The Washington times., 1894-04-04

wealth was well distributed, and when men
with small capital could enter the field ol
competition with hope of success. But the
day of small enterprise has passed away,
never to return. Capital will not unlearn the
lesson that better and cheap products can be
turned on the market by large concerns than
small ones, and the legislation of the future
must be directed toward the destruction OF
trusts and the control of our national and in
ternational corporations. Even people OF
wealth to-day when pinched in the panic be-
gin to cry out against combinations. Our
great trunk lines Of railroads, spanning the
| continent, become one line when their inter-
ests are attacked. Our telegraph system,
which should be under the management ofthe
Post Office Department, is pure monopoly
and forces from the pockets OF citizens mil
lions annually; while the banking trust,
which manipulates the National currency is
greater to-day than the government Of the
United States. They control whatever politi-
cal party comes into power. They force leg
islation, produce panics, manufacture public
sentiment, and make and unmake members Of
Congress.
What relief can the people have from such
oppression? For some reason, whether ex-
plainable or not, they have all turned, with
out previous agreement, toward paternalism
and socialism. This does not mean that they
accept these doctrines in toto, but the trend
of thought is that way. They do not wish to
abolish individualism as far as private enter
prise is concerned, but they believe that
system of semi-paternalisn would preserve
individualism and prevent the oppression of
capital. They conclude wisely that we are
now under -paternalistic government,
and the system works well. Why not extend
it2 Our courtbouses and public schools, our
state charities, our national post office sys-
tenn, are all ander paternal control, and they
are success. No one to- day thinks of turn
ing the post Office over to a private corpora
tion and subjecting the people to the greed
shown by the present telegraph systems.
In other words, the people want all institu-
tions which pertain to the public welfare un-
der the management and control Of the peo-
pie. In cities the gas, electric lighting, water
supply, and railway systems should be under
the control of municipalities. All matters
which pertain to the welfare of the people of
state should be under state control. And
following the same line all matters which per-
tain to the national welfare should be under
the direction Of the national government.
This is paternalism: and whether it be wise
or unwise the people are ready for it. 1t may
violate the pet economic theories of the old
school. If so, the theories must suffer. Old
problems were solved by old systems of eco
nomies, as old systems of agriculture were
carried on by wooden plows and the hand
sickle. But problems of to-day must be
solved by modern economics. The conditions
have changed, and the questions that con-
front US are the greatest in the worlds his
tory; and in order to preserve a government
of the people, by the people and for the peo-
pie, the national government must remain
paramount, controlling and managing all
matters which affect the masses.
JAMES II. KYLE.