New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-22

restoration Of the power OF the great unions. with
| their hosts OF workers. and the vote by which II
was carried 6o4 900 to 357 000 the basis or rep
| resentaton, had the direct force OF mandate
from nearly million workers against the Social
list programme OF political agitators like Keir mar
die. When n New Unionist challenged division
on an amendment complaining OF lack OF energy
and neglect on the part OF the farhameh,al!
Committee In carrying out the colectNls' p.hcy'
II was rejected by an overwhelming vote re-
port on federation of trades. favorte pro!ect Vi
the New Unionists, was unfavorably acten upon
because IL was radical departure from old time
methods and the congress was opposed TO douo'-
ful experiments.
A most conservative Parliamentary Commit
tee was appointed. in which the 1idependent
Labor organization had only one representative.
TIE fiery Alderman Tillett. n labor agitator WI n
the mannerlsms of n demagogue. was defeated
for reelection and both Henry Broadhurst ana
John Burns were forced to retire from the com.
mittee. The Norwich Socialist resolution would
have been rescinded outright II the chairman on
technical grounds had not excluded a motion ior
It's repeal. There was a large majority aVaiIapie
on the basis Of representation FOR r'pudiating
the Collectivist resolution outright, ana eNcoPi
for trivial irregularity In the form or me rcso
luton for purging the record BRUSH irades-
unionism would to-day be free from the reproacn
OF having deliberately followed me 'escnihss "
Henry George The tone and spirit or the Con
press could not be misunderstood. II feproscntei
the sober second thought Of the skilled ana III
telligent labor OF Great Britain on the utter I'M
II IL true that several coectiylst resolutions
were adopted without discussion. The Congress
passed by unanimous vote motion In faVor oi
the multiplication OF docks and enemies OF
trades unionism point to that action as an .ndi-
cation that the Old Unionists who are now IN
full control OF the representative body, are as
fully committed to Socialistc policies as the
New Unionists have been These critics appar-
emily do not appreciate the extent to which col
lectvism has been carried into municipal gov
eminent by the most conservative classes. Be
tween municipal ownership of docks and munic-
ipal ownership of water, gas. electric supplies
street railways. markets and slaughter-houses
there is no difference in theory. Ii was a So
calistic proposal only in the sense in which
many OF the new municipal institutions are col
lectvst.
MUNICIPALIzATION A SUCCESS.
NATURALIZATION. however has beer practically
tested and shown 20 be profitable public policy
and II has never been accompanied by ccnhsca-
ton OF private property or rights without ade-
quate compensation 1t is precisely at iris point
that there is a sharp divergence between nation
aization and manipulation. The abolition OF
private property in land. houses, financial securl-
ties, manufacturing industry, agriculture com,
mercial business and professional income coulu
never be brought about In a large con munity
without coniscation. No system OF eqmtapie
compensation could be devised for acquiring by
purchase the Socialists common stock or lana
and means Of production. distribution and ex-
change Nor ia 1t conceivable that the state
could carry into practical operation a I9fn i,
hensive scheme by which everybody would have
a share in everything The millennium or the
Socialist would be preceded by universal ROB-
berv and be followed by National Incompetence.
The record of the Cardiff Trades-union Con-
gress might have been improved at some points
but on the whole the reaction against extreme
theories of Socialism has been positive ana IT.
resistiblc The defeat Of the Independent Labor
party was disastrous in the congress as IN
the recent general elections. The trades-unloh
leaders have perceived that the cause OF or
ganized labor was losing ground in the United
Kingdom through a compromising alliance win
Socialism, and they have released the congress
from the domination Of agtators who failed 10
understand the essential conservatism OF the
British workman In England as in France
there is a subsistence Of social unrest. 1t Is the
most hopeful sign Of the times in the clouded
European sky. ~ T.