The Penn's Grove record., 1906-09-28

| strictions as will make the competition
real and effective. To advocate indi-
vidualism 1t is no more necessary to
excuse the abuses to which competi-
ton may lead than it is to defend the
burning of a city because fire is essen
tial to human comfort, or to praise a
tempest because air is necessary to
human life.
Man Needs the Spur of Competition.
In comparing individualism with So
cialism, it is only fair to consider indi-
vidualism when made as good as hui
man wisdom can make it and then to
measure it with socialism at its best.
1t is a common fault of the advocate to
present his system, localized, in con-
trast with his opponents system at its
worst, and it must be confessed that
neither i~ndividualist nor socialist has
been entirely free from this fault. In
dealing with any subject we must con-
slider nan as he is or as he may rea-
sonably be expected to become under
the operation of the system proposed,
and it is much safer to consider him
as he is than to expect a radical
change in his nature. Taking man as
we find him, he needs, as Individual
lists believe, the spur of competition.
Even the socialists admit the advan-
tage of rivalry within certain limits,
but they would substitute altruistic
for selfish motives. Just here the indi-
vidualist and the socialist find them
selves in antagonism. The former be-
lieves that altruism is a spiritual quail
ity which defies governmental deini-
ton, while the socialist believes that
altruism will take the place of selfish
ness under an enforced collectivism.
Ruskin's statement that govern
ment and cooperation are in all things
and eternally the laws Of life; anarchy
and competition eternally and in all
things the laws Of DEATH" Is often
quoted by socialists. but, as g%enerali-
cations are apt to be. 1t Is more COM
p%rehensive than clear. There Is a
marked distinction between voluntary
cooperation upon terms mutually sat-
isfactory and compulsory cooperation
upon terms agreeable to a majority.
Many of the attempts to establish vol
untary cooperation have failed be-
cause of disagreement as to the distri.
button Of the common property or in
come, and those which have succeeded
best have usually rested upon a reli-
gious rather than upon an economic
basis.
Cooperation Must Be Voluntary.
In any attempt to apply the teach
ings of Christ to an economic state, 1t
must be remembered that his religion
begins with a regeneration Of the hui
nan heart and with an ideal of life
which makes service the measure Of
greatness. Tolstoi, who repudiates So
cialism as a substantial reform, con-
tends that the bringing of the individu-
nj into harmony with God Is the all i'm
portant thing, and that, this accom-
plished, all injustice will disappear.
1t Is much easier to conceive of q
voluntary association between persons
desiring to work together according
to the Christian ideal than to conceive
of the successful operation Of a system
enforced by law wherein altruism Is
the controlling principle. The attempt
to unite church and state has never
been helpful to either government or
religion. and 1t Is not at all certain
that human nature a yet be trusted
to use the instrumentalities of govern
ment to enforce religious Ideas. The
prosecutions which have made civili-
cation blush have been attempts to
compel conformity to religious beliefs
sincerely held and zealously promul-
gated.
Human Selfishness Ever Present.
The government. whether 1t leans to-
ward individualism or toward social
ism. must be administered by human
beings, and its administration will re-
feet the weaknesses and imperfections
Of those who control it. Bancroft de-
clares that the expression of the uni
versal conscience in history is the
nearest approach to the voice Of God,
and he is right in paying this tribute
to the wisdom of the masses; and yet
we cannot overlook the fact that this
universal conscience must find gov
ernmental expression through frail hu-
man beings who yield to the tempta-
ton to serve their own interests at the
expense of their fellows. viii social
ism purge the individual of selfishness
or bring a nearer approach to justice2
Justice requires that each individual
shall receive from society a reward
proportionate to his contribution to So
ciety. Can the state, acting through
officials, make this apportionment bet
ter than it car be made by competi-
ton? At present official favors are
not distributed strictly according to
merit either in republics or in mon
arches. Is it certain that socialism
would insure a fairer division of re-
wards? If the government operates
all the factories, all the farms and all
the stores, there must be superintend-
ents as well as workmen; there must
be different kinds of employment,
some more pleasant, some less pleas
ant. Is it likely that any set Of
men a distribute the work or fix
the compensation to the satisfaction
of all or even to the satisfaction Of
a majority of the people? When the
government employs comparatively
few of the people it must make the
terms and conditions inviting enough
to draw the persons needed from pri-
vate employment, and If those employ
ed in the public service become dissat-
+ isfed they can return to outside occu-
pations. But what will be the result II
there is no private employment? What
outlet will there be for discomfort IL
the government owns and operates all
the means of production and distribu-
tionf
Individualism Has Been Tested.
Under individualism a mans reward
Is determined in the open market, and
-H1.N = D.