The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-05-31
GETTING THINGS MIXED.
a Professor Amuses Himself with Soap
Bubbles" Instead OF "Men Of straw"

Especial SOTrcSIpuucHeV'J
Professor Simon Newcomb, LID, +,
r. A. S., looks large in print, but If a
paper in The North American Review
for May is a fair test here are some
things the gentleman who struggles un.
der that awful load does not know all
about. His declared purpose in writing
the article in question was TO puncture
the soap bubbles of socialism" but he
got the different wings Of what is called
the labor movement so mixed that the
wrong party was prodded more fire.
quently than the one aimed at The
trades unions are not, as n rule, social
istic. The trades unionist is not a 30
cialist per 80. 1t is true there are many
individual exceptions. and a few unions
composed Of Germans have socialistlc
platforms, but the trades unionists, as a
rule, do not blow the soap bubbles OF
socialism" nor are the Socialists respon-
sible for the programmes and acts Of the
trades unionists.
While this important error destroys
the force of Mr.. Newcomb's criticism Of
the reforms proposed by the Socialists,
his article contains several statements
which are Of general application to the
economic discussions Of the day, and as
such should be noticed.
If" he says, "a large body OF men be-
lieye that any scheme Of industrial reor-
ganization would be beneficial, they are
ut liberty to put that system into opera
ton and for their own exclusive benefit,
and thus to demonstrate what society at
large could do in the same way. This
fact has been too much forgotten" No,
it has not been forgotten. On the con
trary there are several colonies and hun
dreds Of other cooperative enterprises in
America that are struggling, short hand
cd, against the competitive system and
the ignorance which surrounds them
with devotion that marks their pro
Inoters as heroes. But to say to the
millions Of impoverished worhngmen
who cannot get twenty-four hours ahead
Of their butcher and baker, 800 into
business for yourself if you want to prove
that you don't like the present system"
is like kicking man when he is down.
If Mr.. Newcomb will quarrel with those
who have tho means to set these
schemes OF industrial reorganization
ON their feet, but who fail to do 1t, no
fault will be found with him from this
source, but he complains only OF the
trades unionists and Socialists.
Another soap bubble" destroyed Is
one that certainly was never blown by
labor refor1ner. 1t is the divide"
scheme. With an earnestness that is
really painful under the circumstances,
Mr. Newcomb discusses that old joke OF
the funny papers, and he contends that
the rich have sorrows and skeletons in
the closet" as well rs an abundance of
the material comforts Of life. Too true;
but bow many Of these are due to the
way in which the wealth was acquired
or is held? The possession of the good
things Of life does not necessarily cause
sorrow. Those troubles which come in
the natural course of events have to be
met by both the rich and the poor The
advocate Of change in the system
claims that the rich will be rs greatly
benefited thereby, through relief from
worry and mental labor, rs the poor
would be through betterment Of their
material condition.
And now we come to the most absurd
statement in an article full Of alb
surdities "To learn that there would
he scarcity, even if every one had the
money to buy, because there is not
enough to go round requires a course Of
thought which, though easy, is entered
upon by few" Then follows an ex-
ample, showing that all the clothing
made is used, and that still one tenth Of
the people are in rags and another tenth
insufficiently clad. Let it be repeated.
TO the credit of the economists Of today
Though many Of them are bad ones that
this course of thought is entered upon
by few" There is not merchant on
the continent who does not know that
his sales are limited by the ability OF the
people to buy, and that they are able in
proportion to the amount Of their labor
and its remuneration. There is no
danger that the demand will for long at
time exceed the supply, under normal
conditions. There are thousands OF
clothing makers out Of work or only EN-
ployed part of the time.
Idle or undergrad shoemakers need
more clothing than they are able to pur-
chase, and many tailors' children are
without shoes. And has Mr.. Newcomb
never heard Of that fiendish thing called
"overproduction," which turns work,
men out without resources, and gives
the manufacturer the chance to cor
ner the market and raise pricesi Does
not the gentleman know that pair Of
hands comes into the world with every
mouth that is to be fed and back to be
clothed, and that the steady employ
ment Of those hands. with present me-
chanical appliances, during shorter
workday than has yet been adopted,
produces or distributes sufficient to pro
vide for three persons?
Mr.. Newcomb Sees point which he
says social reformers might urge with
great force, but that they have not done
%, and are not, therefore, honest and sin.
oere. What do you suppose this point Isl
II is one the Socialists have been urging
permstently for twenty years: That .