The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-09-07

Root where he'll do the most (private)
good, the air will eftsoon be filled with
Antilean feathers.-The Verdict.
Both Sides Of Socialism,.
ITS STRENGTH AND ITS WEAK
NESS.
Prof. Richard T. Ely, of the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin, contributes the fol-
lowing to Progress as his concluding
article on SOCIALISM,"
When one contemplates the marvel
GUS progress of socialism throughout
the civilized world during the past gen.
Grafton. and then reflects upon the very
able men who have developed the pro-
gram of socialism, or who have been
captured by this program and become
ardent adherents of socialism, one must
frankly confess that only fanatic
could deny to it strength. Socialism
has it's strength as we'll as it's weak
nesses, and the truth-lover will seek to
examine both strength and weakness
impartially, and then, balancing the
one against the other, reach a conclu-
sion concerning the claims of socialism
to his adherence: 4,
One of the strong features Of social
ism is the abolition of the wastes of
competition. These, wastes, at the
present time, are almost incalculable.
Even in one department of industry,
namely, railway management, they
amount to hundreds pf, millions. So
cialists often CALI attention to the waste
involved in advertising, and the need
less duplication of. agencies for doing
the same work, III the needless amount
of energy expended in performing SER
vice because the advantages of unity
are not secured. The "planlessness of
competitive industry" is favorite
phrase of socialism. And it is this
planlessness against which socialism,
equally with the modern trust, makes
war, although the two have, as we have
seen, different aims.
Socialism also is strong because it
provides in it's framework, room for the
employment of every able-bodied men,
Der of society. Socialism attacks Wig
orously the problem of the unemployed,
but it is solicitous to remove the class
of unemployed poor. 1t aims to open
opportunities for useful service for
everyone, and to abolish the idle classes
of society.
Socialism, however, lays even more
emphasis upon the advantages which
it would secure in distribution than it
does upon the advantages which it
would bring about in production. So
cialism has as it's central aim, justice in
distribution. Socialism desires to give
to each one all that is necessary to sat
isfy real legitimate needs, and thus to
promote in every way the highest de-
velopment of all the faculties of all.
When we turn to the weaknesses of
socialism, we ask first of all, how could
the unified organization of industry be
effected? 1t is easy to see how unity
in the ownership and operation of great
monopolistic undertakings, like rail-
ways, can be brought about. Such
unity indeed, is not incompatible with
the existing industrial order But when
we come to manufactures and to COM
merce, the difficulties increase immense
ly. 1t is, however when agriculture is
hot %ho
ficult problem of socialism. No social
list has been able to suggest any rational
plan for collective Infringement of agri-
culture. ,s,.es6l
The agricultural industry is the rock
of all others upo4rpwhieh socialism seems
to make shipwreck. y Agriculture en-
braces more than onh5half the popula-
ton in a country Ika the United States,
and if socialism cann6t provide for col
lective management o0f agriculture, it
must abandon itsd claims If all other
industry should BE collectively owned
and operated, and agriculture should
still be private Industry, we would
have different kind OF Industrial So
ciety from that ,YhiSh we now know,
but 1t would not be s99ialism
The next greatest. weakness of social
ism is connected with the difficulties of
distribution. 1t is not easy to see what
plan of distribution could be worked ont
which would meet with general approval
and secure the cordial cooperation of
all social forces, and without this cor
dial cooperation socialism would inevi-
tably be failure.
We must also object to socialism
that the domination of single indus
trial principle has It's serious objections,
II we have both sphere for private en-
ployment and sphere for public en-
ployment, we shall have richer, fuller
life. and each sphere may be made to