Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-03-14

number Of the Century magazine.
After treating of the historical devel-
opment of the theories, he enters upon
a discussion Of the situation in this
country toward these phases OF our ma
tional life. Extracts from the article
follow:
There are, as a matter Of fact, two
kinds of socialism paternal and fra
ternal; but the popular socialism OF
the day is altogether fraternal in
character. [ am inclined to urge, as
an objection against it, that it has too
little respect for the theory of pater-
nalism; for it rejects leadership and
guidance from superior classes. Inc
German government has Waged war
against social democracy precisely on
this account. It is not SO much social
ism as democracy to which objection is
raised by the ruling classes IN Ger
many. The International Working
mems association, under the guidance
of Karl Marx, adopted resolutions at
its first meeting in London, Septem-
Der, 1864, which began as follows:
In consideration that the em2nclpa-
ton of the laboring classes must be
accomplished by the laboring classes.
This little clause means a great deal:
it means the entire rejection Of pa
ternalism. It is likewise true of
American socialism as advocated by
the socialistic labor party that it en-
tirely rejects paternalism, and implies
a separation of class from class, and a
rejection of the assistance of superior
classes.
While the cooperative theory Of
government is the correct one for
modern times, it ought to include a
certain element of paternalism. Dem
ocracies, above all other forms of
government, require the leadership Of
wise and strong men. Moreover,
there are classes in every modern com
munity composed of those who are viz
tually children, and who require pa
ternal and fostering care, the aim Of
which should be the highest develop
ment of which they are capable. We
may instance the negroes, who are for
the most part grown-up children, and
who should be treated as such. How
anyone who believes in the father
hood of God and in paternalism in the
family is able to sneer at paternaIism
and reject every element Of it. in gov
eminent as a bad thing, [ am unable
to conceive. must confess that [ am
too much of a conservative in my
views and sentiments to do this.
'The course of modern national de-
velopment has been away from pater-
nalism and in the direction of the ex-
tended functions of the state. The
two movements have proceeded pari
passu. Paternalism was connected
with the feudalism of the middle ages,
and in it's highest development was a
natural outgrowth of feudalism.
There is a great deal of paternalism
in the United States, and it is found
in the the industrial field. It is a pa
ternalism of private corporations per-
forming public functions, because it is
claimed that the people are not intelli-
gent and moral enough to perform
them directly through their own
agents. Arguments used in favor of
this paternalism are precisely similar
to arguments used in favor of the old
political paternalism-nam the
need of intelligence and integrity SUI
perior to that of the mass of the peo-
pie. Like the old political paternal-
ism, it is irresponsible and rejects all
claims to control in the interests Of
the public as an invasion of sacred
rights. Like the old political pater-
nalism, those who. represent this mod
ern industrial paternalism enjoy large
revenues, and they let others labor and
fight and die for them. They support
their own private armed troops ex-
actly as did the old fedual lords, and
the basis Of both claims is divine pri-
vate rights. The modern fedual lord
and his claims remind me of the most
distinguished jurists of modern times
Professor Won 1hering-says Of those
who pirate most loudly about the sa-
cred rights Of property, namely, that
TO them too often nothing else is sa-
cred.
CAS- instances of Industrial paternal-
ism | would mention our railways,
telegraphs, telephones, street-car lines,
elevated railways, gas works in most
cities, water-Works in some I have
in mind, for example, the desire of New
York for rapid transit. New Workers
for years pleaded with private individ-
uals, entreating them to give the city
rapid transit; but for a long time it
scarcely occurred to them to do any
thing for themselves.
THE higher education in many of
our states may be instanced as an ex-
ample Of paternalism of a somewhat
different kind The people, as such.
too often fail to think it their duty to
make contribution for this; but they
constitute themselves beggars and be-
siege every man of property to make
eifts