Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-10-28
Changed Conditions Demand q
Changed Political Economy.

Changed Political Economy.
EDITORS HERALp-Changed conditions
demand changed political economy.
That the functions, which are monopolis-
tic in their nature, should not be left to
private enterprise seems self-evident;
for the laws of competition cannot
operate where the competitor is only one.
And SO it acts not as spur on further
development in the line of cheapness,
and the selfshness of the individual can
bear a complete sway over the needs of
all humanity. Whenever such under
! takings are left in individual hands,
society in self.defense finds itself COM
PEELED to interfere with private enter
prises in a more or less irregular and not
very successful way. For instance view
the local railroad legislation in our
Western States and also the Interstate
Commerce law. There have, however,
lately shown themselves over the hori-
zon sundry combinations called
trusts. These render many in
dustries monopolistic, which were
not SO before. This most radical
and irradicable change in the condition
of society has not been quite ''caught on
to" by our worthy worshippers of
''lsissez faire," and such journals as the
New York Nation, which, as rule, is
very explicit and practical in all it advo-
Gates, merely denounces trusts and seems
to think that the removal of our tariff bar
rier coupled with laws and legal decisions
disclaiming trusts as unconstitutional,
| will quite remove the curse. They do
not realize that if we shall keep men
from forming combinations to re-
gulate their trades, it necessarily
implies a far greater amount OF
interference with personal affairs than
naturalization possibly could. This last
change would not in any sense be against
natures laws; for even Huxley tells us
to substitute consciously adapted co0rdi-
nation for internecine competition, if the
organism which will prove the fittest to
survive is also to be the best. No revolu-
| tionary overthrow of our settled institu-
tions is intended. The revolution in
itself has already commenced and is adj
vancing with rapid strides, whether or
not we wish it. We only must not blind
our eyes to it, but, as soon as we may,
adapt our laws to the changing condi-
tons. An ardent move toward reform
in civil service, and an extension
Of nationalized industries from their
present narrow limit is what i'm.
mediately concerns US. The OBJ
ject may be accomplished by
purchase, and if the monopolists refuse
to sell in order to raise the price Of their
possessions, there is no reason why soci-
ETY. should not itself enter into the strife,
and setting up competing industries
| fight against the devil with his own hot
fire. Where is the difference in ethics
between one man or ombination's crush
ing others by competition and our social
Systems breaking with this self-same
cudgel the stiff backs that have broken
many others. l only put this as
der,sier resort to be used if attempts
of extortion should be made on the part
of the monopolist while the course OF
purchase is pursued. ALI over this wide
and broad country today almost
all lawful trades and all professions are
absolutely ruled by unions and by socie.
ties. These scattered and crude attempts
Of order must to the seeing eye, which
has been opened by reading Bellamy,
seem prophetical of highly specialized
coordination in the dim future.
JeHAN DITLER FREDERIKsEN.
100 Baronne street, New Orleans, Oc-
tober 18th.