The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-12-10

do not doubt that the statement is
practically correct. But we do doubt
the 4xpediency of the world doing so
much loafing. The necessity which
chains men to the desk or plow for ten
or twelve hours day proves their sal
walton in ninety cases out of one hum
dred. The reformers claim the leisure
time would be devoted to attaining the
higher life, to intellectu al improvement
and social functions. On the contrary,
so much idleness would lead to immoral
ity and the deadening of our faculties.
If idleness improves q race, why are
not the savages of the southern islands
our superiors? They obtain a living
with little or no exertion from the
abundance of fruit and have all day
long to cultivate the "higher life," yet
how many have attained it? Richelieu
used to increase taxes each time the
working class of France showed signs
of prosperity, as in his words, "rhe
poor; Hike donkey, are moro content.d
and work better under heavy burden" !"
Our private opinion of the old church
man would not look we'll in print, yet
he was partly right, as the great mass
of the people are better off under ten
hour day than they would be working
but FIVE hours.
Still we have only paper facts to
show there would be . reduction in the
length of a working day under nom
competitive system, and while on pa
per it can be proven conclusively that
such change would occur, there re-
mains vast difference between theory
and practice. l have already pointed
out that the incompetents would in
crease under non-competition and it is
possible that the increase would be SO
large and the burden upon the workers
become so great that it would result in
longer rather than shorter hours. An
illustration from our class book on the
Evolution of Industrial Progress" is
to the point. It seems that the early
Puritans employed system of COM
mon cultivation in New England. The
result was that not enough corn was
produced to feed the colony and they
were in want and distress. The gov
ernor finally parcelled out the land to
individuals so each might look out for
himself. The result was satisfactory,
as may be seen from the following quo
tation from Gov. Bradford: "This had
very good success; for it made all
hands very industrious -. and gave
far better content. The women How
went willingly into the field who be-
fore would allege weakness and inabil-
ity; whom to have compelled would
have been thought great tyranny and
oppression 1t was only by installing
competition that the Puritans could
raise enough for their wants. Will the
supporters of non-competition claim
that human nature is any different to-
day than itawas then? Does it not
seem possible that so many would
plead "inabil.ty, weakness and infirmi-
ty" that the burden upon the workers
would be more than could be carried?
Take it altogether, con,petitinn Is
more of a friend than a foe to Ii :
kind. 1t is spur which quickens men
to their best endeavor. not only in max
ing money, but to intel sctnal and NOR
al attainment. 1t works the greatest
good to the greatest number and
should not he removed for the benefit
of the incompetents who are left be-
hind. 1t causes distress, yet it makes
men charitable, aid If a certain amount
of money would actually relieve the
distress Of the world, competition
would subscribe the amount tomorrow,
no matter how large sum might be
demanded.
The reformers cry that competition
takes from the weak and gives TO the
strong. This is true and it is strong
and not weak race that we want.
Decay would set in ware we to take
from the strong and give to the weak.
The Great Teacher recognized this
principle when he said, "To him who
hath shall be given" and while this IS
the only Biblical injunction strictly
lived up to, the world is steadily grow
ing better and man has more oppor-
tunity under our fierce competitive sys-
tenn to develop q lofty, sympathetic
and charitable nature than under q
system where charity would be unnec-