Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-07-05

price, and to diminish its cost. But
when centralized wealth has acquired
the field, prices Immediately begin to
| rise.
1t is easier 10 see n wrong than to
suggest remedy. And it is hard to
discriminate between the rcmediabIc
evils Of society and those inherent in
man and nature. We are apt 20 forget
that owing to human imperfcctions, no
possible adjustment Of society can
avoid all evils. The only thing that
can be done by those humanely inclined,
is to aid society in pursuing that course
that diminishes suffering to its minimum
and augments the means of comfort
and pleasure 10 their maximum. Many
laborers, alive to the evils of the COM
petitive system, rush into the vagaries
of communism rs Il panacca for their
woes. Now, do not wish TO raise the
usual cry of ''mad dog" against COM
munism. | appreciate all its difficult
ties, but with John Stuart Mill, can
say "If the choice were to be made
between communism and the present
state of society with all its sullerings
and injustice, if the institution of pri-
vate property necessarily carried with
it is consequence, that the produce
of labor should bo apportionet as we
nowl see it, in inverse ratio TO the
labor performed, the largest pOr-
ton given to those who work not,
and the necessities of life denied
those who do the most exhaustive bodily
labor-if this or communism were the
alternative, all tho difficulties, great or
small Of communism would be rs dust
in the balance" We are all, more or
less communists, and it iSonly u uues-
ton of prudence how far we shall let
the principle sway our actions. Car
ricd to the extent Of relieving men
from the necessity of frugality and
foresight, it would eventually produce
q nation of imbcciles. 1t would put a
premium on stupidity over genius,
encourage men fanatical over delusions
of one kind and another to fritter
away their time ut the public expense,
increase improvdGnce by refusal to let
Il mans self-dcnial better his condi-
tion, multiply government officers sup
ported ut the general expense, and
open tho lloOdgatcs of universal con-
sumption to wash the foundations from
industry. For we may set it down as
automatic that accumulated capital is
necessity of civilized industy. Every
battle between labor and capital is an
injury 10 both. Under present ccono-
my, demand for labor, and hence,
wages, are directly rs amount of capi-
tai being invested. Capital is invested
in proportion to safety and amount of
return Safety results from stability of
government. And stability of govern
mcnt depends on the contGntmcnt of
the masses through the administration
of justice. Capital therefore in its sell
fish scramble may be penny wise and
pound foolish when it fails to do Just
by the labor, especially where the ia
borcr is the rich mans equal in the
sovereign powers of the nation. If Ia !
Dor tends toward the extreme of com.
capital, unless it finds itself |
exceptionally advantaged by protective
tariffs, advocates extreme individual
ism. 1t scOrns paternal government
and advocates the ''lct alone" policy.
Its digrcSsiOns from this policy always
jetOken some selfish reason. Both
and individualism have
.hc realm of truth, and both have been
by able philosophers. BaStiat
n france, and Herbert Spencer in
England, have advocated restricting
he functions of government to the en-
Orcemcnt of contract. If the world
we're one grand brotherhood, and nat
ional lines were unknown; if pcrfec-
luality of all conditions could be OBJ.
aimed for all, and philanthropy was
he motive spring for the rich mans
then, indeed, it would
'o true economy to restrict the func-
ions of government to the enforce
nent of contracts. But while men I
ntagoniae each other as nations and I
and seek only their i'm }
Mediate selfish qualifications, it will y
ways be necessary TO make the !
tate assume tho exercise of pow l.
rs which partako of the nature
t restrictions on individual liberty. Q
very man who advocates our public d
chool and postal systems, our method o
sanitary inspection and supervision t
yer mines and factories for the health II
nd safety of laborers, our public V
ospitals and public parks and libra Il
les, our laws in regard to usury, and b
ur protective tariff system, is to the
xtent OF this advocacy, communist. o
overnmcnt, at best is necessary evil, II
nd its functions should extend to that il
Oint where the evil OF government ii
nd the evil of selfish liberty balance il
lch other. Professor Winchell in Il {;
tie American Review, raises q great Il
" against the communistic tendencies
our people, blind to the fact that it 8,
the only way TO perpetuate our ma. ~ ~
on. If am communistic, it is be- .
lusc | seek the largest individualism \,
with the nature of existing /,
len, and if | am individualistic, it is II,
1cause | would realize the dream of =,
faster than the communist u
nows how. "No man liveth unto HIM
If" Our intellects, powers and II
ealth were given to us by society IL
lst, and we owe to society future all D
at we have received, and moro. 1t SC
q miserable delusion that individual M
an is the maker and architect of his W
yn fortune. The telephone was not th
@ product of Bell, nor the electric 81
yht gift of Edison. Millions of dis
'veries had to be made and given to S;
csc men and others gratis, before m
cir success was achieved by putting q
last little individual increment. he
Bad as is the condition that enables ed
10 man to acquire the fruits of an al
hers labor, it can bo considerably M
itigated by teaching the holders that TO
cir right of possession is simply q
owardship, and that the conception wi
at has heretofore obtained of the un- an
nited rights of individual interest is a
aringly false. 1t must como to this, fa
the fires of revolution will soon wi
eep with destructive violence all over w.
0 land, and the great experiment of co
publican government prove hor- tn
,le abortion. The dull roar of the on
'tant breakers now warn tho pilots of 50
r ships of state that they are heading
destruction, and must tack with q 4.
ong, wise, cautious hand, or we nO,
il soon be hurled into maelstrom of Ha
Dny. III