The times., 1901-05-21
Circulation Statement.
state socialism, .


watching the respective movements oi
capital and labor in tho direction OF
consolidation. each ju ats own sphere
with not ouly ordinary, but intense, in-
tcVest. Because 81 IS Uron these COM
binaJiops that tbe industrial Future -
the Republic rsust resi-. rs put an eN-
tregae case. ft an she capital we've con
ty,sltc5 by os1e s,sn. sn5 aH she 1sbor
Ny another they might compose sny
0iHvrences which might sVozfst be
tween Secsa. sa5 sivF5e she profits. lsut
the uoW srcons5dele5 general pub5c
would be tempted to ara probably
would. step ln ana take over tbciy
pleravy powers 20 Jrc state.
This is matter uos 50 much for
politicians and Economists as for pr3c-
IicaI business men 70 consider, We may
reasonably assume that men like the
VanderbHts and J. 2. Morgan would
like 10 have their enormous wealth pre-
served in their families after they are
gone But il ought TO occur to them
that if the system Of business Consoli-
dauon which they and a few others
represent shall be allowed to go on to
its logical conclusion, in the course Of
another generation very few people
viii own and operate the country, and
many millions of intelligent Americans
viii have their opportunities OF gain
ing wealth taken away from them.
Then what would be likely to happen
The question almost answers itself The
people would merely appropriate the
property Of the magnates. exactly as
several Governments have confscated
the property Of the Jesuit and other re-
ligious orders in Europe These orders
have in the past acquired their posses
sions under the forms OF law existing
at the time, and have been seized OF
the same as much as any citizen. But
vixen public opinion has pronounced
against their enjoyment Of their hold
ings, they have been violently wrested
from them. The right or wrong of this
is not germane to our present discus
sion; but the history illustrates the
aptitude Of a community to take over
anything it sees in sight, which the
dominant popular influence at the time
being may regard as dangerous to the
state, or useful TO its purposes.
We have no idea that the fortunes of
the Vanderbilts. Morgan. OF Rockefeller
viii be touched during their lifetime
The people have not yet gotten rid of
their instinct of individuaIism, and do
not yet see the extent to which the
chances Of poor young men to work
FOR and acquire completeness have
been destroyed. Conviction, however.
viii not be long in coming. and after il
comes there may be trouble. Should a
given man have all the railways of the
United States in his grasp, he would
become ipso facto public danger. He
would be able to control the politics
of many States, he would have a colos-
sal army Of labor at his command, and
if allowed to, he might be able to die
tate tue candidate for President and
elect him. All down the line the prin-
ciple applies. Some day, when the pres
ent aggregation and consolidation of
capital has been perfected, as current
indications seem TO suggest it will be.
the American people may get tired Of
seeing all the wealth and all of the
resources Of the land monopolized by a
few persons more pow WerfuI on account
Of their wealth than any European
potentate. and take the whole business
away from them.
The trusts and monopolies have
taught Us the bitter lesson that the old
fashioned American system Of indi-
vidualism and open competition is
dead The alternative to that system is
State socialism. which may be a good !
or bad thing, accordingly as it is |
viewed. There is little doubt, however /
that ultimately it win be tried if pres |
cnt conditions continue.