The record-union., 1899-04-25
VITAL PROBLEMS DISCUSSED
THE SACRAMENTO ECONOMIC
CLASS AT WORK.
Scope OF the Investigations Propos-
ed, as Outlined at Last
Nights Session.


last might, there was a good attendance
OF spectators and class members.
Inc proceedings We're interesting, and
at was a novel sight to see bankers,
doctors, lawyers, mechanics and men
from many walks of life studying prob
iems OF the day, under the direction OF
a nand book prepared by the confeder-
ated teaching talent of many American
and European universities.
Last nights topic was quite interest
ing, Tor the lesson embraced many OF
1hose fundamental propositions that lie
at the basis of Intelligent citizenship.
The text abounded in illustrations, and
both views of topics were given in in
stances where thinkers disagree. Mem
bers of the class discussed matters
freely, and at one time the company
Was sort of quizzing society.
The lesson was divided into sections
and the Record Union" presents the
following brief summary of what the
Sacramento class reviewed. last night:
Section Z treats of private property,
and the author shows that philosophers
sometimes trace property back to the
distinction between persons and things,
assigning to man absolute control over
things that have no Wills; but such dis
since the real problem is, How shall
men exercise dominion over the land
the fowls of the air and the fishes of
the sea? and shall ownership be collec-
= tive, or by individuals? Again what
shall be owned by one man, what by
another? This last question brings up
the entire problem of private. property
and the rights of man.
PrODertV c 6efi0a6 tho
right of person to control economic
goods-that is, something of value Air
and sunshine have no economic value
because they are free; so once was land
But the tendency of civilization is to
restrict the free list. distinction is
made between private and public prop
erty, and it is shown that exclusive
rights over things must be recognized
before property has real value While
an owner has exclusive rights over his
properly, he has not absolute authority
over 1T, for all property must be held
and used with reference to the rights
and welfare of others; hence the rights
OF individuals are intimately related to
the rights of society. Illustration: the
supreme Court of Indiana has held that
private owners must not waste natural
gas, for that would destroy the prop
erty of others, dependent on the con-
tnuous flow of gas. Sanitary laws also
illustrate this point
The seat of the authority of man over
man resides largely in the fact of the
ownership of property Property car
11es With it the right of control; the fac
tory owner controls his workmen; the
mine owner his miners. The chief seat
of the authority of one man over an
other resides in the fact of private prop
3 eIty, because the man without means
obeyss the man who employs him, or
hmplores the capitalist to join him in
business ventures.
Every change of ownership of prop
erty from public to private or vice
versa, involves a change in the prin-
ciples of management. and industrial
society feels it for better or for worse.
In the case of public property we usu-
ally hear more about living wages and
reasonable hours of labor. Private own-
ers generally seek to make the great
est possible profits; public property.
however, should be so managed as to
yield the greatest total of social utility
the greatest good to the greatest
number
Changes in the ownership of property
from private to public. or from public
to private, affect the distribution of the
products of labor, of wealth; and the
distribution of wealth affects its con-
sumption. The demands of the wealthy
are fulfilled by the employment of the
poor, hence changes in the consumption
or things cause changes in production
ltself, directing the energies of work
shop and field To abolish all public
property would be to establish an in
tolerable despotism of wealth; to abol-
fish all private property used in produc-
tive enterprises Though not absolutely
all personal ownership would be pure
socialism. DR.. Francis Lieber holds
that the ideas of mine and thine must
have originated with the first thoughts
of man.
Section s treats of free contract and
vested interests. Contracts. with ref
erence to the purposes of economics.
are agreements of economic signif-
canoe enforceable by public authority.
They have reference to things of value.
TWO are necessary to a contract, and
both must be legally qualifed-not
babes idiots, or persons under statutory
disabilities. Agreements must be two
s,ded-an offer and an acceptance to do
some lawful and possible thing: it will
, or thing against public policy: and
contracts must be for consideration.
Every contract presupposes a govern
ment that will enforce it, for agree
ments apart from organized States arc
not full contracts: hence contracts re-
ally give us the basis of industrial So
ciety, because mans relation to man in
the production of wealth is generally de-
termined by contractual agreement
Contracts bind together past, present
and future, making the continuity OF
economic life; they also determine the
distribution of wealth, for every bar
gain is essentially contract, either ex.
ecuted or executory. In modern times
there is a marked movement of work
ingmen, determined on passing from In
divduaI to group contracting in theil
relations with their employers. Many
significant questions now rest on the
demand for group contracts by labor
ers, and the resistance of such demands
by employers. This opens up the ole
fight of the labor unions for fixed
contract rate
There are two great schools of eco
nomists-those who believe in the larg-
est possible freedom of contract, and
those who hold that the strong man is
able to oppress the weak by contract
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