The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-04-15


a purely democratic administration OF
political affairs The Socialist ideal Is
the cooperative commonwealth. Socla'-
ism is parely economic question; IL re-
lates exclusively to affairs OF this planet'
of the political economy OF the SKIES 90
cialism has no theory. 1t is neltner re-
ligious nor irreligious. The eXcitlhS ol
religious animosities is no part OF INC
duty of the intelligent Socialist; he leaves
that to fools and demagogues. me former
are usually the ignorant, though uncoh-
scious tools and dupes OF the capitalists.
while the latter are often their mere hlre-
1ings, who are paid to divide the pro-
ducing classes on cohtemPtlple issues
while their capitalist masters rob Them
in security.
cludGng the present one, the strong, able
cuuninp and unscrupulous few have lived
on the labors of the weak, Ignorant and
credulous many. Socialism proposes that
this system of exploitation shall cease
and give place to one OF fraternal cooper,
alton, where production shall be carried
on in the interest OF all the people in
stead of, as at present, in the interest of
an insignificant minority OF them. In
other words. Socialism means industrial
demo cracy. 1t is democracy carried to
it's logical conclusion, for political equal
ity without economic equality is the
merest sham and delusion.
The last census dscloses the startling
fact that less than three per cent OF the
population practically own ana control
the national wealth. The national wealth
has increased within the past thirty years
over 400 per cent. Thirty years ago the
number of milionaires could be counted
? on the fingers of one hand; they are now
numbered by thousands. The enormous
Increase in wealth noted has not been
shared in by the actual producers OF 1T,
I 81, trnr har Hnwp6 n
tolian stream into the Golfers OF an in
significant minority of society.
What has been the cause OF this eX-
traordinary concentration of wealth into
the hands of the nonproduring classes?
The socialist answers: Our present sys
tenn OF free contract and competition.
That is to say under competitive con-
ditions the few have obtained control OF
all the means for the production OF wealth.
This is the condition that confronts us;
under the control and in possession OF one
class, the capitalists the three per cent
OF the population, are all the means for the
production and distribution of wealth.
All the factories and industrial establish
ments fitted up with costly laoor-dls-
placing machinery; the railroads. the tel
egraph and telephone lines. the street
railways, the gas and electric light works,
all valuable mines and natural resources,
including all valuable urban land. be-
sides hundreds of millions of acres OF ag-
rcultural lands-in word, all the means
d. and instruments for the production and
distribution of wealth. On the other
side, are the great body of producers who
have nothing but their labor power to sell,
and whose existence depends on their
ability to sell it quickly lest they starve.
Under such conditions it is inevitable
that competition among the workers for
access to the means OF production Will
keep wages down to the life line, the sub
sstence point, according to the standard
of living of the time and country.
Labor produces ali wealth, and wages
is the least portion of the product that
the laborer Will consent to receive as his
share for producing it. Given abundance
of labor, and wages, under system of
free competition, will never permanently
exceed the sum necessary to maintain the
standard OF living. The difference be-
tween that part of the product represented
by wages and the value of the entire pro-
duct is absorbed by the capitalist class in
the shape of rent, interest and profits.
Interest and rent is tribute the capital
list class are enabled to levy solely TIL ough
he possession of the means of produc
ton. Neither the capitalist nor the land
owner. as such. produce anything. The
capital for the use of which the capitalists
demand wages for their assistance in pro-
duction is itself the product of labor,
and in the hands of the capitalist m erely
represents accumulated unpaid labor.
Labor under our present system is treat
ed as a mere commodity. Its value is the
cost of its subsistence and reproduction.
1t has, however, the power-not possessed
by any other commodity-of producing
more than it's own value. Herein is the
cause of its oppression. Under the cap
italistic system, i. e.. the private owner
ship of the means of production. the
capitalists are enabled to absorb all the
''surplus value produced over and above
the cost or value of labor. Under such
conditions wages represent not the value
of the product, but the necessities of the
producer. This is the Iron law that
governs wages. The laborer produces
three dollars in wealth, but receives as
his share in wages for producing it only
one third of it, the laborer is consequent
ly unable to buy back the product. Hence
the continued accumulation of surplus
wealth by the capitalist class. This is
why all commercial nations are engaged
in bitter rivalry in extending their mar
kets for the purpose of working off heir
surplus products and commodities that
their own exploited wage slaves are I'M
able to purchase.
Under such conditions la Dor saving ma
chinery, which should be blessing, be-
comes a curse, for every new machine dis
places labor and adds to the continually
increasing army of the unemployed. This
reserve army OF the unemployed is an in
evitable effect and result of the compet-
to the workers, for when strike for bet
ter wages or shorter hours occurs, the cap
: italits have at their command needy
army only too glad to take the place of
the strikers.
By those who have an intelligent con-
ception of the problem, the various pan
aeeas offered, such as the unlimited
coinage of silver, or increase in the cir
culating medium, free trade or protection,
or the single tax, will be deemed totally
inadequate and do not go to the root of
the evil. AS long as the laborer produces
three dollars and only receives one-third
of it, an increase in the volume of money
will not improve his condition; nor can
free trade or protection help him, for
wages are governed solely and only by
the supply of labor. Protection may en-
able the capitalist to pay high wages,
but he is under no necessity to do SO; no
matter what his profits are he need
pay only the wages necessary to
maintain the average standard of living.
All that the single tax offers to the man
without capital Cos per cent of the popu-
lation) is what he can make at the mar
gin of cultivation" i.e.. on land of no
rental value, the difference between what
can be made ON such land and on land of
the highest productivity will be confiscat-
ed by the state in the shape of the Single
tax" while the difference between what
could be produced by the individual tools