The Greeley tribune., 1906-09-13

10 the theory, and theory
" be corrected by experience.
IA mathematics no one can calcu
'' ''e direction of the resultant with
w. hlowledge of all the forces that
"'t upon the moving body, so in esti.
n'atihS the effect of proposed sys.
TEN one must take into cons,daratio,
- ,he influences that operate upon
she human mind and heart, and who
- wise enough to predict with certain.
~ the result Of any system before 1t
mas been thoroughly tried? Indiyidu-
"''sth mas been tested by centuries of
experience. Under it there have been
progress and development. That it
uas not been free from evil Is not a
sulhclent condemnation The same
rain that furnishes the necessary mois-
tufe Tor the growing crop sometimes
moods the land and destroys the har-
vest; the same sun that coaxes the
.hy shoot from Mother Earth some
times scorches the blade and blasts
the maturing stalk. The good things
given us by our heavenly Father often,
Il not always, have an admixture of
evil. to the lessening of which the in
telliSence of man must be constantly
directed. Just now there are signs of
an ethical awakening which is likely
10 result in reforming some of the evils
which have sprung from individualism,
hut which can be corrected without |
any impairment of the principle.
Altruism Necessary.
The individualist, while contending
that the largest and broadcast develop
ment of the individual, and hence of
the entire population, is best secured
by full and free competition, made fair
which acts beyond the sphere of the
state. After the government has Sc
cured to the individual, through COM
petition, a reward proportionate to his
effort, religion admonishes him of his
stewardship and of his obligation to
| use his greater strength, his larger
ability and his richer reward in the
spirit of brotherhood. Under individ-
ualism we have seen q constant in
crease in altruism. The fact that the
| individual can select the objects of his
| benevolence and devote his means to
| the causes that appeal to him has CIV
| en- an added stimulus to his endeavors.
| Would this stimulus be as great under
socialism?
Probably the nearest approach that
we have to the socialistic state today
is to be found in the civil service. If
the civil service develops more useful
ness and more altruistic devotion to
the general welfare than private en-
| ployment does, the fact is yet to be
| discovered. This is not offered as a
criticism of civil service in SO far as
civil service may require examinations
TO ascertain fitness for office. but it Is
simply a reference to well known
| fact-viz, that life position in the
government service, which separates
one from the lot of the average produ
Ger of wealth. has given no extraordi
nary stimulus to higher development.
1t is not necessary to excuse or t.
defend competition carried to poin
| where it creates submerged fifth. o
even a submerged tenth, to recognize
| the beneficial effect of struggle ant
| discipline upon the men and wome1
| who have earned the highest places IL
Industry, society and government.
A Friendly Rivalry.
| There should be no unfriendliness be
| tween the honest individualist and the
| honest socialist; both seek that whicf
| they believe to he best for society. The
socialist. by pointing out the abuses OF
| iudividualism. will assist in their cor
rection. At present private monopoly
Is putting upon individualism an un'
| deserved odium, and it behooves the
individualist 10 address himself ener'
| getically to this problem in order that
| the advantages of competition may be
restored to industry. And the duty OF
immediate action is made more imper'
ative by the fact that the socialist is
! inclined to support the monopoly, IN
the belief that it will be easier to In
duce the government to take over an
industry after it has passed into the
hands of few men. The trust mag
mates and the socialists unite i'll de-
claring monopoly to be an economic
deyelopment. the former hoping to re-
tain the fruits of monopoly in private
hands, the latter expecting the uiu-
mate appropriation Of the dement's OF
monopoly by the government. Inc lh-
diyidualist, on the contrary, CONTENDS
that the consolidation of industries
ceases to be an economic advantage
when competition is eliminated, ana
he believes further that no economic
advantage which could come from the
monopolization of all the Industries IN
the hands of the government coulu
compensate for the sitting OF indlvio,
ual initiative and independence. ANA
the individualists who thus peheVe
stand for a morality and for system
~ ethics which they are willing to
measure against the ethics ana rior"'