The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-20

1
! turn for votes, do not you suppose that
| every department of the establishments
| where goods were kept for distribution
/ would be strictly examined. together
| with the books al regular intervals and
| reports thereon submitted 10 the
| people Interested I'm IT. or
course, We would not expect at
| the outset. 90 close up every crack and
! crevlce that would admit Of speculauons
| and dishonesty. but we could and would
| reduce the -bancos for thieves 10 escape
! detection a. punishment TO such de-
| gree that none but a chronic thier or
| kleptomariac would persist in hlching
| from the public pantry that which could
be obtained az minimum cost OF LABOR
! Furthermore. you have not counted in the
jealousy existing among the laboring
| class I'm the distribution OF anything be-
! longing 10 them collectively This Jeal-
ousy. whetted 10 a high degree by the
| existing competition I'm the ranks OF labor
| for work and wages has become green
eyed and would OF itself present an al
! most insuperable. barrier for rascality TO
! scale unseen. For these reasons ana oth-
ers that might be given. elections would
! not become nothing more than auctions
of fraud and corruption
Not alone this. but as all would be oene-
| fitted by an efficient and honest manage
ment i'm every department Of industry, FOR
| the simple reason that good management
would facilitate production by reducing
to a minimum all friction and lost motion
| in the use Of men and means, and con-
! sequently turn out the best goods possible
J at the least expense Of time and LABOR IL
stands TO reason that, instead OF these
elections being auctions OF fraud ana
f, corruption" i'm which men would huht
! and buy places. they would end IN the Sc
| lection of those most fitted for the places
10 be filled. If the people now employed
| by running on an average or nan tiile'
J can turn out an overproduction OF all the
necessaries Of life, after feeding, clothing
! and housing the nation, furnishing SIX
| hundred millions annually for the general
! government expenses and as much more
+! for local governments. filling TO the brim
! the cup OF luxurious milliOnaires and
| clothing them in purple and fine lnen'
! as they have done I'm the past five years
by putting all the able-bodied tramps ana
p, other unemployed people, together with
I all the army Of useless officials mer-
! chants. clerks. etc. thrown out OF work
by overthrowing the present anarchistic
! method OF production and distributioh'
/ were put 10 useful employment, how long
would this vast industrial army have TO
| work each day. on an average 70 pro
! duce not only the necessaries OF me- nut
luxuries for all? I think two hours per
| day would do IL. Where. them would De
| the incentive for rascality2
Your statement that We seem TO think
! that the vast mass of valuable property
which We see in this country Is natural
product. placed here by the Almighty for
]
main Iust as Il is IL the government
| should take possession OF u, Is simply
| amusing to us. We. of all other people
recognize and assert that all wealth is
created bv labor-save alone the land, and
even that I'm the greater part Of the world
| would have no value not even 50 much
as TO dwell upon without the erection
! thereon Of houses to live IN. We not only
, recognize this fact, but the further iact
| that we must continually produce and re-
| produce wealth I'm order 10 progress. lhe
/ forests streams minerals ana herDdSe
! rroDertfes Of the country were In no sense
| wealth until appropriated and utilized FOR
| mans welfare. and 10 do this required
a, labor The ground is OF no yalue unless
! titled and the minerals have no value so
! long as they remain I'm the bowels OF the
| earth. Labor tlls the soil, brings iolth
the ores and transforms them INTO dru-
| cles og usefulness. Ii also fells the trees
and converts them into fuel houses lur-
niture etc. and appropriate the water
mowers OF the land to run mills and fac
| tories and diverts the waters from their
| natural channels into artificial ones Tor
! the use Of the people I'm various ways.
| Now for vour questions. "Who Is going
| 10 do the labor necessary TO keeping up
1 Of
| is going TO do the labor necessary Tor
| producing the food and the materials Tor
! clothes and fire that the people would re-
| ouire7 Well. we might answer this ques-
| ton by simply asking, who would not do
| his share OF the work necessary TO keep
| up the property and 20 produce the food
| clothing etc? with money discarded as
J the representative OF the wealth produced
| by labor, how would man live II he re-
| fused 10 work? How would he get labor
| ticket or other acknowledgment thar
| would enable him 10 draw on the store
| house for food or clothes II he refused 10
| work2 On, no Socialism IS the only
| form OF government under which he that
| will not work cannot eat Not only would
| every able-bodied person work or starve.
| but they would work In the calling best
| suited 20 them. that society might reap
| the best results obtainable from their
| labor. Production. therefore. instead OF
| coming TO an end. would Increase, and
| one of the main Incentives 10 such in
creased production would De found IN the
fact that the people who produce the
wealth would get the benefit OF Il, and
I'm case OF oyerproductiOn. instead or
starving for piling up goods by their IN
dustry, they would have a grand hoi-
day-a jubilee year!
You say. Man must live by labor ana
| the only way he can get the best results
! from labor is 10 make every man free 20
work or not, as he pleases, and as long
! or short a time as he pleases ana 10
! satisfy him that he viii be projected,
/ religiously. in the enjoyment Of Whatever
! he may produce" Well, II man don {
J live by his own labor. IL is evident that
! he lives on some other mems labor ana
this. 1 suppose, you VIII grant. is cor
+, rect statement 10 make man Tree 10
work or not Is Just what We want 10 do;
but the alternative with him who will
NOT work should be- neither shall he eat.
| or course. any man. under Socialism or
any other form Of government. can starve
/ himself il he choose so DO 50. But where
ln is a man free TO work nowY 1 an
! a printer. Can go into The Times ONCE
/ ana work without your consent? No.
\ And will YOU give your consent II you
! cannot use my services probably? No.
| Can | 20 out on a piece OF land. even
| though IL be unused, and I'LL II without
| the consent OF the owner2 No. Can !
| even gather blackterries. or any of the
( ..r,tuaffana al Mafhar t'o II h