Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-08-02
A SECOND LECTURE.
Prof. William Radebaugh Speaks on
MACHINERY and Society,""

Prof. William Radebaugh Speaks on
MACHINERY and Society,""
From Wednesdays Daily.
Prof. William Radebaugh, principal
of Harvard school, Chicago, one of the
instructors of the Wapello county in
stitute, delivered another lecture be-
fore that body yesterday afternoon on
Machinery and Society,"" The sub
ject has many rami1cations, any one
of which followed to logical conclu-
sion leads one thru many mazes of
thought but finally brings one back to
the idea that he is an integral part of
society and society may, thru setting
a higher standard, make machinery
serve it instead of it serving machin-
cry, as applied to mechanics or other
wise.
The Lecture.
In his lecture delivered yesterday
afternoon, the professor said in part:
1.-THE one problem which is con-
fronting the people of our large cities
and the people of the country at large
is, how shall we control the great
forces of machinery? Or how shall
society so control machinery as not to
be controlled by it? AS evidence of
this unrest take the Grange movement
which originated some years ago,
the present populistic movements as
witnessed today, the present agitation
in our large cities as regards street
railway franchises, how the gas COM
pany snail be controlled and as to mu-
nicipal ownership of waterworks and
gas companies. Everywhere it is be-
coming a growing question. More
specifically notice the agitation that
was brought forth in the state of tlli-
nois as shown in the agitation growing
solidation bill. Any political, or
most of the politicians, who advocated
those measures have gone. to their po-
lltical graves. What is the one infer
| ence that is to be drawn from all this?
1t is this: That society is coming to
feel that such are public utilities and
for lie good of society at large that
there shall be closer control on the
part of society over these utilities.
"On the part of society itself there
have originated certain abuses. So
ciety has seen fit to elect wards of al
| dermen, legislators who have seen
| that by a process known as Sandbag-
ging, they have been able to hold up
| the corporations and companies for
their own private concerns, SO that
| the companies have gone ahead and
maintained their existence by the best
possible means at hand. They have
Zen willing to accede to the wishes
of these sandbagging aldermen and
| Legislators. But they have also found
out that for their own protection it is
advisable to get out of and beyond the
range of these sandbagging aldermen
and Legislators. Having been freed
| from this they have turned deaf ear
to the public at large; or they have
been Indifferent to the best interests
of hte community at large. Such being
true the community at large or socie-
| ty has turned about and asked for a
better REIMBURSEMENT, better control
| of these utilities. This is at present
the question at issue. How best to
| secure the full rights of vested proper
| ty and at the same time secure a
/ proper distribution to the laborer and
| at the same time protect the rights of
| society.
"One cannot as a close student Of
the problem say that the blame lies
with the managers of the corpora
! tions themselves, nor with the alder
men, nor with the legislators, but it
comes back to the society at large.
The councilmen, the legislators, the
managers of the corporations are sim
ply the reflections of the society in
| which they live. But I'VE are coming
to a state of consciousness where we
demand higher standard on the part
of the aldermen and on the part of the
legislators. This can only be reached
by higher standard Of community
sentiment. The individual shall be-
come more socialistic in his views.
| am my brothers keeper. 1t does
] matter to me whether things go right