Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-05-07

or over three-quarters of a million
votes. In other words, the socialistic
strength, to guage it from the stand
ard of the voting franchise, has gain
ed several thousand per cent. in this
country in the last two decades. At
that stupendous rate of growth the
United States should be absolutely
socialized in another decade, and the
twentieth century should dawn upon
the inauguration of the Cooperative
Commonwealth of America.
+
A citizen of the coming common
wealth, who happens to be little
versed in the lore of the paddock and
the turf, gives me the following
straight tip" Socialism is sired by
Suffering or Sympathy, out of Know
ledge or Natural Reason; Industrial
Competition is sired by Sel6shness or
Conservative Superstition, out of Ig-
norance or Timidity. Socialism is
fine young thoroughbred, tipped by
the talent to carry off in canter the
great Futurity stakes in the Coming
Race; Competition is an ausgespielt
selling platter that will be left at the
post or the quarter, or long shot
nag that will be all out at the half
and die away and be lost in the
stretch. May the best horse win, but
GU form it looks like a walkover for
the cooperative colt.
Here is very significant utterance
to come out of the mouth of pro-
fessor in a leading university of
America. Sidney Sherwood, Phi. d.,
Associate Professor of Political
Economy. John Hopkins university,
in The recently published university
monograph on Tendencies in Ameri-
can Economic Thought" closes his
Seventh chapter 1.-THE individual and
the State) with these very significant
sentences:
THE entire country has been prac-
tically occupied and made accessible
to development. Further, the gen.
eral industrial revolution has wrought
it's work, here as elsewhere-steam
and electricity have transformed our
methods of production and thrown
our products into the general mar
kets of the world. Under such cir
cumstances, unrestricted competi-
ton leads inevitably to combina-
ton. Nowhere in the world has the
tendency to great industrial combina-
tions shown such vitality as in the
United States. If the masses of the
American people ever become con-
WINGED that the only way to preserve
equality and freedom of economic
opportunity is through the public as
sumption of the industries now man
aged by the trusts, no country in the
world viii swing into state control
with greater rapidity and decision.
The logical outcome of the extreme
individualistic philosophy in which
AhS hhStlNai IL pupiAe NdS SohSCiNSu,
is state control of industry as the
means OF defending the individual
against the coercion of overgrown
combi0ation. Some middle ground
must DC found, if we wo1.d save
America from socialism.
y
Save America from socialism,.
Well, If socialism Goes not save
America from America, where is saw
ing grace to be found. Nay, the lit
tie leaven that leavcns the whole
body polite of modern civilization,
and that will preserve il against in
herent corruption, is socialistic re-
form and advance. If the whole mass
OF modern economies were not soon to
be leaveued with the quickening
heaven of socialistic cooperation, it
would corrupt and pptrefy against
all possible preservation but social
ism SHALL save it.
4
The fundamental doctrine of social
ism is inherent in these maxims.
Let them that produce, possess; let
them that possess, produce; let all
possess: that all may produce, aud let
All produce, that all may possess, let
40 man nonopolize preoue ton, lest
he monopolize possession, and let no
man monopoiize possession lest he
monopOlixe production.
v
Competition makes ser the artih-
ciai Increase of the natural tneqnaIi-
" Of man With man, and Cor the con
sequent dininutioa u humaa Justice
and human heiDfuiness; en,ps atlon
minimszes inequality an@ naaf iies
the scope and eapAci', of 1'istice
and lose.
" Mad.