Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1899-04-22
REVNMo

the gospel OF constructive SOCIALISM,.
He has laid down peculiarly and dis
lively system of Cooperative gov
ernment. He shows not simply how
to cooperate but how to organize a
cooperative system. Nay, more than
that, he pioneers the way to practical,
organic socialism, and the only way.
There lies the power of the work.
Like sunburst in midnight it makes
plain and clear what was but dark
ness before. 1t reveals the way; and
by the power of it's own inherent
light, shows all other ways to be but
as groupings in closed paths.
A peculiar and distinctive character
istic of this system, and that which
perhaps most of all shows the COM
prehensive wisdom of the work, lies
in the fact that it contemplates the
immediate. practical initiation of the
principles of cooperation into bust
ness enterprises by commencing with
such degrees as the average man is
ready for and understands, and at the
same time it provides for the progress
sive development of those principles to
the highest and purest degrees OF So
cialism.
Like all great discoveries, inventions
and ideas, the simplicity and common
sense Of the thing make us marvel
that it had never been thought of be-
fore. But it never had, Though the
author modest1y disc1aims originality
it is original for all that. What he
has done is to track the path of nat
ural evolution. 1t is natures way
that he shows us. He shows us that
it is a mistake, nay blunder to re-
fuse to do what we can, because we
cannot at once do the ideal. He
shows us that it is likewise blunder
to wait for political government to
transmute every thing into the social
istic; and he does it by showing that
it is unnecessary.
The system laid before us requires
distinct, understandable and not too
radical degree of cooperation in all
the business enterprises connected
with each other through the Alliance.
It permits at first q certain percent
age of profit or dividend as the case
may be; but provides for their gradu-
al elimination at a fixed rate of de-
crease by like fixed rate of increase
in the direct labor-share, call it wages
or what you will.
Speaking to this point the author
saws:
"There are degrees and kinds of CO.
operation that the people still regard
as experimental. such for instance, as
eliminate private property and divi-
dends. Such cooperation we did not
feel warranted in demanding of those
who were not educated up to it.
There is no reason however, why
those who are equal to it and favor
the purest socialism should not join
us. The educational teaching of the
Alliance distinctly points to these
ideals; but it does not require an at
tempt at their practice by those who
are not clear about it. We will glad
ly receive however, any colonies or
enterprises or companies who are at
tempting it and give them the benefit
of our connections.
The authors reasoning, iustifving
this, in the initiation of socialism
less than governmental are absolutely
irrefutable. But SO broad and COM
prehensive, SO logical and evolution
airy are the principles upon which the
system is built. that the whole leads
directly, easily and surely up to the
most complete governmental socialism,
and such he in effect declares to be it's
ultimate object.
The fact is that it is governmental
socialism, organized and operated at
first as a private society. 1t provides
for the government of industries or as
the author prefers to call it, for the
Policing Of Industries; and it does
this by system of super vision and
inspection-a marked and most orig
inal feature of the plan.
WHERE is PROSPERITY?
There have been several big bank
failures reported during the past two
weeks. Also a number of heavy COM
mercial failures. Also a large number
of strikes on hand. These things are
common during the past few years,
but they are not common at this par
ticular season of the year. lust now
crops are being marketed, stock is
being marketed. accounts are being
paid. We arc now in the midst of the
business harvest of the year. What
causes failures now? If this is nat
ural now in the best season of the
year what will il be in the dull mon