The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-28
EUROPEAN socialists AND AMEhi-
GAN EEPURIICA~s THF SAM

EUROPEAN SOCIALISTS AND AMERi-
CAN REPUBIICA>s THt SAM
II a member Of the Republican party OF
the United States were told that there
was no real difference between the aims
and objects OF his party and those Of the
European Socialists. he would be very
much anron,cd. But there is really. and
i'm fact, no difference between the tenets
and propositions of the two. The cardi-
naf doctrine Of the Republicans of the
United States is that the Government is
everything and all good must come from
il. That is the essential idea OF PRO
lection" The Democrats repel Govern
ment and demand that all individuals
shall. each for himself. take care of them
selves. The Republicans insist that the
Government shall be on the lookout al
ways to confer a blessing OF some kind
upon the individual. This is the doctrine
OF the European Socialist
The enlightened Socialists. of whom
there are many, and many of them are
filed with benevolence and charitable
spirit, PROFOUND as their theory Of life
and of government that labor is the
sole creator OF wealth, and. therefore,
that all the wealth created should be dis
trlbuted among the laborers." They aim
at abolishing all the profits Of capital
and all other rewards than those of labor.
and to give TO every laborer in return for
a fair amount of work a full share of en-
joyments. This makes governments take
possession of all the avenues of business
and employment and converts the citizen
into what is neither more nor less than
pensioner on government, and, however
much the Republican may resent it, there
is logically no difference between this
and his general theory Of government
and especially his theory of Protection
In the current number Of the Fort
nightly Review, an English writer. Mr.
Mallock, has examined the Socialists
theory with great acumen and entire
impartiaIity lie points out, first, that the
Fundamental error IN all social's.ic rea-
scnirg is the failure TO recognize that
labor alone, undrected by a rare and
llgh order of skill and ability, and by
clear insight into the opportunities for
profitable enterprise, is not the sole Gre
ator of value. and that unless Industrial
ability. inventive faculty and executive
skill are also stimulated and rewarded,
the result must be a decrease instead Of
an increase in he fund available for
distribution among the laborers. IT is one
OF the most elementary Of economic facts
that a given number Of men add far
more to general wealth to-day than the
same number added 70 it fifty years ago.
In England the production OF all kinds
is estimated as three times as great In
proportion TO the number OF workers as
three generations ago. In other words.
two-thirds Of the present accretion TO
wealth is the direct result Of some force
that did not operate three generations
ago, and this force is not any increase
of muscular power since that was equal
in every respect three carnations ago to
what il is now. IL results from the
gradual concentration of moral and in
telectual forces on the direction OF labor
ana this agency as a creator Of values
must be stimulated and rewarded as
much as labor Itself. The estimate is
that the wages OF labor are more than
one-half of the national income, and on
this basis labor is already overpaid. since
it's contribution Is of only one-third.
The Socialist assumes that invention.
and executive skill Will remain as active
under Il system that makes all repose
upon patcrnal government as under
"A system which holds out to the indl-
yi1ual the prospect or exceptional re-
wards for strokes attended with exccp-
tional success. But overy mans cxpe-
riencc in life teaches vim that this is not
the case; we know that invention ana
skill are stimulated in far greater de-
gree when the individual hopes TO enjoy
special rewards from his exceptional eff
forts than when he is working for his
daily wage. which he is TO receive in any
event.
To our mind. leaving experience and
practice wholly out of view, this is a
conclusive demonstration of the fallacy
Of the Socialists theory. Convert the la
borer into pensioner on government,
and you necessarily destroy at one blow
two-thirds of what labor now produces.
In a short time the destruction would
necessarily become much greater.
An opportunity 10 accumulate property
and have IL secured TO the possessor is.
in our judgment. the foundation stone
upon which order and stability in So
ciety rest. and this is wholly at war with
the Socialists theory, and, II he could
only see II. with that Of our Republican
also. For when he declares that the
Government should protect n certain
portion OF our population against the
competition of other persons. he imputes