The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-08-02
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CARL L. STEWART LUMBER co.
1889

VI business cOmpet1t1On, and 1t whipped
up our civilization faster and faster. It
seemed glorious pace. Gladstone has
said that more wealth was produced in
the first so years OF this century than in
the whole 1900 years preceding, and
more In the next 20 years than in the
first 50. and probably more in the last
30 than in the preceding 70 years; SO
that A times as much wealth has been
produced in the last century as in the
whole 1900 years preceding. Business
competition has largely done this. But
with the wonderful progress in the pro-
duction OF material things has come
often the killing off Of the women and
children and the stunting and real
starvation of the weaker of our race.
But, unlike the mad rush of the rein
deer, a new force has come into play.
Aldace Walker, who was at the head
of one Of the great railway pools, once
had an article entitled, "Unregulated
Competition Self Destructive" So our
competition has come to the point wnere
it is self-destructive. The great engin-
eer, Stevenson, once said that. where
combination is possible, competition il
impossible. And SO we are seeing COM
binations succeeding competition. We
see it on all sides OF our life. Look at
the great growth of the Christian En-
deavor societies, the missionary e~-
cieties, the church councils, ~'h1cn snow
it in our religious rso. Look >at the
great growth Of ene secret and semi
secret order., with their hundreds OF
thouso.us Of members. These show 1t
4. our social life. Look at the growth
of the woman's clubs, which show the
same thing among the women. But
look at it. particularly, In our economic
and Industrial life. There the business
combinations are growing larger and
fewer. They have learned the value Of
combination. They have learned that
two and two do not make four but five;
that an hundred men working together
can produce far more than an hundred
working separately. But what are all
these combinations worked for7 For
are for private benefit. They may give
a small part of the benefits to the pub
lie, but far the larger port soes into
private pockets. This is use OF the
methods of Socialism separated from its
spirit and aim. The methods Of Social
ism are those Of combinations of union
of brotherhood. Its spirit Is love and
it's aim equality. Our business combi-
Socialism from its spirit and aims. Peo-
pie say they are afraid of Socialism.
We have it here, and now. and it is
growing rapidly, but it Is bastard and
false Socialism, as 1t is Socialism for
private profit. Not only do the great
corporations control most Of the neces-
stiles Of life, but they control our gov
ernments, and the time may not be far
distant when, controlling the govern
ment, they will see that It is far easier
to have the government run their vari-
GUS enterprises; and II the time ever
comes when the government owns and
operates all the means Of production,
distribution and exchange, and the gov
ernment is owned and operated for the
benefit OF a few people, we will have
slavery, beside which Oriental despot
ism is weak; beside which medieval
serfdom is small and slavery insignifi-
cant. How is this to be remedied?
Why, tho first monopoly which the peo-
pie must control is the monopoly Of the
government, and that can only be done
by direct legislation. When the people
actually control their own government,
which they can only do by direct legis-
latioh. then need not fear any ADVANCE
toward Socialism. because, il they find
they have made any mistake, they can
retrace their steps.
Direct legislation is q measure which
ought to unite the Socialists and tho
anti-Socialists.