The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1901-07-18
Driving Us to Socialism.


have experienced bad quarter of an
hour, if not several OF them, lately. He
seems to have seen signs in the skies
polite, to have heard the tramp of the
onward march OF the cooperative COM
monwealth and the thunders of the tide
of socialism as it dashes irresistably
against the crumbling bulwarks of cap
italism. The vision OF the coming of the
cooperative commonwealth is sure; but
of the realization of his dream as to the
fate OF the nation with the advent of the
"New Time" he need have no fear. To
those who have seen no sign of the
growth Of socialism in this country, the
following editorial from the Morning
Oregonian OF July s, 1901, will be some-
thing of a revelation:
Combinations of capital and greed Of
trusts are carrying a constant stream of
reinforcements into the ranks of state
socialism. Such growth as socialism is
making in the United States-and it is
alarmingly rapid is due chiefly to the
Carnegies, Rockefellers, Morgans and
others OF their description. tits becom-
ing increasingly difficult for those who
oppose the socialistic spirit and its de-
Il ands to maintain a stand against its
progress, while the great monopolists
whose combinations are rapidly getting
control of the main industries of the
country are SO busy and SO successful in
supplying arguments to those who insist
that the only remedy lies in their pro-
posal that the state shall take over the
instruments of production and distribu-
ton. For there are increasing numbers
who believe this the only remedy, and
under the operations of the syndics and
monopolists they are multiplying year
by year on geometrical ratios.
"That the attempt to apply this REM
edy would be disaster, not only to the
country but to civilization, the Oregon
ian does not entertain doubt. But
nothing can prevent the people from
making an effort to apply this remedy,
if the greed OF the monopolists shall be
continued and no other remedy that
promises anything shall appear"
For lack of space we are obliged to
omit some of the editorial, but following
the above and commenting upon the ac-
ton of the steel trust in preparing to
''put both its preferred and common
stock upon the list Of paying securities"
and in regard to the enormous profits
made by the trust among other things
he says:
at is announced that $26, 500, 900 has
been earned in three months, which
would be at the rate of 100000
year. The dividends on the preferred
stock and interest of bonds would absorb
only So, 800, 900, leaving $50, 500 900 for
the common stock, or nearly 10 per
cent This is an inordinate profit, not
only because money can not earn 10 per
cent. except under conditions far re-
moved by favoritism from free COMPETE
ton, but also because of the notorious
| fact that the trust markets its wares
abroad at much lower prices than the
tariff enables it to charge at home. The
effect OF such enormities is to arouse the
spirit OF antagonism to corporations and
to wealth. The effect is already appar-
ent even here in Portland, where we
have to fight against socialism in the
| preparation OF city charter
/ In ~ Il ala l.
tofore made by the g o. p. press, it is
surprising that the Oregonian would
make so many admissions in one short
editorial as are contained in the above
In the first place, that there is really
danger" that socialism will eventually
be tried as a remedy for the social ills
that he admits exist; and, secondly,
that there are actually in existence in
this country large combinations OF cap
ital called trusts" Ut is less than
year ago that the capitalistic press was
telling the dear public that there are no
trusts And again that the tariff en-
ables the trust to reap ''inordinate prof
its, when we used to be told that ''the
foreigner pays the tax" Then is it not
among the possibilities that in few
more years this same Oregonian will be
telling its readers that socialism is the
only remedy for the nations ills, since
it says in the above that no other remedy
is just now in sight?
| 49,
As long as American citizens would