The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-02-02
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP As
EDUCATOR Of CITIZEN
From Ends of World Private
Enterprises are Changing
to Public Control.
New Zealand Experiments
Have Passed Into Prece-
dents-Even Japan at It.

by various bodies and public spirited
individuals into the results Of num-
cipal ownership in other countries, and
the subject is a favOrite one for dis
cussion on many platforms in the
United States. But the information
which may result from these inquiries
and discussions, if the present impress
sive trend Of thought and opinion con-
tinue, may not be so important as
means Of forming judgment as to the
desirability Of this method of owner
ship, as helpful perhaps in furnishing
hints for the details of an already de-
termined result. The most hopeful
optimism can scarcely believe now in
any process of relenting on the part of
the great accommodations and combina-
tons of capital in the course which
they are pursuing, nor for any final
help from the laws against the power
which they exert. Hence it Is scarcely
necessary to go into the arguments
furnished by those who are trying to
stem the rising tide of public opinion
by the Partingtonian bosom Of argu-
ment.
defense Of human nature, however,
must be pleaded with all the strength
of the most earnest conviction against
the aspersion which is cast upon it by
those who maintain that great pecun-
larry rewards are the necessary incen-
tive to the service Of humanity. The
splendid results which accompany pri-
vate discovery and manipulation
(though these results are often flched
from the inventor by the promoter) are
not necessary to stimulate the man Of
science. Here again, as we believe we
may safely trust the mass Of people,,
we can also trust the great exception
ally gifted sons of men to do their best,
as the best has been done and is be-
ing done today from real love of man
kind, of science and Of the truth, in
thousands Of laboratories and work.
shops all over the world. The fore
boding that it will be otherwise is as
untrue as it is unworthy. It is scarcely
fitting to name here the one great Ex-
ample or the innumerable army Of his
followers Of whom the world was not
worthy; but are we not assured that
Calico, Newton, CALVIN, Franklin, Har-
vey, Rumford, Nasmyth, Wedgewood
Darwin, Watt, Arkwright, Ericsson, the
Stephensonsl Pasteur Graham Bell. and
! their fellows made their contributions
to humanity without hope Of fee or
reward, and would have made them in
any case, even though their only COM
pensation might have been their risk
and labor and an approving self con-
! sciOusness? =.
| 1t Is said that industry may be stifled
by the oppression Of municipal owner
ship laws, as some of the American ex-
perts claim that it is stifled in Great
Britain; but the people are the law
and they are, If ever, to learn wisdom
through neutrality-suspicious. Of gener-
al application, which will be of fnfln-
itely more value to them than the i'm
mediate material benefits derived from
the private administration of their af-
fairs by the little coterie Of heaven
born "haute finance and industrial
chieftains. The belief Of those who re-
tain their faith in democracy is un.
shaken that when the truth is graspec
by the slow-growing general apprehen.
sion that public ownership is private
ownership in which every citizen is 6
stakeholder who can influence his divi.
dend by his own vote, as he certainly
cannot do in any private corporation;
not only will he be aroused to the full
f1llment of his duty in these particulars
but in all the other responsibilities Of
the suffrage.
From the ends Of the world private
enterprises are changing over into pub
lie control. New Zealand experiments
have passed almost into precedents
and from Japan, which has suddenl,
become the cynosure Of Western eyes
the last word has come which round:
up the almost unbroken chain of pub.
lie railway ownership beyond England
and America. What is offered in tn,
United States to allay the dread Of tn,
arrogant and constantly increasin,
combinations of capital which aim t,
control not only the instruments of in
dustry and all large reproductive un
dertakings but even the natural SUP
plies of energy stored up in land AM
water?
We have been offered recently tn
alternative Of the intervention of pater
nalism, but, however attractive for ,
time the brilliant and vigorous exercis
may be Of personal authority and in
fiuence by a popular functionary,
democracy cannot be long content witt
a control Of it's affairs inconsistent witt
its fundamental principles, nor it's con
seriousness be permanently dulled in
comatose torpor only sporadfcall,
aroused by violent appeals to spasmo
die action.
Daily diligence in the duties Of citi
zenship; constant pressure upon on
servants in the government, not s.
much to make but especially to execut
good laws; perpetual vigilance, in shor
Is the price and safeguard of liberty
The extremes Of Indifference and O
hero-worship are equally Inconsistent
with 1t. If liberty seems to have faile
in producing the results claimed for II
since an inert people has allowed itsel
to be robbed right and left by a. pro
tective tariff, by the theft of publf
franchises and, in a thousand othe
ways, only to be galvanized into activ
lty by the voice Of a demapopue NJ h,