Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-31

the revision of the out-of-date system
of competition which a few old fogy
politicians still cling to as remedy
for all the evils which beset the hui
man race. Industrial democracy means
recognition of the right of the masses
to title and interest in the great In
dustries which they create. and upon
which they are absolutely dependent
for a living
LET well enough alone" crys the
standpatter. "You have political free
dom under democratic form Of gov
ernment, now what more dos you
want?" echoes the trust representa-
tives in the senate.
Wealth MonopoIized by Few
| Yes, we have freedom politically, to
certain degree. And yet statisticians
tell us that the property of the world,
| the capital of society, is owned
| Qegally) by from 10 to Is per cent of
the people of the world. The remain
! ing 80 or 80 per cent own no property.
The propertyless work for the proper
! tied aristocracy. They are dependent
| for livelihood upon the way in which
| the industries owned by the property
holding class are managed, and yet
| these 90 per cent of men and women,
who form the real backbone of indus
try, have no say in the management of
the institutions upon which their very
existence depends. This small indus
trial oligarchy controls absolutely and
| legally the industries of the world
which must support all the people.
| Whether such an exclusive ownership
exists in equity or justice is mooted
question. The industries could not ex-
| ist or be carried on for o minute with
out the support of the non-property
owning S5 per cent. Industrial democ-
racy would demand the recognition of
the right of the people to voice In the
control of, the industries which they
create.
| Patrick Calhoun of San Francisco
may claim for himself and a few asso-
| ciates the absolute ownership of the
| United Railroads of that city. He
watered them and the public bought
| them for him. What right of owner
| ship or title in the United Railroads
have the hundreds of men and women
who do the work of that monopoly? :?
What recognition of right to ownership
and control of those railroads have the
people of San Francisco who make
possible the dividends on the watered
| stock of the company and by virtue of
whose tolerance the corporation Is al
| lowed to exist? None at all-under the
present system. That is because we
are living under a system of industrial
despotism. Because we have not car
ried the principles of democracy into
| industry. That is why we have SO
much discomfort under the present sys-
| tenn. That is why we need more
| democacy in place of less.
| Patrick Calhoun and other indi-
viduals who take advantage of the
present system are not to blame. 1t is
the system which Is at fault. The sys-
tenn permits of the control of the IN
dustries of society by few individuals.
But" you say, "our popularity elected
representatives can pass laws controll-
| ing the lords of industry" Such power
of control is purely theoretical. What
in reality can weak political institu-
tion or public official accomplish when
pitted against the millions of dollars of
concentrated industry?
Economic Laws Decisive
Economic laws. the laws of produc-
ton and consumption, are the real
laws which determine the de- ny of
mankind. The way in which man
makes his living and the conditions
under which he works at given time
determine what his life, social, ethical
and political, shall be at that period.
Constitutions, statutes and code laws
are artificial. They are made to fit the
conditions of given time and become
antiquated as Industrial conditions
make change in society.
In the early days when system OF
petty local production prevailed in
dustrial despotism was not menace.
Political tyranny was then the main
danger. The tools of industry were
simple and could be bought so cheaply
that monopoly was impossible. Each
man could be a capitalist because 1t
did not require large capital to do
business. But in modern times the
tools of industry are complicated and
expensive. Several million dollars are
often required to purchase the machin-
cry for single factory. Not every
man can purchase such plant. The
man who has such plant has GER
tain monopoly. He has a control over
his fellows, who must work for him.
He does not have to divide equally,
because he is the owner, the capitalist.
Gradually a few men, taking advan-
tage of this situation, have secured con-
troll Of industry. They are not to