Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-25
An Experiment In state socialism.

vegetable WOflut ~ Aush"'" ~
TO lind their counterpart IN Interest ~
the political aud social developments
taking place In that antpoiM WORTH
We have seen already tha' sucn
changes may occur without the know
ledge OF the outside nations. For the
welding OF the Australian colonies Into
one Federated republic was completed
almost before the people OF Great
Rritaiu. who are most interested, were
aware Of II. This other change, the
Transformation Of government In
Australia Into something closely ap-
preaching the Ideal OF the State
socialIats, has gone forward oven more
silently, and has now proceeded far
enough to present the world with
interesting lessons In the way OF re-
suits.
In Australia In general, and especial
Iy In the colony of Victoria, the labor
organizations have carried pretty
nearly everything before them. Strikes
have been more numerous and more
formidable than IN any other country.
As rule, the strikers have succeeded
In their objects. The organizations
have, moreover, obtained very COM
plete control over the political author
tiles. These have catered 70 the labor
vote, until the vote II practically su.
preme In tho determination Of internal
afiairs. We have, therefore, q com.
munity whose atibirs are arrnnged and
conducted essentially on the labor
planI The eight.hour day 10 practice
ally accepted, not only In all the lead.
ing trades but by the local and colonial
authorities. High wages have been
secured In the SAME manner. Severe
restrictions on the number OF persons
engaged In any trade are In effect;
and the surplus OF labor-for there
must always bc surplus where such
limitations are enforccd--has been ems
ploySd by the authorities in the con-
strIction Of public works. Tho indus
trial organization Of tho South Sea
colony " fairly established on the trade
union plan. A high protective tariff
secures home Industries against COM
petition from countries where longer
hours and lower wages are In force.
The public lands Of the colonies are
held mostly for the future. There In u
system OF minutcly detailed factory
acts, which regulate tho employment
| OF labor In manufacturing Industries.
| There Ia tremendous educational ma.
shine. There arc early closing acts for
chops; and, In fact, everything that OF.
ganixed labor has asked from the State,
Il has received. Organized labor Ia che
State, and II has put In operation all
the least doubtful OF the socialistio ideas
that have been suggested elsewhere.
These facts In the case are gathered
from the single review Of the subject
which has appeared, as far " we are
aware, an admirable paper by MIR.
Charles Fairfield, In u recent puDlica.
tioR. Now M 10 tho results OF q sys.
tem which IL urged Nr adoption In this
country M well sas In others. And
these, fortunately, are obtainAble from
an entirely reliable source. A large
| portion Of tho latest number Of the coii-
sular reports Of the United States IL
devoted 10 an elaborate report on the
state Of labor In Australasia, by Mr.. q.
w. Griffin, consul ut sydney. From
this we may gather exactly what has
been accomplished by this experiment
In State socialism. Mr.. Griffin states,
10 begin with, that foreign immigra-
ton has practically ceased. The
labor organizations In tho colo-
nies have decided that they
want no further competition, and
have ceased 10 assist or desire an add.
ton TO their Plumbers. As a conse-
| quence, many industries languish nom
lack Of skilled labor for their conduct.
We come now TO the question Of wages.
II Ia not open 10 question that the Ia.
borers OF Australia secure high rate
OF remuneration for q days work re.
strlcted, In nearly all employmcnts. to
eight hours. That Il one side Of the
subject, and the side which labor
unions are able 10 control. Let us look
at tho other.
at Ia the experiences Of American
workmen In Sydney, 'says Mr.. Grifiiu,
''that the cost Of living, In spite OF IL
being . free port, Is fully no per cent,
more than tits In nearly all the cities
OF about ths same size In America,
Wheaton bread IL about one. hnn
dearer than IN San Francisco. Tins
which retail here for 80 cents each
can be- purchased In the United Staies
out Of season for II cents each, Tea
and coffee are 90 per cant. cheaper In
nearly all tho larger cities In America
than In sydney" And 10 on through
the list. A point 10 which We wish 10
call the especial attention Of our
friends who are advocating govern.
mept control Of railroads Is TINT.
although all the railways are owncd
and controlled by the government.
freight rates are 100 per cent, HIGHER
than In the United States. So the hiub
rates Of wages IL mors than counter.
balanced by high cost Of living; and
the workingman purchases q short
days work and high wage ut the cost
OF Increased charges on every neces.
sary OF life. He has simply followed
tho example OF the Highlander. who
proceeded 10 lrngihen the skirt Of his
kilt by cutting y piece from the ton
and sewing It TO the bottom OF the gar.
ment.
Not the least significant fact in this
review Is the relation OF the State and
It's finances TO the socialistic regime.
Where trades are bound by rigid rules.
the number OF persons admitted ia
them is restricted and non.union labor
In denied the right To exist, somsthing
must be done for tho overplus OF labor
thus excluded. II has been provld.i
with employment by the State. Asa
result, the small colony Of New south
Wales alone, without any war To waste
capital, has accumulated q public dsbt
Of 1920, e0i,sit. The same Is time ~
other colonies, while even works Of
private enterprise, which have 10 lie
conducted by labor receiving prices ar.
ticihcially high, have been bonded for
tremendous sums, and are compelled 10
operate under q scale OF sxtravsvani
charges In order 10 pay "a
turns on an enormous deli.
The colonies are constant borrowers
In this markets OF Great Brjtain
and the continent. They havs not yet