Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-05-17
PROBLEMS OF OUR TIME.

RfeoEIen Md0dsfne.

Grafton, may be classified under two heads:
First-The best means to restrain the
growth of giant corporations and the &C
Communication of vast fortunes in the hands
ofthe very few; and
Second-The most effective way to give
Trades Unions and the various combinations
OF wage earners chance to improve their
condition, and yet at the same time to re-
strain them within proper bounds 50 as pre-
vent these combinations from becoming in
turn oppressive-perhsps even destructive
of the general interests of society-thus put
ting the common good, as they frequently
do, in peril
Having recently made Socialism brief
but special study. l have come to feel fully
persuaded in my mind that the various
forms under which the Socislistic move
ment appears in the world involve and en-
body some strange dreams of wild and i'm
practicable enthusiasts; and yet | am not
prepared to deny, nor would | seek in any
way to hide the fact, that at the bottom OF
this movement, taken as 0 whole, there is
much that is worthy Of serious thought and
it appears to me to be exceedingly probable
that during the next century-perhaps the
time may be Tess or more extended-these
Socislistic sgitations will lead to important
notifications of onr present social aud
business methods, BY which the fortunate,
the lucky, the shreWd, the successful &C
eumulators of wealth will not be seriously
hiudered nor harmed, and yet the wage ear
ners-the men and women who have moth
ing but their daily labor TO offer wherewith
10 win a ivelihood-will be better protected
and find their condition materially impro-
we'd. This is an end to be deyoutly desired
by ell good men.
The rewards of the special virtues inyol-
we'd in exceptional business intelligence, in
thrift, economy and enterprise can never
be eat Off e., taken from the forces that
actaate men in the business walks of life
witboUt bringing Cur social methods into
direct conflict with Gods ordinance of
labor: in the sweat Of thy face shalt thou
eat bread" IF any will nOt work, neither
shall he eat.
There is no way Of bringing all men to a
condition OF farlng equally well. No social
revolution can ever be established that will
result in this kind or measure Of equality
An attempt to bring this about would con-
travene the fundamental laws Of life, and
would after every fair experiment, prove
selEdesirUctive and necessarily end in It's
own complete overthrow. In short, were We
TO undertake by Law, or by any system, or
any conceivable method-underv which such
an experiment might be attempted-to
divide the wealth of the world and give all
men an equal share in this worlds lands
and goods, and in whatever else there may
be of special value, the equality o. condition
would not last and if an attempt were made
to force the matter, i, e., to keep these
values equally divided and to make this
condition endure-it would end in bringing
all civilization to stanastill, and soon rele
gate the world back to o condition OF bar
barism. All advancement, all growth, all
prosperity. all education-in one word, civil
iizstion itself is the outgrowth OF that oP
prtunity given to Thrift economy, intelli'
gence careful living and prudence, by which
it is made possible for some men to become
richer and to improve their condition above
their fellows. You might as we'll attemp: to
control the sweet influences Of the Pleiades,
change the stars in their courses, turn the
! planets themselves back in their orbits, and
| thus reverse the order OF the heavenly bodies,
as to overcome the lew which am thus ex-
planning, law for which no mortal man is
responsible, as it may Justly and properly be
| said TO be inwoven with the very constitution
and order of Inc Universe and which could
not By any possibility of means be got rid OF
without killing some OF the bes. indSences
| that govern the world
Now take it, that the common good not
ONLY demands that those who acquire an I'M
| due measure of wealth should be brought
| under some reasonable restraints now un.
| known-I will not now stop to consider the
proper limit to be ixed-but that all power.
| fol and also practically unlimited corpora
tions-whlch are we'll known 10 be soul-less
should land may be brought under proper
restraints; but that Trades Unions, and the
combinations Of wage earners BY whatever
name known-which are really in the ma
ture of new and modern corporations
should also be brought under the control
and restraints Of wise ard legal regulations.
In the first place, is it pot matter OIL
common knowledge, that great and rival
corporations are constantly comoining-
cooling their issues to exact hlgh rates-or
opducting what may be called rate wars
With each other, by which the generally good
,s sacrificed? When q rate war,-ln which
case there is cutting Of rates-is going on
there NAV sc em to be some advantage t. the
pubhc; but these rate wars are motor )uslY
txceptional and .shoTtli7ed, ani whenever
he fight is over, and come one|orp9ratlon
has gained the advantage it has sought, the
issues are again pooled, and then for pro-
longed period the public is literally plum
dered. and is made to pay three aud four
fold the losses and the waste occaAoned BY
the previous conflict.
Is it not possible to establish Laws, and to
enforce these laws when so estabhshed, that
shall compel corporations 70 keep open
hooks: TO limit them TO a reasonable rate
of profit on invested capital; making a
liberal allowance for all labor and talent
emploYed in conducting the business and
something further for the risks involved IN
trade, but enforcing the strictest criminal re,
latiops for all watering OF stocks; Tor all
falsihcations made to deceive the public;
and going so far even as to enforce the tor,
feiture of ell charters, whenever criminal
course Of fraud is parposed BY the officers
Of corporation for the purpose OF conceal
ing iaportant facts with the view Of de
fraudipg the public? Why may not lsw'
be established defining and fixing wha: Ii
right and proper in these matters and Why
may not courts-or conmissions-be ereat
ed, that shall have full jurisdiction IN all
such cases and see that these laws are prop
erly applied and Justly euforced7
Then, again, who has not wetchsi the
course, in recent times, of Trades Unions
and the strikes whick they so frequently In
augurate, without feeling that the time is
coming, if it is not already at hand, when
something must be done to prevent these
! rnnrements in critical financial times, IRON