Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-31


lM E3l have been living for a number
IkN of years under a democratic
IAREl form of government, and we
still Lave suffering, poverty and
discomfort among the masses In the
face of all the Industrial troubles of
past years, of all the political corrup-
ton in both local and national govern
ment, men are more and more begin
ming to ask themselves, Has democ-
racy proved failure?" In the cities
there is a growing tendency to estab-
lish what is called business mans
government, concentrating power more
and more in the hands of the mayor,
drifting more and more away from the
principles of democracy
Before we condemn democratic
form L, government, let us see IL II
has been given a fair test. In politics
democracy has proved success1ui
remedy for political despotism. Free
ballot and representative government
supplanted absolute government Wnen
the latter became unbeareble. But
it is no longer political tyranny
from hich we suffer. The rule OF
kings and barons was long ago ended
in the United States. The people
choose their public officials of their
own free will. Why, then, is there SO
much suffering and discomfort? Is 1t
that democracy is to blame? Let US
see.
We are just beginning to experiment
with democracy. 1t has done GOOD
where applied, but has not been ap-
piled to a sufficient extent. Up to the
present time democracy has been ap-
piled only in the comparatively narrow
field of politics or government. In the
larger field Of industrial life the Old
'oligarchical system still prevails. what
we need now is more democracy, not
less. What we need, what the masses
are clamoring for, what the time is
ripe for is Industrial democracy.
This term, industrial democracy, is
iust beginning to be used, 1t Is full
of Significance and portent.. 1t
catches the old standpatters by the
ears and brings them up standing.
Because we have tried democracy in
politics. and still have suffering and
discomfort is no reason why the
calamity howlers should pronounce 1t
a failure, no reason why the moderp
tories should urge return to a mon
archical form of government. A mon
archy is the most efficient form of
government as we'll as the most econom-
ically administered, and under a
benevolent despot it is the most satis-
factory. But under bad ruler mon
archy is the worst form of govern
ment imaginable. The people are not
willing to take their chances in the
monarchical lottery. They have drawn
too many lemons in the past. That Is
why they prefer tthe more costly and
cumbersome machinery of democratic
government.
Political Freedom Insufficient
Why should we stop with securing
for ourselves democracy in politics? :?
What does it profit us to obtain po-
litical freedom If we must remain in
dustrial slaves? And yet that is ex-
actly our position at the present time.
If must travel or ship my goods on
terms dictated TO me by a transporta-
ton trust; If the owners of the coal
mines may stipulate under what con-
ditions I may keep warm, with the al
tentative of freezing; and If a trust
controls the food supply upon which
/ am dependent; If. / say, these barons
of industry can dictate to me the
terms upon which / may enjoy "life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
what, then, does 1t profit me that
have the privilege of voting for any
one of the candidates for office put up
for my consideration by the trust
owned political machines?
Under such conditions I am almost
as much a slave industrially as my
ancestors were politically before the
Boston tea party. Political slavery Is
but a mockery when accompanied by
industrial slavery.
And / am not condemning large In
dustrial enterprises as such. Concen-
tration of industry is as inevitable as
it is desirable. The discovery of the
use of coal as fuel. the invention
of machinery improvement in modes of
TRANSPORTATION, and the Inauguration
of the factory system following the
industrial revolution of 1875 made sucn
a course of events inevitable. Con-
centration of industry is desirable be-
cause it brings with it economy of
production, increasing the efficiency or
productive power of each individual
worker, and enabling the masses to
enjoy a higher standard of living be-
cause of the increased earning power
of the workingman.
Industrial democracy does not mean