The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-12
Socialistic Tendencies.

Professor Richard Ely in his "Problems
Of Today writing Of monopolies, re-
marks: II have believed there were GER
tain truths In the teaching of scientific
socialism which it is we'll enough to no.
tice, but the prospect of professed social
lists ever gaining an ascendancy In Amer
lea has seemed to me so remote a con-
tingency that I have never thought 1t
worth while to spoil pen and paper and
waste ink in exposing their errors. = The
results of years of study reflection, and IN
yestigation have convinced me that the
only dangerous socialism in America is
monopoly controlled by private greed
The socialist leaders have very freely
declared that the tendency to concentra-
ton of productive forces in a few hands
on the largest possible scale Is perfectly
agreeable to them, as, when concentration
has reached the extreme of destroying
competition, there will take place the fur
Their step in evolution Of the concentration
Of Industrial and transportation monopo-
lies in the hands of the state, the latter to
conduct them in the interest of the public
| as most desirable. Socialists contend
that the tendency to strengthen govern
| ment control Of the instruments of pro-
duction, to give government regula-
| tive power over industrial and trans
| portation corporations points to the
| ultimate revolution which will set up the
socialistic state. The very essence of So
! cialism is the subversion Of private indie
pendence and enterprise and to substitute
for it entire dependence upon the state.
The socialist leaders in. this country
preach the doctrine Of state omnipotence,
some of them. as extremely as have Ferdi-
nand Lassalle and Karl Marx. Phases Of
| this teaching are the ma naturalization Of
the land and other instruments Of produc-
ton, and state ownership and operation of
every industry by the state. The social
list vote in 1900 was under. 900 and in
1902 it was over 400, 900. This is a start
ling increase Of such vote. But those
figures do not represent the actual
strength of the opinions that the state is
| responsible for the prosperity of the citi-
zen The policy Of extremely high duties
to protect domestic industries, carrying
them very far beyond the protecting point
and continuing them at the high rate
after the industry has shown itself amply
able to meet foreign competition and hold
its ground even with no duties levied in its
fayor-such policy continued through
many years has led many people to be.
lieve. that prosperity increases according
to the measure Of the governments con,
troll of their business and industrial in.
terests The socialist, taking that view as
a basis, constructs upon 1t the theory Of
state omnipotence. which means that The
government should take possession of al
property and take care of every man, wo
at all likely to be actualized in this coun
, try. Our government will never be per
mitted to adopt 1t. BY many municipal
/ ties it has been found advantageous to tn,
) public to own the Illuminating and waite
Y supply plants. The advantage depends
! upon incorrupt management, and this ha1
: not been always the practice, but general.
t such municipal control is to be commend
= ed as a municipal fire department is Ger
t tainly to be commended as against tn
n decrepitude Of the old volunteer fire de
y partment. Because municipal control il
a few specialties has been successful an
j. of advantage to the public, it does not fol
Il low that municipal control Of everything
2 of use to the public would be good thin