The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-14
If SOCIALISM CONES.
Says Geo. II. Anderson, 1t viii
BE the Work of Capital.

Boston. May 1.-THE general meet
ings of 1908 of the American Social Sci
ence association began here today. The
programme covers a session Saturday
morning and the discussions scheduled
are in the departments of social econ
Omy today, of health and Jurisprudence
tomorrow. and of education and art
Saturday. The speakers are persons of
prominence in various branches of pro-
fessiOual and scientific activity, mainly
from Boston and vicinity. The Drin-
cipal speakers today were George H
Anderson and Lewis D. Brandeis. lead
ing members of the Suffolk county
Afassac husetts, bar. and Prof. Eugene
Wambaugh. of the Harvard law school,
Mr. Anderson spoke on Some Respon-
sibiliues of CaPitalistie Organization"
He said i'm part:
"In considering some Of the RESPONSE
bnites of capitalistic organization it is
not to be overlooked that the career Of
labor organizations has not been
marked by any such love Of wisdom,
justice and fair dealing as to evoke our
moral enthusiasm. Nor have the labor
organizations any moral standing to de-
nounce trusts. for their movement is Us
distinctly combination or trust as is
the caDitalistic movement. The two
movements are alike in motive and OBJ
iect.
In the contest as it is now carried
on between these two opposing forces it
is obvious that there are at least two
main desiderata. First that the parties
to the contest should become so nearly
equal in real and apparent power that
each may come to respect the other
to the end that an equilibrium approx
imaung justice may result. The organ
izatiOn of labor is an absolute condition
precedent under present conditions to
any sound social and Industrial prog
ress. To oppose that organization. to
attempt to prevent it by legislation or
TO denOunce it in terms recently useG
at the manufacturers association ut
IlFInQnc Is IT on ffcI1
The second desideratum is that there
should be an increased respect for law
and justice on the part Of labor and
capital The final appeal must be to
Justice
In Weighing the power of the two
contending forces nothing is more fool
lsh and misleading than a comparison
of wages with interest and dividend
rates fer the purpose of determining the
share received by capital and the share
received by labor in the joint produc-
ton of both"
He declared that it did not follow that
the remedy IS to be found i'm such leg
islauou as the Sherman act. 1t was a
law far more likely to be abused than
used Under our law permitting the pri-
Nate ownership not only of the surface
of the land. but of an minerals ana
metals beneath the surface. the coal ana
iron supply of the country would soon
De entirely under monopoly control Th.-
condition of ownership and control OF
~AA' ANANlAA cttANI supply ne tONIeUuAtl.
was just cause for revolutionary senti-
ments and activities
The main objection to trust combina-
tlons was in their capitalization and in
the use that IS made of that over can
ltalization- In the last generation. he
declared. the LEGISLATION of the country
had been mainly controlled by capital
ana IN not few of the state the sale
Of legislation was regular business.
In conclusion Mr.. Anderson said:
FIT rs one of the present responsible.
ties OF capitahstic organization to undo
the evil fl has wrought-t0 teach the
voters that the powers of the ballot boy
and OF the legislative hall are to be held
ana exercised as a sacred trust for the
Denent of the community as a whole.
IL capital fails to recognize the necessity
or just laws, respected and obeved il
may expect little mercy at the hands
ol US aQFersaries when they discover
their real power If socialism comes
me main responsibility win rest upon
the caDitalistic organizations.