The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-23


Ger Of Columbus, O.. OF extremely liberal
views, whose writings and active sym
pathy In behalf CT the working classes in
fhelr struggle against the power OF con-
certrated capital have won for him the
name OF SOCIALIST from those who do not
share his views. In the above volume.
s.Sccial Facts and Forces" il presented a
series Of six separate essays on the fac
tory. the labor union, tie corporation. the
railway and the church. forming, how
ever. in treatment and spirit q harno-
NOUS whole, being an attepmt 10 discover
IN what manner the yelI-being OF the
people Is affected by the changes whicl
are taking place IN our industrial and
cial life. In bis treatment Ct these SUBJ
5ects. the authors preface Is primarily
ethical: in uphoiding or denouncing va
xions institutions his Judgment is based.
generally speaking. on purely moral
grounds These essays were given in the
winter OF fs6-s5 before a Chicago audi
ence in Chicago. and afterwards repeated
before the students OF Iowa college as a
course on Applied Christianity" This
fact. together with the authors profess
sion explains the preponderance OF the
ethical point OF view. Mr.. GLADDEN. be-
gins by assuming the existence of seri-
ous industrial and social disorders. Every
generations has social questions Of its
own. because in every generation OF a
progressive people The old order chang
eth. giving place 70 new, and new adj
5ustments of thought and life are con-
stan.ly demanded. These tendencies and
movements to change are social forces"
t..
the movements are more rapid and the
changes more radical than the world has
ever before witnessed. The evils Of So
cieiy are ascribed TO a rapid and some
what unhealthy development Of the social
organism" And what about all this?
We must check and direct these forces 10
benehcent ends. TIE materialistlc doe
trine OF political economy which repre-
sents them Interchangeable, inexorable,
irreversibIs; which assumes that the hui
man win can do nothing 10 modify human
conditions Is false and nischlevous We
must believe that We may shape our own
course and choose our own part: not that
We are helplcssly drifting in the current
OF social progress. we must believe that
communities as well as men can do what
they ought To do. that the intelligence
and the conscience OF any community can
assail and remove recognized evils. So
much for general standpoint Coming
down to the subject of the factory. M.
GLADDEN. has this 10 say: I'VE may not
all he aware of Il, but 1t is fact that the
Industrial order has been completely revo-
inuonixed within the last half century,"
The organization OF industry on n
large scale In the mine, I'm the railway
company. In the factory. is a recent fact
The factory system has brought certain
benefits and certain Injuries. As at pres
ent administered 1t tends TO divide the
community into two great classes of
capitalists and laborers. The man who
spends his days In tending "A machine. or
In performing some small fractional part
OF constructive process. gains expert
ness at the expense of discipline: he loses
that sagacity. that enterprise, that fer,il-
lily of resource which was characteristic.
~ mechanic OF former generation.
Hence. since the mechanical trades have
been superseded by factory processes. the
workers have suffered some Intellectual
loss. True. the wealth which orsanlzea
labor has produced Is enormous. and has
enriched the laborer to some extent He
on the side OF material comfort and well
fare. but In the authors opinion he has
not received the just proportion which his
labor entities him to- The replacement OF
men by women In factories works econ
omic injury. and the employment Of child
labor Ia unqualinediy condemned: but. az
the author points out, the employ ment of
women and children IS no essential part
OF the factory system.
The essay on Labor Union Is perhans
The best OF the six. The authors experl-
ence with trades unions. IN which he has
at times acted as arhiter. has given him
a firm grasp of the situation as whole.
While believing thoroughly In the work
mans right to combine be makes some
very Just criticisms Of the policy og trades
unions These concern their opposition 10
prison labor. their limitation ot apnren-
ficeships, exclusion Of new members and
treatment CT non-unlonists or "scafs." al
OF which he condemns
In considering the Cooperation" Mr..
GLADDEN. says: ''The evils Of corpor,ts
wealth ana mon0poIcs menace public
vigor and morality. and must be checked
and regulated The depressing eyec,
upen enterprise, aad thus unan Intellect.
nc thinks is similar. though less powerful.
than that which would b produced By
socialism; that something Of tie lsvelir.S
and aeadeulng effect We mieht lock for
under soc3aaistic regime IL already rcs,l-
tied under TIE rule Of tho great gn.iuS.
erial corporations. ApFapcs cf thi.
Thought. The authoT quotes ene oC the most
moderate ard scientific os socialists as
saving; Socialists regard these eeIo ssa
corporations and the wealthy bosses thal
direct thera as the greatest pioneers oi
their cause. ~ concentrating the sco8-
o,nic functions ~ tae country ln;e iaFE,
masses they are simply helping forward
the socialists naa1eusent. Their rtsslor
Is Ia diSpiNcc t}se sTnaller capitalists bat
they NsA thereby eventually uu6ermin,
capitalism altogether ~ proportion a
the rehabilitation oE 'aaa~try rs rushes
forward. tae easter &, wil ,.e far "a,
democratic people o. Gieaisec gts capital
issic ehlegs ara assume ths control ef p
Tor Ire gcpera, Eocd
Referrtrg particularly 81 tea railway
he author asks. What Is ths saos az "a.
aiffieulsys And esseis SIS 5 ast3on tha
the railway. qsae. -runHc earpeta soa