The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-12-14
Socialist Statistics

Reading, Mass, Dec. 4.-The trouble with
our socialist friends is that they see things that
never happen.
socialist organ which just came in says
editorially that in short time I'VE will be con-
fronted with 100000 unemployed" / suppose
1t does these calamity howlers good to howl and
it doesn't do the rest of us much harm Our
friend Obenchain tries awfully hard to make out
case for himself but fails entirely. He has
published no proof whatever that the middle
class are disappearing; not bit, nor can he.
The statistics which appeared in The Independent
OF November 81 disprOve the socialist contention
absolutely. Why Sanill in his Socialist Alma
nae admitted that the middle class were not
disappearing in numbers" but were, he said,
in quality"
If manufacturing plants increased much
faster in the two decades from 1880 to 1900 than
from 1870 to $780, which they did, that Is only
another proof that that part of the middle class
is increasing faster now than thirty years ago.
And mark you this great increase of the middle
class has taken place at period when this ma
ton was receiving an average of more than
100000 immigrants annually, 95 per cent or
more of whom were working people" e. not
middle class. / mean during the past ten years.
Now then, the real question or rather the two
questions at issue, is the middle class disap
pearng and is it true that the workers receive
only one-ffth of what they produce? / cha-
lenge Obenchain any other socialist to prove
either contention.
When Mr.. Obenchain talks about our being
dUlc u pTOuuCe SIX ydfQS OF ClOtn or SHOES or
anything, when could only produce one be-
fore he seems to imagine that that is all there
is to the story. He forgets that are able to
produce more and more, not because we do more
and moro work, but because we have better ma
chinery and better organization. That is the in
ventors and organizers make it possible to do
this And 1t is the genius of the few that makes
possible cheaper production. Capital doesn't re-
ceive any greater reward today, dollars for dol
lars than 1t did fifty years ago. On the other
hand, labor is paid at least 100 to $50 per cent
better than fifty years ago.
In 1887, 81 and 70 we had an unemployed
problem the like of which we will probably never
see again. Yet the whole stock in trade of the
socialist Is long drawn calamity howl to-wit:
that everything Is getting worse.
According to the socialist statisticans"
labor receives one-fifth or 20 per cent OF what
II produces while capital receives four-nfths or
so per cent or course no we'll informed man
believes any such rot. even the New York Worker,
the leading socialist organ OF this nation replying
to assertion of this kind In the Chicago So
oalist said that II was foolish Ia talk such non
sense. that II simply wasn't true. Perhaps our
Texas friend can convince this socialist editor
that he Ii an iEnoramus but he wont be able to
convince anyone else let us see your statistics
Friend Obenchain and let rs see you demoiIsh
those that have furnished.
II may not do our friend any good to pub.
sh more farm statistics but II may throw
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