The Washington herald., 1907-10-13
new ZEALAND'S WAY
How Paternalism Works in
the AntipOdes.
GOVERNMENT OWNS RAILROADS
Also Conducts the Telegraph and
Services and Lends Money at Inter
est TO Citizens-COntrOIS Landed
Propriefors, Settles strikes By
Arbitration Commissions.

Editor The Washington Herald:
A friend In California sends me the
following newspaper. clipping. which I
would greatly like to see reprinted IN
The Washington Herald; IL may draw
out that brilliant Chamberlain on a new
line of thought:
New Zealand is a young country. Our
country. which we think OF as young. Is
an old. gray-hesded, plutoeratie grand
father compared with the distant island
where human beings run the government
actually for human beings.
They do strange things down there on
the other side of the world To begin
with, you know. they are hanging head
downward from US on the earth. The
soles Of their feet are pointed toward
the soles Of our feet It Is hard, even
yet, kor human beings to realize that.
That is not the queerest thing about
them by any means. They actually be-
lieve that Of all vested rights" the one
really important ls the right Of the ma
jority to have the government run for
them
Prof Parsons has written an admirable
history Of New Zealand conditions We
have read its SIX or seven hundred pages
with care, and In one Of those some
days" when good intentions are fulfilled,
We propose 10 write you series Of ar
ticles on New Zealand government.
Meanwhile. here are a few facts. which
we borrow from our able friend the
Weekly Oregon Statesman Think over
these statements and make Up your mind
whether these things are dreadful So
eialism.' or "horrid paternalism," or
sound common sense:
state InEures Citizens.
In New Zealand the government owns
the railroads, telegraph and telephone
systems public highways, coal mines,
operates fire and life insurance companies.
stimulates business by loans at a low rate
of interest. and exercises control over
almost everything And il is the richest
country In the world, the per capita valu-
alton being Si.4So-
(IIow is that for wild anarchy?'O
Every child between TIE ages OF seven
and fourteen IS compelled 10 attend
school. Il is impossible for native
born young man to secure employment
unless he has a certificate Of graduation.
The working days are eight hours long.
and a half holiday is granted each week
What becomes Of our blessed free COM
petition and the right Of the lofty work
ingman TO be sweated TO death in the
name Of intelligent business2'D
Under the settlers act. the government
leans money TO its subjects. \ rich man
who owns much land Is compelled 70 sell
part OF it If q purchaser comes along If
you want to buy a piece Of land and yeu
have insufficient money. the government
viii loan you three-ffths the amount you
have for five years at 3 per cent It viii
sell you bush land and pay you $50
a day for three days work each week
on the public roads contiguous to your
property II viii haul fertilizer 70 your
farm for nothing. II you wish TO exhibit
at a stock fair it viii transport your ex-
hibits free Of charge on the railroad.
Care you not gasping for breath az this
shameless paternalism? Just think Of
hauling the farmers fertilizer free. for
the sake of the soil and the crops!
Doesn't that shock-us In this better land,
where the railroads haul free nothing, ex-
eept politicians and plutocrats in private
carsO
Decides Labor Conflicts.
The government believes in unions OF
employers ard unions OF employees. They
have two tribunals to arbitrate strikes
the arbitrary and eoncniatory boards.
The grievances are first taken to the con-
clliatory board. which is composed Of
seven capitalists and seven representa-
tives Of the labor unions. II that board
does not reach an agreement the matter
is laid before the arbitration board. con-
sisting of the judge Of the supreme court.
frN0 n7fs sF
The decision stands for three years
(New Zealanders actually deal with
the great strike problem. using their
brains, instead of leaving It to workers
and employers to fight it out, or starve it
out. dancing up and down on the unfor-
tunate public meanwhile)
The government telegraph rates are
Il cents for as many words, and half
cent each for all additional words. The
telephone rates are about one-fourth
what they are in this country. Insurance
rates are about half as mach. Last year
$4,000 was paid out on lapsed policies,
because the officials believed the bene-
fciaries were In extreme need OF the
money that was not legally theirs.
Of that Is not anarchy, what Is III
We have a different insurance system
here.)
Coal at $3.50 Per Ton!
Throughout all the provinces coal is sold
from "a TO $3.50 per ton II you want a
house, the government will build you one;
frame structures costing $500 and brick
s.. 500. on a twenty-year loan at per cent.
With no crop failures, il Is an easy
matter to repay the loan. Out of s24ooo,-
COO loaned to the people in the last four
teen years the government has lost less
than $500 through default.
We really doRt know quite how TO de-
scribe such goings on as these. Perhaps
later, after you have got your breath
back, we~ may tell you more about this
crazy New Zealand. where they man
age and spend goversxlent money for the
benefit of the governed; where the Ameri-
can politician. with his carcass and con-
vietions for sale. could make himself uSe-
full only as part of those government free
hauled loads Of fertilizer.