The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-03-10
FAIR FIELD, NO FAVORS
DR.. Spahr's Discussion of
Equal 0pportunitY-Gr Great
Social Change Coming.
COMPETITION KILLING ITSELF
The Corruption of Private Corpora
tions Exceeds Dishonesty in
Public Affairs.
COMPETITION KILLING ITSELF


nacle last night, on Equality of Oppor-
tunities." He said that equality of op-
portunity was an ideal toward which we
were moving. Men had succeeded badly
when they tried to LAY down
rules tor the guidance of fu-
ture generations. "No genera tion
can live Intellectually on the thought. or
morally on the conscience of the past. The
people who now most laud what Jeffer-
son said about a government of the
people, are the very ones who oppose
movements in conformity with his prin-
ciples. 1t is the creed of the English
aristocracy, and the cry of the
Tory party, that the Government is
best which governs least. They say you
must not take up the questions OF parks
and schools, you must keep your han ds
of from time honored institutions, the
government should not meddle with
these things. They have adopted the
letter of the teachings of Golden and
Bright, which they fought against when
the government was legislating for the
rich and against the poor; when it went
so Tar as to fix the wages of workingmen.
The Liberal party, which once main
tanned that the Government governs best
that governs least. Is now demanding
that the Government should own the
and the telegraph.
BROTHERHOOD AND DUTY.
The true lihe of social advancement is
according to the spirit of broth er hood and
of duty, which demands of every man
service in the interest of all. Christ laid
down the principle that he who would be
the least among you shall be the greatest.
But as it is now, sthe man Is the great
est who does nothing and has
everything done for him. The
great part of the commun-
lty is now Ia condition OF
moral stupefaction and mental exhaus-
tioR, in order that a limited class may
1--we without any service. 1t is now nee-
essary for us to call upon the Govern
ment to undo things it has done badly,
and things which the great mass de-
mands, regardless of cresds, which are
distorted from their original Significance.
JERSEY JEFFERsoNIsM.
Here in Jersey If Jsffersonism means
that the government must keep it hands
off, you may have lotteries. pool selling
and unrestrained gambling. 1t may be
said If any one wants to gamble, let him
gamble. but the conscience of the people
says that is wrong: that everybody
good of all. The liquor industry
has not added to the wealth of
the country. 1t derives its profit
not by service but by an
injury to the people. The public con.
science demands that when barreom
barroom should be abolished; it demands
that every child should have an
equal equipment for life and pros
per according to the work he does
Bellamy says that every child should
have not only equal opportunity but
equal material recempense., 1t seems to
nae not essential to equality OF oppor-
tunity that the stronger brother should
be made 60 support the weaker; THAI
would make the weakeT pensioner on
the stronger. 1t is an injury to any man
to be taken care of by any body else. Equal
opportunity and equal compensation are
not the same thing. The State should carry
out the analogy Of the family. Then per-
NIT each one TO be rewarded by society
according to his service for society. The
present system does not develop indiyid-
uality but tends to crush it. It gives lit
tie education and leaves but little time TO
think. And 1T seems that lately instead
OF working toward equality W have
been receidDg from it. ~
THE GOOD OLD TIMES
Fifty years ago when shere was CONF
paratively little capital, there was ac-
feasibility TO the soil and every man
could be a railroad president for the
stage routes were the railroads. All busi-
ness was in small shops and stores and
every energetic map could aspire to be on
top. Now we're living in a FOOLS para
disc. Instead of stages owned by the
people we have few hundred railroad
corporations, of which thirty own half OF
the liues. Next year twenty-eight cor
porations will own the half and the year
after that the ownership will be in
bwenty-six corporations. In five or ten
years a very few companies will own half
the lines. and this will go on until the
Inevitable change comes. Competition Is
killing itself The telegraph system is
one; the railroads are going the same way.
One industry after another approaches
the point where one concern controls all.
The time was when the success OF any
firm depended upon its ability and char
acter. That time has passed. Who
could compete with the cigar trust, or in
the tobacco trade defy the cigarette
monopoly, which refuses to sell to dealers
who buy OF rivals. There are certain
brands of cigarettes every dealer must
have. He cannot have them il he keeps
competing brands.
GOOD TINE COMING.
One hundred Thousand dollars are now
as essential in starting business rs 81, 600
once were. We have gotten out of the
period when every boy could hope to win
by industry, ability and character, but
we are moving toward another time when
men instead of doing the bidding of 8
master will have something to say them
selves. Wlen men snail say VINO
shall be our political rulers. We.
cannot go backward, we must
go forward to q new era. When the pub
lie sees that any business EFFORTS from it,
then the public will interfere and event.
ually a change must come whether we
want it or not. The new order will
necessitate that every child have a fair
education, and every man only such
hours of labor as will enable him to give
attention to public affairs. Democracy
in France and Spain is a humbug excepe
that il is educating the people.
CORPORATIONS ARE CORRUPT.
The corruption OF governments Is noG
so great as the corruption of private COR
porations. The Erie Canal was never SO
corrupt as the Erie Railroad. Even
Tweed did not take a million without
rendering some service, but Gould took
seventy millions from the wealth Of the
country and gave nothing. The
administration of public affairs is
of corporations is in secret. The system
of promotlous in corporations is corrupt,
and stimulates dishonesty more than the
dirty work of politicians. 1t is q chief
source of political corruption"
Next Thursday night the University
Department of the Tabernacle, under the
auspices of which DIR. Spahr's lectures
were given, will discuss social mat
tiers In the Peoples Palace rooms. No. 168
Grand street. Mr.. Ford is expected to
speak of the teachings of Henry George.