The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-28

ton which obtains in agriculture, manu-
features and commerce.
THE question we have to answer IS
! this: Which is better, government own
ership and operation with the control
naturally and spontaneously resulting
therefrom, or private ownership aNal
operation with government control fe
ed on the owners and managers? Tfs
question is complex, and the answer is a
difficult one in regard TO which men may
Well differ; but it should receive tho care
full and conscientious attention of all
who have any qualifications calculated to
help them to throw light on the problems
involved; and, above all things, it should
be considered dispassionately. Which,
ever alternative we choose, We have COM
plicated problems without end TO solve:
and this simply calls again to mind the
fact that modern civilization is at best
an arduous process.
THE difficulties in the way of pubIi,
ownership and management are vast.
Such ownership and management imply
changes and readjustments in our politi-
cal conditions. Additional safeguards
against undue Capitalization may posi-
bly, be necessary, for local self-govern-
ment needs to be further developed FATHERS
than restricted. No danger must be suf-
fered to threaten the American Common
wealth. The civil service must be devel-
oped far beyond what we have as vet
seriously considered. for it would be folly
indeed to think of the enlargement Of the
functions of government mentioned with
our present civil service.
Should it be decided that government
ownership, immense as are its difficult
ties, is on the whole preferable it will
then be necessary to pass on to details:
b'ft It does not seem likely that such a
{ Ii will he o1 =,
Local monopolies. and perhaps the teIe-
graph and telephone, in any near future.
1t may be one generation-it may be two
generatiOns-hence, before the public viii
be fully persuaded; and in such matters
prediction is extremely unsafe
Professor Ely next turns to the prob
lens presented by socialism and an
archism. While, he says, the study OF
socialism has furnished a needed correc-
tive to certain anarchistic tendencies, II Z
is true that socialistic agitation has bre8S
class hatred and diverted attention from
truer remedies for the social evils. As
for the practicability of socialism, Pro-
fessor Ely says:
The difficulties in the way OF social
ism seem to me TO be insuperable First
of all, there is the difficulty in the way
of the organization of agriculture, which
has never yet been squarely faced by
SOCAdAiSlS IIGlls SOCldDSll once OISdu-
lied, there remains difficulty in securing
that distribution of annual income which
would give general satisfaction, and at
the same time promote progress. There
is reason to apprehend that under social
ism those pursuits upon which the pro-
gress of civilization depends would not
be amply supported. and that the result
of socialism would thus be a non-pro-
gressive society. If this is true. then the
masses would ultimately suffer, even is
we admit that their condition at first
would be improved. Finally. It is my
opinion that the concentration Of dis
satisfaction under socialism would be-
revolutionary in character. -
With regard to anarchy. Professor Ely
says that every step in that direction is
a calamity and that the propaganda OF
anarchy is a terrible evil. But the con-
sideration of anarchy suggests to Pro-
fessor Ely several fundamental questions
which he does not attempt to answer,
such as: What is the source and sane
ton of the states authority? Has the
state an ethical nature. or is it based on
brute force?