The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-04-08
THE VALUE OF STATISTICS
NEEDED IN SOLTING P0LTTICAL
QUESTIONS OF THE DAY.

States Commissioner of Education
Claims of Individualism and Socialism,
Explanation of Certain Social Conditions
distribution of Wealth Considered.
Hon. William T. Harris, LID,
United States commissioner of educa-
tion, gave lecture before the Phi Beta
Kappa society in the College street hall
last evening on the subject, statistics
Needed to Settle Some Political Cues
tions.''
In opening the lecturer discussed the
principles Of individualism and social
ism in government, as applied to the
present political conditions, saying, In
part: "Individualism asserts that the
government should leave the individual
to control his own efforts as far as
possible. Socialism is the reverse OF
this, the government must in all cases
help the individual to help himself.
Under either Of these systems anything
done by the government tending to
\ AllIluCk lAulNluQdI CllOIG ID WIOllS-
Socialism demands that the products
of labor shall be divided in accordance
with life and not worth. Its advocates
assert that as a result of the present
system Of individual competition, the
rich are growing richer and fewer in
numbers and the poor, on the other
hand, are growing poorer and more
numerous
The systems proposed by Karl Marx,
Edward Bellany, Henry George and
other leaders Of the socialist class pro-
pose the abolishment of the present
system, which gives to the individual
the product Of his industry, intelligence
and thrift and substitute for It a sys-
tenn wherein thrift would cease to be a
characteristic of men because it does
away all reasons for its existence, tho
individual ownership of property.
MANY philanthropists have accepted
these assertions Of the socialist class
that the rich are growing richer and
the poor poorer, without taking the
precaution Of examining the validity Of
their assertions by means of statistics,''
The lecturer then proceeded to show
by means of the best available statistics
condition of the laboring classes had
steadily improved in the last few de-
cades, and that their condition was
relatively better to-day than formerly.
Continuing, he said: 1T is acknowl-
edged by the socialists that under the
system OF distribution proposed nv
them no one would be entitled to more
Ithan a pro rata share Of the productss
Of labor.
"Now 1t Is a commonly observed fact
| that strikes and most Of the other labor
troubles occur among those laborers
who are receiving more than their pro
rata share Of the products of labor. On
computations made by me ! asccrtained
| that in 1880 the pro rata wages in the
| United States per week would have
been little over $8. At that time Al
girl employed in a, Chicago factory ait So
| per week left her employment, asserting
that she would not be ground down by
the banded aristocrats who were re-
ceiving more than their share OF the
product of labor. Little did the girl
realize that she herself was of the class
Of banded aristocrats who were receiy-
/ ing more than their pro rata share OF
| the country's products. A great deal
Of sympathy is wasted on factory work.
ers on account of their wages, who are
really receiving more than their share
If judged by the socialistic standard. In
order to get any just estimate as to-
the sufficiency Of the wages they are re-
ceiving it is necessary to take into con-
sideration the great class of agricul-
tural Iaborers and others who make up
the laboring masses
1.-THE increase Of cities is the most inn
portant feature in our present systems
and this may be seen to result in large
part from the use of steam and labon
saving machinery. It is not local I'M
it's nature, but is true in all countries
where steam and machinery are being
much employed. As a result Of these
tendencies the old system of farm La
Dor is being gradually broken up.
| Under the old regime one man pow
er, the patrlarcfial system, was CONS
mon in farming communities. Peoples
have drifted away from this into the
cities and large towns where they enjoy
greater freedom, and their desire for
| LTeeuO1n IFOIu TGSLTdluL IS STdQudlly
penetrating to the secluded farming
communities themselves through the
newspaper. railroads and other agen-
cies. The one man power is now only
felt in the family, and there its in-
fiuence is gradually diminishing
Mr.. Harris then gave some statistics
to show that the rent received by the
owner of land was not larger than that
received by producers as Henry George
and others of that school sometimes
claim.
In closing he said: Socialism is for
the weaklings Of society, and it would
be necessary to have hereditary elan
of managers in order for it to succeed"
MURDERERS OF BICYCIIST BENZ.
Three of the Accused Armenians Jumped
Their Bail and Are in Hiding,
Washington, April Consul Berg