The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11


same basis of calculation If put at quar-
ter OF a dollar. Now tell me, Julian, to
whom belongs tie social organism, THIS
vast machinery of human association,
which enhances some two hundredfold the
product of every ones labor?"
1t Is agreed that it belong to nothing
less than society collectively which can be
the only heir to the social inheritance of
intellect and discovery, and it is society
daily concourse by which alone that inner
itance is made effective. Therefore. the
two-hundredfold enhancement of the value
of every ones labor which is owing to the
social organism belongs manifesuy 10 So
ciety co1ectively-to the general fund. 1T
is further shown that until the Soclal iuno
could be properly protected and admins
tered by a public organization of INDUSTRY
it must needs be the subject Of universal
plumber and embezzlement. The social
machinery was seized upon by adventur-
ers and made means OF enriching them
selves by collecting tribute from the people
to whom it belonged and whom 1t should
have enriched
TO ALL MEN EQUALLY.
The argument for an equal distribution
of the products of industry is thus set
forth IF the modern man, by aid Of the
social machinery, can produce $50 worth OF
product where he could produce not over
a quarter of a dollars worth without
society, then forty-nine dollars and
three-quarters out of every fifty dollars
must be credited to the social fund to be
| equally distributed. The industrial efficien-
cy of two men working without society
might have differed two to one-that
is, while one man was able to produce a
full quarter dcllar's worth of work a day,
the other could produce only twelve and
a half cents worth This was great diff
ference under these circumstances, but
twelve and a half cents is so slight pro-
portion of nifty dollars as not to be worth
mentioning. That is to say, the difference
in individual endowments between the two
would remain
ference would be reduced to relative un-
Importance by the prodigious equal addi-
ton made to the product of both alike by
the social organism.
The idea of the social fund makes com
prehensible the completeness with which
the new order has outgrown the wages no.
ton; those living under 1t are accustomed
20 regard the social capital, rather than
their day-to-day specific exertions, as the
main source of their wealth. 1t is shown
that everybody is entitled not only to his
own Productive ideal of the old econ
omists-but to vastly more namely. to his
share Of the product of the social organism
in addition to his personal product, but
not on the old grab-as- grab-can plan, by
which some made themselves mlllionareS
and others were left beggars, but on equal
terms with all his fellow capitalists.
An AM interesting epST0de is TN Iaa{ wnefG NE
vault where he slept his long sleep: the
evidences of value treasured in the safe
which had made him a millionaire in the
nineteenth century. In the light of the new
order these are characterized as being
while purpOrting to be certificates or prop
erty in things. really certificates of owner
ship Of men, deriving their whole value
from the serfs attached to the things by the
constraint of bodily necessities. 1t was de-
clared to be the last refinement of indgnity
put upon human nature by the economic
system of the old order that 1t compelled
men to seek the sale of themselves. The
hireling could not scorn the ponds ne
sought. The abjectness of his position was
not merely PHYSICAL but mental. In selling
himself he had necessarily sold his indie
pendence of mind also. Labor for
others in the name of love and kindness,
| and labor with others for a common end
in which all are mutually interested, and
labor for it's own JOY are alike honorable,
but the hiring out of our faculties to the
selfish uses of others, which was the form
labor generally took in your day. is I'M
worthy of human nature.
A PROFIT SYSTEM PARABLE.
There is a powerful chapter devoted to
1.-The Parable of the Water Tank" con-
| csely depicting the working of the profit
| system. 1t is the story of a certain very
| dry land the people whereof were in sore
need of water. Certain men, more crafty
| and diigent than the rest, managed to
! gather stores of water where others could
find none. and these men were called cap
itaIsts. They would not give the people
water except they became their servants
working for them on these terms: For ev-
cry bucket that We bring to US. that we may
pour into the tank. which is the market
behold! we will give you a penny; but for
every bucket that we shall draw forth to
give unto you that ye may drink OF it, We
and your wives and your children, we shall
give US two pennies, and the difference shall
be our profit, seeing that if it We're not for
this profit we would not do this thing for
you but we should all perish The result
was that, after a while, the tank over
flowed, seeing that for every bucket the
people pourt in they received only so much
as would buy again half bucket. Receiv-
ing more of the pennies OF the capital
hItxS1 mo
made dull times and finally crisis
The capitalists called in the soothsayerS,
and some called II overprooucuoh ana
some called it 'glut,' and some said it was
by reason of spots the sun, and yet
others said it was because of lack of CON
hdence." The capitalists then sent them to
the people, and to them the soothSayers
expounded the mystery of overproduction
and how 1t was that they must n o,eos
water, and how there could not be
enough because there too much. The
mock us? Doth plenty breed famine? Doth
nothing come out of much?" Finally the
capitalists wasted the water for their own
pleasure, making fountains and fish ponds
and bathing therein. This ended the crisis,
and the people were employed once more.
But the same things happened again and
again. Finally a class of men called ag1-
tators arose among the people and told
them that they had no need of all the capt.
alists eounseling them none b DO ye Tor yHaT
ists-namely the ordering Of your labor,
and the marshaling of your bands, and the
dividing of your tasks. So shall ye have no
need at all of the capitalists and no more
yield to them any profit, but all the fruit
of your labor shall We snare as brethren,
every one having the same, and so shall
the tank never overflow until every man
Is full and would not Wag the tongue Tor
more and afterward shall We with the over
flow make pleasant fountains and fish
ponds to delight yourselves withal even as
did the capitalists; but these snail be Tor
the delight of all" At last the people did
as they were told. And there was no more
any thirst in that land. neither any that
was ahungered, nor naked, nor cold, nor
i'm anv manner of want; and every man
said unto his fellow, My brother, and
every woman said unto her companion, My
sister for they were with one another as
gether in unity. And the blessing OF God
rested on that land forever.
UNIVERSAL CULTURE. i
One<of the greatest achievements of the
new order is the establishment of universal
culture. Vast as is the leisure of the new
system the time reserved for the higher
uses of life, it is declared to be of little
value for intellectual culture, but for a
condition commanded by almost none under
the older order: 1.-The moral atmosphere of
serenity resulting from an absolute free
dom of mind from disturbing anxieties and
carlking cares concerning our material well
fare or that of those dear to us. Our eco
nomic system puts US in a position where
we can follow Christ's maxim, so impossi-
BILE for you, to take no thought for the
morrow &" Under the old order the aver