Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-01-24
lNDlYlDuALlSM VS.. SOCIALISM,

Professional economists and semi
sOcialistic pulpiteers who glibiy pro-
claim the unwisdOm of attempting to
return to individualism, would do we'll
to reflect q moment upon the fact that
never within historic al times have we
had an era of individualism to return
to. It we are ever to have Individual
ism it must be after the plutocratic So
cialism OF the past and present, and
the possibly democratic socialism of
the future, have spent their force.
Periods OF slavery, serfdom and re-
stricted competition in trade, are not
individualistic periods, and calling
them so does not make them So
Louis F. Post in The Public.
We would not undertake to say just
what will happen before we ever have
genuine ind4vidualism, but that So
ciety. has never really had 1t, is true
Believers in individu alism cannot af-
ford to stand for trusts which make
for socialism: A law to regulate
great corporations is really law to
promote individualism. There is
nothing paternalistic about it. The
theory of our republican government
is individuaiism, theory of equality
OF opportunity. 1t is folly to talk
about equality OF opportunity for m IN
born into world with all the best
things in it staked off and appropri-
ated for the benefit of men more for
tunately born. Before individualism
has really been tried is too soon to
pronounce it failure and go in for
Industrial feudalism. Before aband-
oning individualism we should give
it q free field. Minneapolis Journal.
Complete individualism is an i'm
possibility. Equal opportunity can
not exist as long as men differ so
widely in mental characteristics.
The selfish man, who has no regard
for the happiness or welfare of his fell
low man and is ready to take advaa-
tage OF any opportunity to get ahead
of his neighbor, has better oppor-
tunity of amassing wealth, and the
larger 1t gets the more opportunity
does he get for taking unjust advan-
tage of the other man. The theory of
our government has been Individual
istlc more than any other, and for
that reason it has become so pluto
cratic. There was more opportunity
for INSCRIPTIONS men here than in
more paternalistic countries. Indi-
vidualism leads to competition; CON-
petition leads to combination between
the more successful contestants, and
thus kills individualism. We might
by drastic legislation dissolve every
corporation now existing, but we
could not thereby give every man an
equal opportunity. Favorable legis'
lation has in some measure helped the
formation of these gigantic combines
that now alarm the nation. But they
would have appeared in the fulness oil
time without any such aid. The ne
cessity for large capital in certain in.
dustries draws together the most sue
cessful money Makers; and we cannot
prevent that without destroying these
industries, unless we put them ir
charge of 9 still greater combination
that of tho entire nation.
Individualism is still possible il
certain lines that take in the majority
of the population. Farming, for in
stance, is q branch that cannot very
we'll be managed by . trust. Th'
thousand little details necessary to at
oend to, the numerous little economics
to be practiced, cannot be trusted to .
. hired man. It requires the constan
Supervision of the owner. The mo
Z ment : man spreads out in farming
until he cannot personally supervis
l everything, that moment he commen
GO 70 sloae. Thus the freezing on
process q not succeas "a that line
S. But HhIe the FARMER need. not drea,
~. SneRoAohl,i ~ 81 ILL neighbor =