Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1905-01-18

GSllRSN | OF this prOpnecyE
ENLEAS Formerly it was impossible Of
SSAt k(SN full6llment because of the limited
9s13< ~ y production; because those things
necessary for liie-fOod and clothes-were produced
with difficulty and insuhicently. To-day machin
cry and scientific method have so increased product
ion that in the United States the question most
eagerly discussed is: s'HOw to Prevent OverprO
duction." According to our crude and cruel ideals
Of trade there is in the world ''tO much wheat and
corn, too much cotton, tco much woOlen goods, toe
much lumber, too many bricks, too much iron and
steel, and to- much Of everything that goes toward
the comfort OF human beings" Not how to distrib-
ute these riches of nature but how to prevent over
production, is the absurd problem which exercises
the commercial wisdom the age.
II we would understand the problems of product
ion and distribution, We must analyze carefully
the conditions which prevail: The causes which
lead to the socalled overpOduCtiOn and the causes
which retard both scientific production and equita
BILE distribution.
AS a preliminary to clear thinking we must start
with these two axioms:
/. There can be no such thing as overpToduction
untl'every man, woman and child the world over is
comfortably clad, living in comfortable home with
heathfu surroundings, and provided with sufficient
food to nOurish the body properly.
II. There can be no scientifically regulated pro
ductiOn until approximately, all waste is eliminated
from our scheme OF work.
The truth OF the first axiom need not be argued.
We may then proceed to the question of waste under
our present system Of production; we may go fur.
ther and venture the assertion that more than one
halt Of all human effort is wasted. We find this
loss arising:
First. Through duplication Of effort. Every.
where men are spending their days in work which,
organized upon scientific basis could be reduced to
Onehalf, one-third, One-iOurth, One.fith or even
Onetenth. Take for instance, New York city:
there are ten times as many apOthecaries as would
be required to furnish all the drugs dispensed.
There are along the same streets OF New York at
least one hundred and fifty miles Of shops furnish
ing supplies, all Of which could be better selected,
more economically delivered and sold at vastly
cheaper price from central depOts property estab.
Iished. In this hundred and fifty miles OF shops
an army Of men and women stand in many Of the
smaller ones through twelve, fourteen and even six
teen long hours waiting for business. Three.iOurths
Of their labor il unproductiye because the system is
one handed down from the booths Of the barbaric
ages.
Next to this class there is one even more iOrmida
bic. It. too, is relic Of the days Of savagery,
when the competition for thelimited supply Of food
was 80 violent that the most terrible crimes were
committed in order to secure it. Fully onefOurth
Of the entire population Of the world is employed in
enforcing law. Because, through the stupidities OF
our system Of distribution there remain classes OF
people so miserable as to be willing to commit crime
in order to obtain food other prOpertytbis too,
at time when there is plenty for all, when there
would be no necessity for any mans plundering his
neighbOr il only triding part Of the effort now
spent in the Law we're concentrated upon working
out scientific system OF distribution.
The system Of the Law embraces the standing
armies Of the world with their endless train Of hor
r6rs, Of which We just had fair sample ct
Port Arthur. Then come the police forces Of the