The Florence daily tribune., 1899-08-10

Ms nature Itself. Let me relterhte.
so that there will be no misuud, r
standing, that we are not discus
ing man in state of nature, but
in an artificial state of society.
which he, by his superiority over
the lower animals. has built up.
Mr.. Warner wanders from one
standpoint to another in happy
go-lucky manner, losing sight of
consistency altogether. The com
petitive system from its inception
until today, is not three centuries
old, even in its home, England. and
it did not take on the present phase
until the general introduction of
the steam engine and the supplant-
ing of the hand-tool by the ma
chine, less than a hundred and
twenty-five years ago, Mr.. Warner,
In France it was iuaugurated lit
tie over a century ago, and in Rus
STA not more than fifty years since.
Even today, in the more remote
parts of India the English govern
ment has failed to stamp out the
ancient communal village system.
Authorities are agreed, and it is
inexcusab BILE that Mr.. Warner should
not know it, that the earliest sys-
tenn of holding property was that
of the commune. In view of this
evidence what becomes of his
theory, or rather his statement that
the competitive system is the one.
What was the feudal system? the
patriarchal system of the Jews?
chsttel slavery? Roman villeinage?
In discussing principles it is well
to leave personalities aside, but, as
Mr.. Warner drags in the names of
Messrs. Hickey and Griest, | hope
you will allow me little license
on this point. Mr.. Warner no
doubt remem bers with chagrin the
time when n. l.. Griest forced him
to make some damaging admissions
as to the organization of society
today. The gentlemen named are
human and, remem boring this,
will not attempt to excuse their
faults, but let me say, that they are,
and Griest especially, we'll able to
defend themselves, and to hold
their own against any antagonist.
AS the latter may tour the state
this fall, Frank P. Warner will
have the opportunity, if he so de-
sires, of matching his abilities
against warrior worthy of his
steel"; against man who brought
such an opponent as Senator Hoar
to his knees, and made the Hon. j.
@. Bell look like an overgrown
schoolboy.
The democratic party is going
to cry down the trusts and Mr.
Warner is vivid EN-" forgetting,
or perhaps, not knowing, that they,
(the trusts are bound to succeed
because they are based on econom-
ic truth, That cooperation is more
desirable and better suited for a
progressive state of society such
as we have today is SO palpable as
to make the man look foolish who
refuses to recognize it. The trusts
are working out the grand prob
lem of the organization of indus
try; something, Mr.. Warner, that
the much Wanted individualism
could never do, and in this light
we view them as milestones in the
evolution of society. When the
people, having shaken off the
shackles of the past. shall have
simpliied production and distri-
button, they will organize one
grand trust in which all will have
equal opportunities.
Mr.. Warner says. with great en-
phasis, that you cannot change
the nature of man." Strange, very
strange, when we consider what
man was IN the past and what So
ciety has done for him. On this
point would earnestly ask him
to read Mrs. Stetson's poem in
u, n oh tho hao,f, 0F o.:.