement in the practice of all
progressive and enlightened states.
For it has been demonstrated by in
cpntestible results, that the uncon
strained movement of this principle
of supply and demand, leads to
the concentration OF exorbitant
power in the hands Of one class.
The natural inherent power of capital,
reinforced by discoveries of natural
forces, which capital can always en-
gross, has given to the plutoeracy,
under the law of supply and demand,
a direction of social forces, less os-
tensible but not less real, than that ex-
ereised by the aristocracy under the
old feudal system. The tendency has,
therefore, been constant toward the
consolidation of the power of the few,
and the ABSORPTION of all enterprises
by corporations and syndicates. Vast
capital, welded by few mastery or
ganizerS under concerted plan, can
always paralyze the competition of
the many, loaded down with interest
and commissions and the necessities of
a family, and so the law of supply and
demand works steadily to the promo
tion of great consolidated enterprises,
under one consolidated management.
Large industrial enterprises are con
tinuousl y roofing out the dffused
forms of industry that prevailed at
the beginning of this century. The
cottager making shoes or weaving
cloth by his own fireside as an indie
pendent artisan, has become almost
extinct in all civilized lands. The
great smoking factory has taken his !
occupation away.
1t must be observed, too, that we
are now observing only the beginning |
of this phase of industrial develop |
ment; for its history can hardly be |
said to cover longer period than so |
years. 1t requires only the applica-
tion of simple process of deduetiYe
reasoning TO infer that the same pro-
cesses will operate in all the depart
ments industrial life. Already we see
the retail-trade of great cities concen-
trating in immense bazaaFs, where by
virtue of the combination of vast capi-
tai and organization, the competition
Of the small shop-keeper is struck
down. Already we see the whole bust
ness of country, IN certain branches
Of manufacture, such as matches,
starch, petroleum and rubber goods, |
passing into the hands of certain cor
oorations, virtually holding the powers
If monopoly as safely as if they were
occurred by the Kings patent. Already
We see one powerful corporation strid- |
ng the western continent like Colos-
us, aud holding iu its hands the wires
llong which throb the electric pulses
# country's trade, and Of the life of
great people. The law governing
hese phenomena must lead by mex
'rable logical necessity to similar re-
ults in every department of business,
nd we may expect that its operations
sill be accelerated in geometric pro
Iortion, according to the law of ply
les, by which the momentum of fall
ng bodies increases according to the
quares of the distances,
The social lncoayenIeRces Of this
NV have escaped general observation,
ecause it has operated in conjunction
18th vast congeries of social forces,
hat modify its influence; for so long 7
) the people enjoy the material com
lns of life they do not stop to spec
late on social tendencies. The So =
ial condition of the great body of I
he people has been SO ameliorated by !
le results of modern enterprise, and q
lEention, that there has been no Q
ressing necessity for full and accn- $
,te analysis Of this law. In fact, il
le ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the opulent {
asses, By virtue Of the tendencies Fl
cscribed, has been only relative for II
J classes have participated, in D s
easure, in the vast benefits flowing i
ON the new industrial system. But d
yen this relative advantage has so v
the social equilibrium, and n
lereby the stability of social order, i.
lat il has led to new political arrange y
ents in every country in order to c
,unterbalance it. As power, how t,
,er, lodged ia one class, always tends d
its own perpetuation, and to the q
lgrossinent Of all the advantages Of S
,ciety, the ascendency, thus secured ii
privileged few, has been felt Il
'erywhere as q serious menace to ii
le public welfare. For, unless curb is
|, this power, held BY virtual oil G
lrchy, must result Ia tile establish &
ent Of a. iNperiam II iosperio, dom a
aftny fha leOiSlafure mlzZlin1 tLp | a.