The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-10-05
UNloNIsM ANDssocIAlIsM.

| Of ignorance. but not unfrequently of
international perversity-to confound
trades unionism with sociallsm-than
| which no greater mistake could be
! made. The aim Of both is the BETTER
ment of the condition Of the workers:
and both seek this end through orean-
ization. agitation, education and legis-
lation. But here the similltude ends.
Socialism socks an industrial millen-
MUM through the overthrow Of the
existing wage system, competition and
private ownership of machinery and
other capital essential to production.
Socialism halls with satisfaction the
consolidation Of industries into great
aggregations like the United States
Steel the Standard Oil, the Coal Min
Ing and the Cattle Buying and Meat
Packing and Railroad combinations. as
desirable and necessary step In the
evolution Of that socialistic state when
the people, through the government.
shall own and operate all the great
industr les. Socialists. too, az a whole.
are committed to the dogma that little
benefit can be secured to the workers
except by the general specialization Of
industries and the abolition Of the
| competitive system; and, as a party,
they insist on nominating candidates
Of their own cult and standing up to
be counted on every offered occasion,
however insignificant their following,
for the purpose OF testifying to the
world their lack Of faith In any other
means Of industrial solution than that
offered by the MARKHAM creed.
Trades unionism, on the ether hand,
has no such ambitious, far-reaching
program no such hard and-fast indus
trial. social and political theories
That there may be an Industrial and
social Utopia in the far-away future it
does not deny: but insists, contrary
to the tenets Of socialism, that great
and permanent benefits to wage-earn-
ers are attainable under the existing
competitive system Of industry-now,
and in the near future, too-and it
reaches out after these benefits by
every legitimate means at its COM
mand. 1t is not political party, but
including workers of all parties, it
urges upon all the wisdom Of inde-
pendent political action, whenever and
wherever labor issues are involved. as
a means Of better Industrial condi-
lions.
Trades unions, however, assume no
power to control or influence the poll
teal action OF individual members
other than by advice and argument;
they have no power-either local. state
or national-to penalize members for
political action counter to the ex-
pressed views Of the unions.
Trades unionism, in a word, differs
essentially from socialism, in this-it
seeks to benefit workers now and In
the immediate future by methods
which experience has shown to be
fairly effectual under sthe existing in
dustrial system. It aims to center its
efforts upon the benefits which are
now within sight or reach and on the
prevention Of evils now menacing,
leaving to other organizations the
work OF revolutionizin6, or evolution.
izing, the existing Industrial and social
system--a work that extends too far
into the future to afford hope Of any
| but far-off results.
That the existing industrial system
! is f1nality trades unionisrn does not
affirm. 1t recognizes, however. that
for years to come at least it Is the
system under which, by means of
which, despite Of which and through
modification Of which waeeworkers
must seek and obtain betterment Of
conditions
Trades unionism, therefore, seeks the
betterment by a discriminating oppor-
tunism which regards ends rather than
means; results rather than theories:
certain moderate benefits in the pre-
sent rather than the promise Of I'M
certain benefits in the far future
benefits contingent on a possible in
dustrial social revolution. It is be-
| cause trades nnionisno hold. +h,. ,,,.
that 1t has, as a whole-in America.
at east-consistently and repeatedly,
In American Federation conventions
and elsewhere, refused to commit itself
to the theories Of socialism. And the
British labor party, In conference at
Belfast, has just, by an overwhelming
vote, taken the same position.
The meanest man in the world is the
man who says he does nor have IN