Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-28
The Goodwin Prize Part.

mcncement part or Roscoe fieildeiSoi
Hupper of Martinsville, who won the
Goodwin Commencement prize, the
highest honor of Commencement week
for a Senior. Mr.. Hopper spoke as FOL
lows:
Our country is famed for its econom-
lie and political freedom. Steady en-
p,oymcnt and increasing wages: strong
labor unions; frequent elections; grow
ing domestic and foreign commerce; an
immigration of more than Il million a
year-theSc all attest the justice Of
that fame.
Nevertheless, our American life Is
fum of economic and political ills. Null
tip!ying laws make government COM
pick. Our spells system. with its re-
served emblem mot the eagle. but the
pelican" makes legislation go lame.
BY simple railroad Juggling Mr.. Har-
riInan earned $4,000. Insurance COM
panies sometimes rob, respectfully.
Mrn often work too long for too little;
children work too young and grow up
ignorant. Our shms are a menace.
Those ten per cent. of the people own
ing 80 per cent. of the wealth do not
get within q respectable hailing dis
tance Of paying nine-tenths OF the
taxes. Ills like these are the basis of
the constant cry Tor mere justice. for
in the last analysis, the loser can
come only from the sweat and blood
Of the people.
TO meet this sincere and practicable
cry for more justice, the most thorough
going and insistcnt reform yet advo-
Gated is Socialism. Many trained think
ers and workingmcn in every city and
town support it. The last national
election registered 100000 Socialist
voters. acknowledge of Socialism" says
Prof. Zeublin of Chicago University.
sis one Of the three elements of cul-
ture'
The dav of representing Socialism
has gone. The Socialist is no longer
lone who wants something, he knows
not what. but wants it quick" His
definite aim Is distribution of Justice
That aim he would reach by the COM
mon ownership and operation Of the
material instruments of production.
From this follows distribution Of COM
mon authority. He would have neither
rent, wages nor interest. Private prop
'
he would not abolish. lie would give
each man simply fair protection Of
private property.
These fundamentals Of Socialist the
DRY seem to fit our problem. Socialism
would simplify government by abolish
ins all law tor private instruments of
production; and SocialiZed post office
causes almost no legislation or litiga-
ton. 1t would make all labor problems
easy by uniting all Industrial interests
by abrlislIing the system Itself it would
wipe out our taxation problem. 1t
would kill private monopoly. For one
problem after another Socialism APP
parently provides an adequate Solu-
tim.
Why, hen, should we not adopt So
cialism? why cast this aside for any
half way of reform? We must remem-
Der that il is no special argument for
an act. Ia say that act can bring re-
form. We must ask is there any way
less dangerous and less expensive?
Does Socialism held all it seems to
promise?
TO this PRACTICAL question we must
d'ISNtI, llp. III iit ItN'hutHlH tN'Ititl-
ism would cause. by its radical nature.
1t would probably discrcdit even itself.
Tt neglects certain economic law, it
further neglects that most important
element of human nature. 1t is Il mis-
taken remedy.
One important feature of that mis-
take IS that Socialism does not insure
the laborer mere pay. Many employees
feel that from their wages something
IL held back rs tribute of labor. Karl
Mara said all wealth was due to labor
and therefore ought To go to labor.
Socialists of today repudiatc that po-
sition and give larger share of
wealth to directive ability. The Jesuts
taught the natives OF Paraguay to
make watches. When political causes
drove the Jesuits from the country, the
natives went back to barbarsm and
ceased producing watches. The differ
ence between the value of their
watches and their later cheap products
was due to directive ability. Now,
practically speaking. the efficiency Of
manual labor does not change. a divi-
sion of the total income Of England in
1850 would have given each wage earn
ing family $500. In 1850 the wage earn
ing families alone got more than 800
each. This vast increase. due not to
labor. but to the variable factor Of
directive ability really gave the laborer
more than he earned.
In America Brook Farm fell apart
after running more than 40 years. Each
members share of accumulated wealth
was $500. A skilled mechanic working
for Carnegie can save more in five
years than these laborers working by
themselves. could save in nearly half
a century. So. it is not clearly evident
that labor is systematically espoiled,
and there Is strong reason to fear that
production in common would mean for
the laborer, not more-but less, pay.
Another striking feature of the mis-
take in Socialism is that ii would break
the backbone of productive efficiency.
The Socialist says his scheme would
not hurt efficiency because the employ
ing classes are to be retained and made
to exercise their highest powers in the
direction of labor. 1t is still an open
question as to whether these services
should receive special remunera tion IF