The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-10-12
Light for Mr.. obenehain

chain IN his last letter IL the goal we are all
irving 10 reach Some of us, Mr.. obenehain. are
content 10 earn good. honest interest on our
labor rather than try our luck at handling cap
tai In business. ! have known men who could
earn five six per cent on $4,000 as employees
who could NOT succeed In business. and | suspect
that many of our railway managers, who earn
six per cent ON 100000 or 100000 much prefer
TO remain workmen rather than TO become capl'
tasts VIII Mr. Ohenchain deny that these men
are waEo.eaners? And In passing ! might say
that the statistics which the socialist POUNDS
his theory generally take into consideration only
a certain range of ow.salaried workmen They
take no account of the general manager with
salary OF $4,000 year, OF the singer who re-
ceyos 81 900 night, of the painter who receives
$4,000 for his picture Of the sculptor, architect
engineer, or other expert, who is paid a big price
for his work.
On the other hand thousands Of workmen are
capitalists Among the skilled workmen of any
city you will find hundreds who own stocks in
various concerns, Joint stock companies and rail-
ways To such an extent has II become true that
the people invest In stocks that II is very doubt
ful whether wealth is concentrated today as it
was thirty years ago There are, for example, g.,
100000 holders of railway stocks and bonds 1t
iB the control that is concentrated and therein
lies the danger. and II is the duty of the state
to deal with this danger, My own opinion is
that the proportion OF capitalists to the whole
population Us greater today than ever before
Like all socialists Mr. Obenchan dwells tear
fully upon The terrible struggle for existence.
VIII there be no struggle for existence under
socialism? Always OF course, ! presumng
socialism 10 be practicable which | do not be.
eye The struggle for existence is not as hard
AS II was nifty years ago, nor is il more pre-.
oarlous.
Mr., obenohain asks why. If the productive
efficiency OF labor has increased skiold sub
sistence should not be obtained with one,sxth
the onort2 II should be IL there we're no increase
IN the demand for goods but Mr.. Obenchain neg
lects TO take any note OF the increased demand
Mr.. Obenehain asks me II | do not think that
some OF the envy and hate born of struggle
that compels the bringing of these traits to the
front would disappear under a system where
men would not have to fight each other Yes
That viii be In heaven. The very fact however
that lust, ntemperance soth, disease, desire for
revenge aye, and envy, would not vanish under
any economic system would mean the wrecking
OF the socialistic state
Mr.. obenchain says that fvesixths of the
labor of production is performed by machines
That is true in certain industries only How
much does machine do in growing an orch.
ard On the other hand If the world
were limited to hand production nowadays il
would starye because the demand has increased
TO such an extent that rapid means of produc-
uon by machinery are necessary. As civza.
tion advances mans wants increase. The native
of Central Africa does not want telephones, tele.
graphs or RAILWAYS because he knows nothing
of these things. lie can supply his wants by hand
production | pointed out in my first letter that
railways, teegraphs, telephones, electrical and
steam power as applied TO many industries. and
many other inventions and discoveries had sun.
piled new fields of labor and productiveness
MIR ohcnehain always reverts 10 his unten.
able assertion that because fourhfhs of the
profits of labor 40 TO capitalists therefore wealth
Is necessarily and ipso faeto centralizlng into
the hands ot n few, Nh 0henchan overloots
many things when he makes This assertion lie
fails 10 consider that the euptalist mnS, draw
fourhtths or about that proportion. from the
business IN order Ia keen the business going
Here are some of bis exnenses Raw materials
hu8inEs machines hand rent advertising