Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-09
HowIr WORKED IN AUSTRALIA.


number of people who want the state to
take possession of railways, telegraph
and telephone lines, and pretty much
everything that is committed to private
enterprise as matters stand now. How
the paternal or maternal system of gov
eminent has worked in Australia is
shown by the following dispatch from
Melbourne:
Our new parliamentc comprises twenty
five members, out of ninety-five, pledged
to support the taxation of land values,
while nearly all are in favor of measures
being taken to induce the people to set
tie on the land.
No doubt legislative action will soon
take place, for urgent reform is needed.
In 1890 there was actually less land un-
der cultivation per head than in 1884.
Itwould be well for those who advo-
cate the continual extension of the
powers of the state to study the results
of their policy as seen in this colony.
Sir Henry Wrixon, late attorney-gen-
eral, speaking on this subject lately,
said: Before we adopt the policy of
widening more and more the state func-
tions, let us see what is done here al
ready and with what results. In no
country in the world has the state un-
dertaken 30 much that is elsewhere
done by private enterprise. The state
educates everyones child tree of cost.
1t takes up and provides tor all neglect
ed children who become its wards. By
stlict protection it has fostered all local
industries as desired by the workers. 1t
owns all railways. 1t is the great en-
ployer of labor borrowing money for
the purpose) upon all public works. It's
laws limit the hours of labor for women
and children in factories and for men in
mines. 1t has special legislation against
sweating. In all its vast employments
it has the eight-hour limit for work, and
insists upon it in those it can control.
1t stopped all state-aided emigration
and stringertly excludes all colored
labor. 1t passes laws to close
shops early. 1t has special ministers
to look after industrial nterests-land,
water, mining and agriculture. 1t es-
tablishes or largely aids schools for
teaching farming and mining. II
company has coal mine, government
helps them with line to bring it to
market. 1t has built grand and useful
national works to provide water. 1t
gives bonuses and grants to miners and
farmers. The unemployed flock to it
and it starts work for them. In no coun-
try of the world has the state done more
or done more literally to assist indus
try. And what is the result? Good has
been achieved, no doubt, but results
have been developed that the champi-
ons of state motherhood in older lands
never dreamt of.
We have now more unemployed and
helpless people among US than we ever
had. Positive want stares many In the
face. Government has actually started
two railways suddenly without the au
thority of the law, 30 pressing was the
crisis. Nearly half the population is In
Melbourne. There are bankers, lawyers,
government bureaus, literary people,
and skilled artisans enough for an en-
pire. Why this special rush from the
lands to the towns? The one idea of all,
and particularly ofthe young, was to get
place under the state. In November,
1890, for 624 vacancies on the railways,
IL, ,176 men applied; in May, 1891, for AZ
vacancies in the police, 1895 strong
young men were applicants. Most were
already employed, farmers sons, etc.
The serious result was the productive
power of the country's falling off. No
schemes for social reform would avail
unless wealth was produced. The more
the state enlarged it's scope as an en-
ployer the lese productive work was done
on the land, and without ceaseless pro-
duction we must decay. Also the in
dependence of the people was sapped.
Ii left to themselves young people were
intelligent, energetic and aspiring. Were
they to renounce dependence upon indi-
vidual energy, and the state to look after
its grown-up men like children or
slaves? All his sympathy was with the
workers, but when all was done the only
real help fer men was self-help, and the
policy would undermine it which held
forth the attractive plans for the distri-
button of wealth, but failed in the initial
matter of industry and production.
But alas here, as elsewhere, the
sources of production are monopolizsd,
and industry consequently fettered.