Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-03-07
TWICE-A-WEEK.W ILLMAR TRIBUNE.

and we see the result of nonorganiza-
don-wages fixed by the lowest posi-
bic limit of subsistence On the other
hand, owing to the monopoly of the
coalfelds in private ownership for
profit at the expense of the general
welfare, coal costs the consumer mil
lions Of dollars annually more than it
would under public ownership.
There are various NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
regarding the meaning of public own
ership:" Those making profits out Of
the private monopoly of public utilities
are opposed to the abolition of such
monopoly for the same reason that the
owners of eaattel slaves half a century
ago were opposed to the abolition of
chattel slavery. In fact, the present
stage of industrial development is de-
scribed by Mr.. Hadley in his ''Econom-
les" as that In which property has
taken the place of slavery as an eco
nomic force" This statement is not
very clear, for slaves were property"
before the abolition Of slavery. The
statement really signifies that property
in the opportunity to work (Which is
known as capitaD has taken the place
OF property in the worker Tor "slav-
ery'O "as an economic force'-that is,
as means of obtaining the product of
the workers industry at an average
cost of his subsistence (Which was the
economic advantage to be derived from
chattel slavery and at the same time
avoid any financial interest in the life
OF the worker. It is evident, therefore,
that, as means Of obtaining some
thing for nothing, property in the op-
portunity to work surpasses property
in the worker.
So much for the existing industrial
situation. 1t shows clearly that what
are known as profits or Earnings of
capital" and are so designated in the
industrial commissions report, are
Identical with what were formerly
known as the profits" of slavery or
the earnings of slave labor" To in
crease wages, therefore, until there are
no profits is what is meant by public
ownership of public utilities" This
will make the economic return to every
individual exactly measured by the
service that he renders, and all eco
nomic differences will then be due to
differences in individual ability and
taste. This is the ideal of both ethics
and economics-the goal desired by ey-
cry honest man (and really every man
desires to be honest, though many have
not learned what constitutes honestly
the realization of the Golden Rule and
the royal law.
The evil in the trusts consists simply
In the permission of private ownership
of public property, which compels peo-
pie to pay for that which really by
natural right belongs to them, but
which by legal right belongs to some
private owner of public property We
build our streets and highways, and
they are free to any one who wishes
to use them, the only cost after the
outlay for construction being cost of
maintenance, whereas under private
ownership of public property the peo-
pie pay not only all cost of mainte-
nance, but in addition an excess charge
called earnings Of capital" All CAPT
tai should be publicly owned just as
the streets and highways, as we'll as all
public buildings, schools, parks and in
the more enlightened communities wa
terworks, lighting plants, street rail
ways, steam railways, telegraph and
telephone lines are now owned.
Nondividend paying capital is the so
luton of the labor problem A gov
eminent that permits the eXtortion Of
unearned profits" from the producers
Of wealth through the private owner
ship Of public resources is criminally
''paternalistic' toward this specially
privileged class.
We have discovered now the answer
to the question with which we at first
stated the labor problem How shall
the cause Of strikes be removed? The
industrial commission traced the
"cause of strikes and lockouts" of
the manifestations of the 'labor prob.
lem'-tO "classes," and we have dis
covered the origin of these Glasses in
government ''paternalism'' toward one
Of them. Therefore the cessation of
this ''paternalism" will abolish the spe-
cially privileged class, or remove the
cause of strikes. This cessation Of ''pa-
ternalisni' means the end of dividend
paying on account of the private own
ership of public resources, and the re-
turns of the last census show that the
reward of labor will be more than
doubled by such means. Moreover, the
abolition of unjust methods of acquir-
ing the products Of industry will make
it incumbent upon every individual to
gain his living by the service he rem
ders, and this will enormously reduce,
If it does not entirely end, the "wast-
ing" of social substance in riotous liv-
Ing"
There are many problems involved in
the transition from the present "pa-
ternalism" to the abolition Of class
privilege, but II the true end of all just
government-to promote. the general
welfare and to establish justice-be
kept constantly in mind, and, further,
II the still higher ideaH'"Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself'- be al
ways present the transition will not
be difficult. The equality OF economic