Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-27


whittier Tends worId7
An economic analysis based on changing
conditions is of the utmost possible serv-
ice. If conducted skillfully Il would |
feel convinced, bid us be of good cheer and
help us face the future with hope and
nected with social development is after all
this Whittier are we tending? What are
the forces that are making for progress or
retrogression? What lessons have an
economic Interpretation of the past and of
the present TO teach us in our guidance
There is no blinking the fact that many
give pessimistic answer TO these queries.
They call attention to the increase of
suspicion upon what they term the grow
ing plutocracy and the new feudalism.
oriental monarchies of classic Greece and
Rome and tell us that I'm our case, too, the
period of unquestioned prosperity which is
now upon us will inevitably be followed by
one OF decay and final dissolution.
Outlook Most Promising.
I venture to affirm, however, that a more
discriminating study would disclose the
existence of several factors, inattention to
which is largely responsible for this gloomy
ana respondent attitude, and that, on the
contrary. the outlook is not dark, but
promising indeed.
Without attempting in this place the i'm
venture to call your attention to six points
which differentiate modern Industrial So
ciety from all Its predecessors. These are:
I. The practical exhaustion of free land.
2. The predominence OF Industrial capital.
3. The application of scientific methods.
4. The existence of competitive regime
based on the newer conception of liberty.
5. The spread OF education and the birth
of distinct public opinion.
.. A true democratic spirit and the growth
of o new idealism.
The virtual disappearance of free land
makes slavery forever impossible in the
future. Recent Investigations have proved
beyond the peradventure of a doubt that
slavery, as typical economic system Is
Rscribed to the existence of vast quantities
of untitled tracts suitable for aRriculture
1t is because the entirely different economic
systems and consequent social ethics of
factors In the world that we can conhdsntly
look forward to the speedy passing OF slav-
tTSed6 IN every Gy,Is par; of the globe Morality
bottom lies the disappearance Of free land.
The predominence Of industrial capital.
In the strict scientific sense capital has
indeed existed from the time OF the first
hunters bow and arrow. But for practical
purposes and for real aid in solving actual
justified in calling this the capitalistic age
The typical form of capital today is in
dustrial capital. as in feudal times it was
landed capital, or, as in so many civillza-
tions of old, It was ira lie capital.
We speak glibly of the recent progress OF
of this growing subjection of nature to
man. and of the revolutionary character Of
this harnessing of the powers of the uni
Z
For one 1T has made possible an almost
limitless increase in production.
In modern times the progress of economic
thought. and the presence of economic fact
in uplifting the hitherto submerged classes
OF the community Is generating public
fits of a healthy competition, but which
insists more and more on effective social
control of competition to the end that II be
elevated and purified.
Social Unrest saIutary.
point Of difference-the flower and the fruit
OF all it's forerunners-the existence of the
| democratic ideal. We point, indeed with
working classes but to ali those who realize
the essential conditions of successful de-
mocracy,, where the mass of citizens are
attained advances still more quickly than
the actual progress. The british, lOthargic
peasant pee OF "a the &c old world Is content with
of our Industrial democracy wants, and
wants justly, to participate in the spiritual
civilization With every advance in his
economic position, due to the interplay of
modern Industrial forces new vlstas Of
Sources of legitimate satisfaction make
their appearance. The social unrest of to-
day, with all It's disquieting and deplorable
system. II is but the labor pains in the
birth of the new industrial order which has
been in the making for the past few genera
tons, and of which the faint outlines are
even now discernable.
A study of the economic forces now at
work thus Justihes a reasonable hopeful
ness. The productive powers of society are
augmenting at such a prodigious rate that
We need no longer apprehend a decay OF
general prosperity or of natural power
! There is to be no further irruption of the
barbarian, because there will soon be no
more barbarians. There is to be no domina-
tion OF each nation in turn over all the
others, because OF international science and
the impartial territorial diffusion of I'm
nngfFlal r. n
while the rich are getting richer, the poor
are not getting poorer. The creation of a
more equable, because more perfect, COM
petition through the development of the
| system of collective bargaining, and the
more adequate supervision OF monopoly; (;
| the recognition on the part of the legislator
that lasting prosperity depends not only
/ on the conservatism and free play OF capi-
I tai, but on the gradual elevation OF the
laborer from a cheap man to a dear man;
] the coming social control OF competition
I itself in the interests OF a more enlightened
and hence really freer rivalry-all these
| will inevitably tend to secure to each class
! In the community its proper share in the
| national dfKyfdRn1-