The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-09-22

and not the individual.
Rent and interest are the products OF
land and capital. In the old country
these two factors absorb tWo-thlrds Oh
all that is produced by labor. Where
the toiler earns So he is forced to pay
81 to land and capital, and receive the
benefit of only 81 for himself. This
system the speaker held to be the cause
Of poverty.
Now instead of cooperating in pro-
ducing, we compete. We seek to cut
prices; we cut prices. We reduce the
price of all articles sold until we can
do so no longer and what is the result?
Labor is forced to accept lower wage.
1t may be argued that the buyer has
the benefit, but when it is considered
that nine-tenths of the buyers are
represented by labor where is the saw
ing? Because this rule applies to not
one of the necessities, but all, and
when reduction Us made in the produc-
ton Of all where does the benefit ac-
crue, save to the manufacturer; the
man of capital? There should be no
competition on the necessities of life.
If there is to be clash al all it should
be on those articles of luxury which we
consume.
The contention is made that to de-
stroy all this competition is to destroy
the individuality of man. On the con-
trary, the present system destroys the
individuality. Take, for instance, in
the mines of Pennsylvania, There is
work for one man and there are three
Who apply for the task. All are needy.
They compete for the place and sacri-
flee manhood and principle ito get it,
for the successful one takes the place
at a less price than it is really worth.
Is Not this a sacrifice of individuality?
This kind of competition is wrong.
There should be competition not to see
who will do the work the cheapest but
the best.
We live in an age of democracy. All
matters of government; all final power
is finally vested in the people. Ours
should be an educated democracy in
order that no mistakes may be made.
To reduce this democracy to poverty
is 10 destroy it, for hungry demo-
cracy is not its own master, but is
controlled by the few who have the
| control of the granaries from which it
feeds.
Socialism is not allied with anarchy
! riot and revolution and the breaking
of laws. Socialism believes in anchor
ating the condition of mankind by
! equalizing conditions. In the opinion
| of the speaker. it was, and is, applied
Christianity If it is Christianity for
one man to grow rich on the miseries
of the poor; if it is Christianity for
| one to live in luxury while those who
produce what tends to his comfort are
| in want, the speaker declared his in
| depreciation of the teachings of the
! Nazarene We're wrong.
! Under present conditions the land
lord gets all he can for mis- holdings:
| the capitalist all he can for his money;
the employer 'fbears" the price paid for
his labor, the workman seeks to OBJ
! tain the highest price for his work.
Each are at variance with the others.
The class system has caused all the
latterLday wars. The common people
of all sects, creeds and tongues love
each other if allowed to love one an
other by those who manipulate the
various processes of government and
economics.
Just so long as men are permitted to
rob each other legally, so long will
| poverty continue. We must change
systems ere relief can be obtained.
There must be a. time when the COM
mon people of all countries shall unite.
But to do so all creeds must be dis
solved and all caste distinctions must
be obliterated OF what avail is civil
and religious liberty to those who are
denied economic liberty? The latter
must be granted first and the others
will come as a result.
VI. Smith Talks.
Mr. Smith spoke on the subject of
religious freedom. The question is Of
ten asked, Us the world growing bet
1 ter?" Some answer and say it is, but
when you come to investigate you will
find that it is that particular part of
the world to which they belong. When
you hear a man say the world is grow
ing better, ascertain if you can what
particular part of the world he be-
longs to. The English dude who has
just captured an American girl with
riches, favorite pastime with Eng
lish dudes, will tell you this is a good
world. But how about the world of
the poor? The question we should ask
is, us the world what it ought to be ?
Is the world what God intended it
should be?"
We see on the one hand the starving
family and on the other the gorgeous
mansion with its feasts There are
the shivering families on the one side
and the meetings of the boards of di-
rectors of coal mines, acting on the
proposition to reduce the supply of fue
and increase the price, on the other
We have the ragged, chilled man in one
picture and the stores filled with
clothing which he is unable to buy, or
the other. Conditions are not right
Christianity demands that we should
cease thinking so mucn ABOUT the
heaven beyond the skies, and get dowr
to business. There is too much Sun
day religion and too little Monday
When appealed to by the young mar
who said he had kept all the com
mandments from his youth up, Chris
brought him down to an earthly basi:
at once by telling him to sell what he
had and give to the poor. He wanted
him to assist his fellow men. That /:
what we should do. Quit talking abou
what heaven is going to he like an(
try to make an imitation Of it here
The speaker was glad that the leading
: church of this section had adopted
something practical. He wished thu
orthodox churches would tear out {
leaf of the Book of Mormon and prac
tice it's teachings.
We ought to unite in amelioratins
, the condition of our fellow man anG
lettering his condition on earth.
MIR. Hardie and his companion lef
last night for San Francisco, where
they will remain for several days look
; ing into the condition of affairs.