The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-15
"THE NATIONAL MINIMUM

How far removed we are to-day from
the Dolictical economy Of Adam Smith is
proved Ly the successive steps taken by
the worlds most progressive govern.
ments, yet often with reluctance, toward
the bridling OF that free play of individu-
al competition which the old economist
regarded as the ideal state. We know now
that the economy OF Interference, the
economy of everybody for himself, is an
pick modern states with their growing
recognition of each mans right to get
the maximum good out of life. Our labor
laws which tend to become more
and more we'll defined and bet.
ter and better enforced are a di-
rect interference by the state with the
freedom of contract we used to hear so
much about So also are tine laws regu-
lating factory conditions and the laws
regulating monopolistic celnbina lions.
The United States is far from being he
most advanced country in the world III re-
spect to legislation OF this Sort legisla-
ton thai is enacted OH the theory that the
erted to secure to individuals human
rights that they could not get in the free
play of individual effort. But the time
is coming, though our present great pros
perity may delay it for awhile, when we
shall have much legislation along this
line. The industrial commission reported
this week on the subject of labor and dis
tinctly recommended that the state gov
ernments enact laws limiting the. hours
of labor. From laws limiting the hours
of labor the step rs not a long one to
laws establishing some sort of a minimum
Of remuneration, the very thing the labor
unions seek to obtain by the strength of
organization.
In tie February number OF the Inter-
national Magazine Sidney Webb, in dis
GUESSING American trusts and trade unions
from an English standpoint, advises
the continuation of policy that is
already far advanced in England, the pol
icy of effective control Of corporations by
the state, particularly, 'the policy of the
national minimum" This means the i'm
position by the state of a national mini
mum of wages, a rational minimum OF
leisure and recreation. a national mini
mum OF sanitation and 81 national mini
mum of education. Mr. Webb thinks that
| as a result Of the unrestrained power OF
the trusts in dealing with the millions they
employ, nothing but the enforcement OF
such scheme Of national minimum will
prevent decay and degene ration of the
United States. Where life is abandon ed
to unfettered competition, what is known
as 'Gresham's law applies--the bad drives
out the good" If left to themselves
the trusts. in Mr.. W'cbb's opinion, will
conditions, at low wages. This overwork
| will lead to mental. moral and physical
deterioration in the employed multitudes
| 1t may not come to such sweeping protec-
tive legislation for many years, but almost
all our thinkers OH the trust problem
| have come to the conclusion that if the
trusts continue to prosper and increase
in power and wealth the only alternative
of government ownership OF some or al
of them is government regulation in the
interests of the people, and. that, Of
course, would lead to the national mini
mum idea. The American ideal is the
welfare and development of the individual
American democracy cannot permit indus.
| trial autocracy to 1lullify political lib
| erty.