Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-08-22

Wil1fnar, Minnesota. Augus1
safeguard the savings OF the common
people-that is the solution we advo-
cate.''
Now we Socialists are quite aware
of the injustice of the present monetary
system, and we can assure our Popu-
list friends that under Socialism it
will be completely swept away along
with all the other capitalistic devices.
But, however bad the monetary system
it is not the cause of the crisis or pam
ic. Mr.. Forsberg is quite right when
he says that crop failure does not
cause crisis; but when he says that
''in each and every instance the
trouble starts in the financial or spec
ulative circles, he is quite wrong, we
think. =.
The industrial crisis is an inherent
and inevitable part of the present So
cial system, or rather lack of system.
1t is the direct result of three features
in our modern economic life, viz.,-
(I) the planlessness OF production, ~
the competitive system, and (3) the
exploitation of labor. There is no
system or plan in modern production.
Every one produces and no one knows
how much the market needs nor how
much the other competitors are pro-
ducing. For example, farmer A noti-
ces that prices of corn are good and
decides to raise more corn. Mean.
while farmer D and G and thousand
others have noted the same and have
also gone into corn raising. The in
evitable result of this planlessness is
that frequently there is an over pro-
duction aud hence glut in the mar
ket. But this condition is greatly ag-
gravated by another, viz, the exploi.
tation of labor which operates to far
ther restrict the market. Under our
present system those who toll get only
about one sixth of what they produce.
| (See Census Bulletin No. $50 I'm.
agine now q nation of millions OF
workers engaged in production in
which each one is producing from two
to six tines as much as he is able to
buy. The inevitable result is that
more is produced than can possibly
be sold, and thus conditions are ag.
gravate1.
| The real condition is concealed,
however, for a long time by credits.
by recourse to foreign markets in one
way and another and each firm goes
on producing keeping the others ir
/ ignorance of it's own condition, and
remaining in ignorance of the condi
tions of the others. Finallysa demand
is made somewhere that cannot be met
There is failure. Suspicion acises
The money men "become frightened. ,
At this point the manipulation of the
monetary system enters, of course
with it's damaging influence. An6
thus panic is on, and the industrial
crisis drags its demoralizing effects
through the weeks and months entail
ing almost endless loss and waste anC
human suffering.
What, now, is the cause? We have
only to retrace our steps. It canno
be the monetary system, for during
the last $50 years there has been .
more or less periodical crisis ever,
ten years or so. And they have oc
CURED under silver standard, golt
standard, under suspension of casl
payment, in times of plenty and o
want, in peace and in war. (See Pal
graves Dictionary of Pol. Econ. Al
q matter of fact the crisis is q par
and parcel of the competitive system
OF industry and can only be abolished
or prevented when this system II
abolished. Socialism will abolish th,
crisis because it will abolish the thre,
features of our social system which
produce it. In the first place ther,
will be regular, orderly and syste
matte production. We propose t,
ascertain beforehand the approximat,
need or demand and then to organic,
the forces of production to meet thi'
demand, but to produce no more tha,
is needed. In the second place, will
the abolition of the competitive system
the necessity of secrecy disappears
knowledge of the market and of tn,
forces of production will be accessible,
to all and all will direct their energies
! upon the basis of certainty instead O
caprice and chance. And finally
every laborer being protected from
exploitation and thus receiving prac
ticslly wealth equivalent to that which
he produces, the market will be alway,
! firm and steady, because all will b
able to purchase as much as their la
Dor produces. And thus an oversup
ply, . panic and q crisis become ab