The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1901-03-01
PRACTICAL SOCIALISM,.

one when QllereDllateS the IutOrys
or system, represented by it, from the
theory, or system, identified by the
term ideal socialism"
practical socialism is distin'
gushing name given to theory, or
system, of government, in and under
which the personal liberty and free
autonomy of each individual unit OF
society, or citizen, is fully and per-
fectly conserved and preserved-the
spirit of fraternity inherent in rec.
opnition of the brotherhood Of man is
the ruling motive-aDd all individual
citizens are placed upon perfectly
equal plane Of opportunity, free from
all unjust restraints and hindrances-
Liberty; fraternity; equality"
Consider the state of our unhappy
country after more than a century Of
liberty % spent in the enjoyment Of
republican form Of government based
upon the immortal Declaration of In
dependence, which declares that all
men are created equal and endowed
by their Creator with certain inalien-
able rights"
Calmly and deliberately, without
net results of century Of democracy,
and note how powerless has been the
change from monarchical to repub-
lican form of government to stay, or
even check, the conquering march Of
rent, profit and interest We hear
much OF ''Jeffersonian democracy" and
il is claimed for it that it is able TO
cure our ills, but Jcffersonian democ-
racv IS but pure individualism.
which would remove all restraints
that hamper or impede competition
ard doc not propose to interfere with
the free course of interest, rent and
and concentration.
Let u first take glance at the dis
tribution OF wealth and see how the
masses Of the people have Jared in
their pursuit of happiness"
ConsiIer these figures: George X
Holmes, special census agent on mort
gagc statistics, treated Of the concen-
ira lion Of wealth in the Political
Science Quarterly, some time in 1898.
Instcgj Of attempting to compute the
property holdings of the rich, he
strives to ascertain how much Of the
a;i9l.a- wealth the masses OF the peo-
pie possess. According TO the esti-
mate .lDulatci by Mr. Holmes, 81 per
cent If the families Of the country
own ~ more than about 20 per cent.
Ut ne wealth, and nine per cent. own
II pcl. cent. Of the wealth. Aud Mr..
Uolme. believes his estimates do not
Owe -s.atc .le case against the poor.
l':,..r ne result Of Mr.. Holmes in
vesti.tatioas into tabulatcd form, we
have the following alarming statement
of facts
1917 families. 10000
20, 10 families. 3JVpl,OD.ODJ
ll,5J3,-~1 families. ................ III 00O,C0J
Again: Inc United States census re-
porio show the proportion Of the ma
tons wealth which is owned and in
the possession of workers and non.
worliers-tbe idlers and the toilcrs.
The showing is amazing! stupenduous!
appalling! Do we realize the alarming
significance Of the following Bile?
Workers Non producers
Year. Wealth share (parasites)
1861 sle,ooo,0oo,OO i3s 5s4
1871- $500 90 0O)... 32h 67H
Is8D- 400),CJ00O.... "a 70
l8g)- cJ,t0)to0,0j0... II SO
What appalling conditions are there,
a century Of liberty?
Now consider for d moment the pri-
vate indebtedness Of the people, the in
terest upon which must be paid by the
many 80 the few. From u careful in.
vestigation and close considerati ton of
the available statistics, have arrived
at the results represented by the fol-
lowing tabulation FOR the year 1890:
Loans and discounts Of banks OF all (
kinds, loan and trust companies =
1900, 900 900
Railroad bonded Indebtedness. .... 800, 900
Farm and home mortgages Qcss
held Dy saving banks) ............ $500, 0)0 900
Bonds Of street car water works,
gas and electric light companies,
brewery trust and other syndi-
cate bonds, borrowed capital in
manufacturing industries, etc.. 100000 900
Building and loan associations
chattel mortgages, etc ............ 1900, 900 900
National, state, county and munc
ipal bonds ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1000 1000
IOtal. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .@-3,3J,pO,VO
At this writing l believe a conserva-
tive estimate of this indie btedness would
be $50, 900, 0o0,0 0o!! Twenty-Five billions
would be an extremely low estimate.
We know that real estate mortgages
aggregate at least So, 900, 600, O0O!
Now consider the condition of the
nations workers. From 1000, 900 to
1000, 900 men are unable to find en-
ployment. The bread-winning force
of the nation is largely composed of
women and children. Those who are
able 20 fnd work, whatever their sex
or arc. receive as wages a bare sub
-i~i'..el. from eight to twelve hours
wof', j. exchanged for the product of
oile-:ift. OF the time spent in labor.
Interest. rent and profit appropriates
the ie,.-.uc The labor cost of COM
moGit;es, from the raw material to the
finished product, composes but a small
percentage Of their final cost to con-
sinners. some idea of the manner in
which tie people are being spoliated
muy e. ~ tncrcd from these figures:
In 80. labor owned seven out of six
te>n G"'iars in wealth in the United
Stat . ~ in 1890 only SIT out of every