The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-12-27
OUR IDLE CAPITAL.

Leading Boston Paper Formally In
dorses the Easic Proposition of Social
ism.
AT the conference of representative
clergymen and business men of the
city held at the Church Of the Carpen-
ter. the recommendations made were
precisely in line with the views advo-
Gated by the Traveller, that the pro-
vision of employment for idle and able
hands was altogether the most effective
and desirable method of relief in the
present crisis.
We take exception, however, to the
use of the word charity in this pro-
vision, ecause of the confusion of the
truly humane and original meaning of
this term in the popular mind. with the
humiliating practice of alms-giving to
beggars. Let brotherly love continue
by all means, but do not confound the
exchange of work by willing and able
hands for bare livelihood with the
bestowal of something for nothing
The artisan who can and will contrib
ute his work to increase the product
and wealth of society in exchange for
his earnings in the sum of production
draws in .act the return for his own in
vestment, as shareholder and not as
an object of charity.
Neither by word or thought will we
consent to the unjust degradation in
any estimate of the contribution of la
Dor. There is, indeed, an impressive
substance of truth in the contention of
that repre- sent ative socialist, Karl
hat II
capitalist and creditor in the expend-
iture of his work in anticipation of his
pay. The accumulated vital and mus
cular energy, the strong arm, the skill
full hand and the creative brain are the
capital of the laborer. He turns over
the direction of this capital to his en-
ployer in trust to be employed for a
day, a week, month or year, it may
be, before any return in compensation
is made to him. He is, so far. then,
the creditor in this employment, and it
is lamentable condition for society
when the supply of such capital as he
proffers is SO far in excess of the de-
mand for use that this willing creditor
becomes a helpless object of charity
from his inability to effect any change
of his capital for livelihood.
The world does move. Enlightened
society is largely finging off the
shackles of barbarism. Mighty forces
of nature unrecognized and unappro-
priated in the dark ages, have been
mastered and marshaled for the service
of man. We are watching daily the
wealth piled up by the fall of the
streams, the thrOb of the pent I'M
steam and the potent electric currents.
But we are backward as yet in the eff
fective distribution and utilization of
minds and bodies.
Our eyes will be opened and it is
periods of distress like the present that
vention. To-day the city of Boston,
the boosted Athens of the ne W world,
is staggering under the problem of
what shall be done to prevent the utter
restitution and starvation of 10000 la
borers and their families Fifty years
from now we predict that the Athens
of that day will look back with pity
and yet with smile at the foundering
city of 1893. Is it possible, it will be
said, that the Athens of the nineteenth
century was actually embarrassed and
bewailing over its possession of 40, 600
man power of unused capital? AS well
might the bonanza king mourn over
the overflow of his strong box. The
capital was at hand. It was crying for
employment, and yet it seemed that
nobody knew what to do with it except
by begging for the extension of charity.
Boston Traveller.