The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-01-19
DESERT AND MATERIAL PROD.
UCT-.COMPETITIVG SYSTEM.
The Co-operative System

A0SSGAS&@ - ~ @@&~ANSA ALA NNAAO" "a L. w
children born under the same roof of
the same parents, the first endowed
with great mental and physical vigor
and the second born with a fragile
body and weak mind. The first exerts
itself to the best of it's ability and the
result is equal to the exertion. The
second exerts itself to the best of its
ability and the result is o%ne-fOurth of
the first.
Is the desert of the second to be de-
termined by its product? If so, it must
go to the wall, starve or steal. The
dessert of the second would be deter
mined by its humanity. The parents
would be considered inhuman and
Just if they allowed the product of the
weak child to determine its desert. If
any discrimination was to be made it
would be in favor of the weaker child.
The stronger brother would be cOnsid-
cred a beast If he refused to contribute
a portion of his earnings to the support
of his brother. The weaker brother
would not be turned out to starve Or
steal, he would receive extra attention
and many delicacies. His humanity
would be fully recognized. His human
ity would determine his desert and not
the product of his labor. Our nation
is made up of Estates, States of counties,
counties of townships and districts,
districts of communities and cOmmuni
ties families and families of members.
Shall all help for the weak end at the
disruption of the family9 If desert is a
moral question andnottO undetermined
by q material product in the family,
why should a material product deter
mine its desert in State and natiOn2 If
it is unjust to discriminate in the fam
lily against the weak and unfortunate
Is 1t just to discriminate against 1t in
State and nation? If it is right to feed,
clOthe and protect and direct the weak
in the family and not right to turn it
out to starve or steal. would it not be
better for the State and nation to pro-
tect, clothe, feed and direct feeble ener-
gies AMI make it near self-suStaining
than to turn it out to starve, steal or
prey upon the people9 Leaving human
ity out of the question, would 1t not be
cheaper for the State or nation to eXer-
else this supervision? Can the State
and nation do this better than society?
If protection or desert of the unfortun-
ate member in the family will prevent
the weak member from becoming a
criminal, willn0t the protection (desert)
of the weak III State and nation save
them from becoming criminals? If the
weaker daughters of the family s desert
were to be determined by their mate
rial product, would they not be turned
out to starve? This is what State and
nation does under u competitive sys-
tenn. It will not be thus when wehave
reaped the full fruits of the co operative
system we are now entering. h re-
suit of the neglect of the unfortunate
members of society by State and nation
cost us annually a hundred millions.
To look after the neglected ones we
take over One hundred thousand able
bodied men from the field of industry
to protect society from being preyed
upon by this class. One fourth of the
money employed to protect society and
property, If employed in directing their
energies, would clothe, feed and pro
tect society from this class Of criminals
and make them nearly Self-s%ustaining.
AS a stitch in time saves nine, as pre-
~ventatives is better than curatives, so
national or State supervision of this
class would save the people hundreds
of millions and the d~emoralizing effect
upon society. Under the competitive
system we have applied to the class the
doctrine Of the survival of the fittest
and this doctrine is in harmony with
the competitive system but is shocking
10 our ll0 SGLSIDLIUlCS anu u0IIlOEdLlE-
ing to society. This will not be so
under the co operative system now ask
ing for recognition. The time is near
for a change. Come it will. The spirit
of the age demands it. Those who
stand in the way will be pushed aside
like cobwebs. The degradation and
crime that can and will be prevented
by State and national supervision can
not be estimated in dollars and cents,
If orthodoxy be true and all these I'm
fortunates are to be consigned to a
never-ending hell, is not a fearful re-
sponsibility resting on State andnation9
How will we remedy this evil? When
the people ask this question in earnest
it will find a ready answer. So far the
people have solved every question pre-
sented for solution and they will expe-
rience no difficulty in solving this. The
right way is the cheapest. All the die
tates of humanity calls for it cannot be
questioned. 1t will come in with the
co operative system, there is no doubt,
and it is as certain to come as if it was
here.
THE COMPETITIVE SYSTEM.
Under the competitive system the
devils maxim is the business mans
WatchwOrd: Your necessity is my
opportunity. Every man for himself
and the devil take the hindermost."
The devil gets the hindermost and you
will find him in saloons, brothels, ,iails,
penitentiaries, almshouses, tramps and
vagabonds. When the devil gets them
he takes good care that the taxpayers
pay the expense of keeping them. The
competitive system is the product of a
past civilization. 1t is selfish and ap-
peals to all our selfish instincts. 1t ar
rays man against man. There is a con
tinued struggle going on on the selfish
plain. The energies of the people are
largely wasted in fruitless struggles.
The country is one vast battlefield