The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-04-19
Machinery DispIacing Labor.

The following labor statistics are fur.
nished by the United Boot and Shoe
Makers Union. Owing to the introduc-
ton of machinery in their trade the out
put of boots and shoes produced to-day
employs in its manufacture only 142, ass
hands, while, without the aid of machin-
cry, 1850, 900 more hands would have to
be engaged. Which is to say twenty men
have been displaced where one is employ
ed by the use of machinery
In all other trades the result is about
the same. The machine does as much
work as twenty men. The problem of
to-day is. what can be done in providing
for the support of these twenty displaced
and unemployed men with their accom-
paniment of women and children?
Without this vast accumulation of idle
ness is enabled to become consumers, the
products of the machine must go to waste.
The condition is sword that cuts both
ways production without consumption
means starvation i'll the midst of abund-
ance.
There are vast undeveloped resources in
this country which are kept from the
people by the monopoly of land and the
monopoly of money. To set these free
and give employment to the people who
are being displaced by the machine will
relieve the situation for while. To this
problem the Peoples party is addressing
ITSELF and every man and woman of the
industrial class, both employer and enl-
ploye, should join in the effort to relieve
the impending danger which daily con-
tracts like an iron jacket about society,
binding its limbs and destroying its pow
ers of selfprotection. Families that were
accounted we'll off few years ago are
now on the border land of want with
cloud obscuring the future
Our complex civilization has become so
socialized that an injury to one is felt by
all. Those who have are sharing their
store with those who have nothing.
Want is driving the viciously inclined
to crime and the innocent suffer. The
history of our own country and of other
nations in the century now nearing its
close reveals the fact that periods in
which money was plenty the people found
steady employment, the objects of charity
we're fewest and the criminal record was
at its lowest point. Hunger and want
make vicious man and beast
In replying to criticism of Mr.. Crosby
the "Single-tax Courier" says:-"In the
discussion of economics the word socialism
is now generally understood to mean the
collective ownership by the people of all
means of production and distribution.
That is the denial of the individual right
to his own products, right single takers
seek to enforce. Without taking either
side in the dispute we fail to see a correct
answer to the question in the Courier's
definition.
If socialism is joint partnership of 10
million people and fair divide is made
we fail to see where "the denial of the
individuals right to his own products
comes in If there were but two persons
in the partnership and the divide was
even, natural capabilities being equal,
each would enjoy his own. AS between
two persons and 70 millions the principle
is the same. We fear the Courier's reason
will not satisfy the thousands of Mr..
Crosby's who are indulging in the same
line of thought.
The individual cannot compete with
the machine and the single-tax cannot
help him. The machine or its owner)
will pay as much rent as the individual
for opportunity and keep right on pro-
ducing as much marketable stuff as 20
men. With the machine as competitor
here are 20 men for one opportunity.
The individual may fly from the center of
population to the land but the machine
will meet him there and be his competitor
in every line of production. No, friends,
the single-tax viii not fill the bill and
answer the question of society's sphinx.
1t will help. Better cease to make such
extravagant claims for the theory. The
single-tax will squelch land monopoly
but it will not checkmate machine
monopoly and money monopoly two
modern slave systems that Mr.. George
overlooked, and his diciples are slow, or
refuse, to see.
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