The herald., 1896-04-05
That Labor Exchange Idea


and filling up the vacuum between James
Semple and w. C. B. Randolph, in their
argument on the Labor Exchange" How
easy it is for some to mix truth with error,
sophistry with vain platitudes, in attempt
ing the refutation of a question of which
one has SO limited a conception.
One OF the arguments of the single tax
advocate. "lf competition is wrong, mo-
nopoly must be right; if monopoly is
wrong. competition must be right; for the
one is simply the absence of the other" l
may be lacking in mental discernment,
unable to unravel SO abstruse and complex
an idea as this; but to me it looks as it the
one was the legitimate outgrowth of the
other, that one could not exist without the
other; one an excrescence that has grown
upon the trunk so large that to sever it
from the main body would be death to the
entire structure, the disease having perme-
ated every part of the system until all is
called ''the life of trade;' to keep up that
"life," monopoly has grown to gi-
gantic proportions. until its octopus
arms reaches out into every avenue of life
trade, social, economic. industrial and
productive. Monopoly thrives because
competition, the mother of the evil. re-
ceives back into her system the new blood
of her offspring. Strike the death blow of
one, and the other lies prone and lifeless.
1t is apparent that it is not the absence of
one, but commingling of the interests of
each, that sustains the whole. The error
of the labor exchange, as regarded by the
uninitiated, is that they ''erroneously
ascribe the present deplcrable condition of
labor to the competitive system; whereas
1t is due to the monopolistic SYSTEM Is
not that the reasoning of a truly sophistical
mind? Supposing the cooperative COM
monwealth had been the system under
which the nation had grown prosperous
and happy; could monopoly have existed
or even found foothold? Certainly not.
If the land, without the "single tax" was
held in common-that is, if the land. the
heritage of all, belonged to the people
the government apportioning to each. as he
is best adapted, so much of the productive
soil as his needs require, with surplus acre.
age used by the whole to meet the
wants of those whose adaptation calls
them in other fields OF faction, could there
have been under such system the growth
of monopoly? 1t is under the competitive
system that opens an avenue to one to
close it against another that monopoly can
thrive; one industry is pushed to the wall
to be absorbed by a stronger, it makes no
difference what may be the business or
with me. One or the other is the loser in
the game. my means are limited, he has
more at his command and undersells, and
along with my goods fall under the sher-
ifs hammer. In few months larger and
more extensive business is opened ada
cent tony former competitor. Compete
tion is now forcing monopoly in our line
and despite a long trouble to keep his
head above water he too goes under, and
falls back into the ranks of the working
man with me, where short time before he
forced me. Competition is now lively with
the new trade as others of still larger
growth, capacity and facilities are stepping
in; aggregate wealth is absorbing the
weaker firms though they once felt secure:
and SO the wheels revolve, grinding out the
poor, and wealth has become an autoc.
racy. presume the single tax adherent
believes in free competition. Let us see.
If we were all in tine field in our separate
lines of trade. still we are jostling against
each other, striving to see who will win the
race. because competition, free or limited,
is an incentive to reach certain goal we
have set before us; no matter what OBJ
stacles are in the way or who may fall by
the waysido, we are going TO get there.
"Let him look out for himself, my interest
is at stake" and it is soeeasy I" quiet our
conscience that we are injuring no one 80
long as it is legitimate business transac-
ton.
The Labor exchange, as I understand 1t,
has come with the avowed purpose to
bring peace and goodwill to man, to avert
war, bloodshed, blighted hopes and ruined
lives, and establish concord. security and
free exchange of all goods and products,
among those who advocate the principles
OF justice and equity. To explain. l. have
ket, they tell me, is overs.ocked. l
60 from place to place, but it is fruit
less. They tell me again it is overproduc-
tion. wonder If every one in the city has
more of this fruit than is needed-if every
family is we'll supplied with a fruit that is
IL -A.<N sr~A~ = IL
and appetizing dish. To my sorrow
and pain find thousands unable to buy,
and the little ones longing for an apple.
The reason is apparent. | am running
against competition and monopoly in var-
GUS stages, even in apples, which leaves me
with the the fruit on my hands. They tell
me to convert my choice, luscious fruit
run against the same shoals. But, presto!
here is labor exchange. l go in. They
say: "Why, yes, we'll take your apples.
Come with us and help us carry on our
good work." leave the apples. taking a
certified check of deposit, exchangeable
for any other product, wares or goods they
may have on hand. or procurable through
other branches. Weary of my long tramp
breathe sigh of relief that here is a ha-
ven. l learn their membership is on the
increase, and stranger still, that the metal
money. gold and silver, is only rec
ognized as commodity, the same
as my apples; that the intrinsic value
of any commodity depends solely upon
it's use and demand to supply the necessi-
ties of man. 1t dawns upon me that gold
and silver, by fierce competition. has be-
come a gigantic monopoly. / want shoes
for the children. and the larder needs sup
plies, but my purse is empty of the much
lauded gold and silver; how will meet the
demand? The Labor Exchange comes to
my help. have these certified checks in
my purse, received for my apples, and tile
children are happy, the larder is replen-
ished, content, comfort and peace has
come to the home, and money, metal
money, has had no part in bringing this
satisfaction and joy.
Does this look like war, my brother toll
er? Does it look as if such movement
would drive you to despair, and suicide; to
war and destruction of your fellow man:
will it subvert the welfare of the nation?
No! 1t is the only way out of the competi.
tive system. that has fastened the octopus
of monopoly upon too confiding people.
There are many other misleading state.
ments by the writer, so mixed with truth
and interest in the welfare of the laboring
man that it may be hard to discriminate
between the true and the false. You have
seen and felt the beauties and merits. fell
low-workman, of the competitive system.
would it not be we'll to investigate for your
self, not relying upon the judgment of 9th
ers, whether competition, with all it's con-
cOmitant evils, or cooperation through the
labor exchange, will return to you the
fruits of your toll in larger fold, and the
assurance that you have helped establish
the commonwealth in the brotherhood of
man. MAY f. BENsEN.