The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-25

iacent coalfelds have been thrown out
OF employment The same progressive
government has added fire-insurance
department to it's ife-insurances depart
ment; it had twice or thrice vainly at
tempted a to insurance II the
Compulsory. And the same government
now owns hotels in tourist districts,
and personally conducts all railway
refreshment rooms. There was thus al
ready a broad basis on which to rear q
system of state socialism. To it the
labor party IN australia proposes to add
commonwealth and in New South Wales
it has tried to make the iron manufac-
ture an exclusive privilege Of the state.
1t also claims for the state the monop-
oily Of the tobacco manufacture. The
program Of the labor party il New Yea
as is oa hf 1eM
the NATURALIZATION Of all mineral
wealth. and the establishment of wool
len and -four mills, clothing and boot
factories. Such proposals seem formid-
able, or would be If there were the least
danger OF their belng carried into eff
those which scare the middle classes in
the revolutionary socialism of France
or Germany, need be looked for in Aus
tralia. The labor leaders in all the
states are cool-headed men, who will
not be betrayed into any extravaganza.
Some Of them are Irish, but the Celtic
fervor has either burnt down in them
or is sternly repressed. The labor lead
er in the commonwealth, while admit
ting that socialism is the foundation of
the labor platform, intimated that
those who expected extreme measures
from him would be disappointed, and
during his brief term of office he Ger.
kos SrlS - g.
an advanced policy. The labor minis.
try in West Australia is already disap.
pointing. its followers by it's unexpected
moderation.
The stability of the semisocialist
system built up by. successive colonial
governments depends mainly on two
loans and high pEeoteG
vate lands are being effected by means
of loans raised in England. The sub
stitution of the state for commercial
companies as the holders Of land mort
cages (and in all the colonies land il
mortgaged to the hilt) has been made
practicable by the same, means. The
execution of public works, which arr
istic trend of the ministry Of the day
rests on the same, basis, Let the Brit
ish bondholder grow alarmed at thu
monstrous Indebtedness these colonies
are plling up, and the colonial soclalis
tic activity. on these. lines necessaril.
comes to an end. This is exactly wha
is happening. The motherland obsti
nately refuses to continue lending t.
her prodigal sons at the antipodes ex
cept on usurious terms. The conse
quences are already visible. In mos
Of the Australian states public work
are almost at a standstill, and the re
purchase Of lands is being very slowl
made. In the more prosperous colonie
the boom that has been maintained fo
many. years by. the copious and contin
uous influx Of foreign gold, shows sign
, Of breaking. Should it break, the mas
Of colonial socialism will tumble dow
like a child's house Of cards, which i
reality the whole thing is. Among, otf
J er features of the structure, the, extrav
agant old-age pension systematic
; New Zealand has. Just discovered, a
: Victoria two years ago discovered, an
} as New South Wales will yet discover
/ to be a sink of corruption-wil prov
! to be an intolorable burden.