The Labor enquirer., 1886-10-09
DENVER COLORADO, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 1886.

StanQarQ OF living.
II From this we can see that no real and
lasting good can be gained by the work
ing class until 1t is able to escape the
operations of this economic law. Anc
this law is bound up with the capitalist
system and can only be destroyed with
the system. To higgle with the capital
ist for higher wages is merely triflinl
with the matter. The thorough way
and therefore the only way worth both
ering with, is to stamp out the capitalist
class dominance and put the capital ir
the hands of the community-in short
lby Social Revolution.
Now let us see the effects of competi'
ton on the capitalist. They are always
trying to undersell each other in order
to monopolize the markets. This COM
petition is said to be benefit to the
people because it assures them cheap
goods. But how does the capitalist sell
his goods cheaply? Plainly, by hiring
cheap labor to make them Small
priced goods can only be got by paving
small price for the labor which pro
duced them. How proud some econo'
mists are of England's cheap goods
But let US take one illustration and see
where the reason for pride is. Cheap
shirts, say.
Now, thou ands of British women and
girls have to toll long, weary time at
the making of these shirts in return for
a few pence, barely enough to keep
them alive. 1t is we'll known that the
ranks of the street women are largely
recruited by girls who are driven there
to make up the subsistence amount
which they cannot get in payment for a
days hard work. Yet cheap goods such
as these are the very backbone of En-
glands commercial greatness. Time
was, in the dark, ignorant days, when
England was known over the world for
the bravery of her sons; now, in these
modern days of enlightenment, her
fame Is built upon the degradation oi
her daughters. And these goods are
called cheap! Surely, gained at such a
price they are very dear indeed.
But competition, the guiding principle
of the present system, makes these
things inevitable. The capitalists, ever
striving to oust each other from the
market force down the pay of those
making the goods until sheer want
drives to the worst of alternatives.
When wages cannot be forced lower
adulteration is resorted to until every
ware is manufactured lie giving evil to
those who make it and sell it, and bring
ing evil to those who consume it. So
recklessly far has this practice been car
ried that the state was compelled to in
terfere and pass measures for its sup
preston. This, however, was merely
the result of giving full freedom TO in,
dustrlal competition. MANY other argu-
ments of a similar and stronger kind
might be brought against competition,
but surely enough has been said. If it
be proven that a certain system ls the
means of reducing wages to starvation
point, forcing girls to the street, poison
ing f1od, making lying necessary &C
complishment for a traders life, aud
setting the world at SKIES and sevens
generally, surely every honest and in
telllgent person will condemn it.
Before leaving this part Of my subject
let me urge upon you that these evils are
caused by the system, not by the lndI-
viduals who manage it and profit by it.
Socialists are against capitalism rather
than against ca 2italists. No doubt the
capitalists are, for the most part, as bad
as any body of mortals can be, but 1t
would be useless to make war against
them personally. Their corruption is
only another proof of the inherent evil
of a system which degrades all having
aught to do with it-masters aud slaves
alike.
The principles which socialists seek
to put in place of this compf titi)n is in
dustral co operation. This change Is
Revolutionary because cooperation Is
the )ntrsdiction of competition. At
present the food, clothing, houses, means
of conveyance, machinery, etc, needed
bv society are supplied by spectators
who having got some capital, use 1t to
employ labor at the manufacture of
goods. The goods are afterwards sold at
a profit; this profit goes to incr ease the
speculators ricnes and thus fultilIs his
first and only intention. The capitalist
is influenced solely by desire to make
profit for himself, the consumers benefit
being considered only as means of
promoting this object. This system is
called in economic terms " production for
profit"
"Production for use" is what the So
cialists wish to put in its place. The old
system carries with it adulteratlon oi
goods, cheapening of labors, class strife
international ennity-in short, 1t means
that each man will best forward his OWL
Interests by trampllng on those of his
nelghbors. On the other hand, if goods
are made for use the very opposite o.
these things will occur just as surely and
naturally as the evils sprung from the
bad system in the other case, The ob