Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-17
TWO BIG EDUCATORS TALK

CONTINUED from First Page.)
would not seem to the voters worth while
which such INEQUALITIES had been developed
and were being maintained, And we must
not for a moment lose sight of the fact
ana the right to beaueath il. as EwefiI as
the existence OF the republic itself, depend
entirely upon the sentiments Of the voters
reasonably satisfied with our Institutions,
or our Institutions will be modified to meet
their views and
i have no faith In the socialistic scheme
OF state ownership of capital and equal
compensation for all. on the other hand,
equalities OF fortune. when they have be-
come very conspicuous and firmly estab-
lished under the aegis Of existing institu-
lions, lead to revolutions.
s~ocialistic Spirit.
Let - not, however. be guilty Of misap-
Ism, as J have said. Is an lmposslbility.
OF society, and, when tempered with q
scheme. The danger. however. which lies
near 1t Is of becoming anti-social and of
S SsssSa5nfb a TsyoISsi0 on the fts s ssf;etiy 1 lIsT in a rsi
that social spirit, while admitting ~inequali-
ties. and even great inequalities, yet exer-
greater equality. 1t thus becomes the puri-
fier and preventative Of existing ~institu-
lions. The men who fight 1t, the men VIII
natural correlate OF the free Individual,
are the doughtiest champions of revolu-
ton. However sincere they may be. they
II the majority Of voters are to be salts
fled with existing institutions, certain
broadly describe as socializing, though not
socialistic, seems to me inevitable. So
cialistic schemes, like government owner
attraction for the American people. They
recognize that to buy the railroads the
state or the nation would need TO borrow
present owners issue stocks and bonds tn
secure capital. and II the railroads are to
S earn money ~ SSv TO Tsa psy 5he w iaSssef ~ f GN sn tg.
ployes, and to carry passengers and freight
at reasonable rates, they must be managed
on business principles.
Public and Private Reforms.
I see. therefore,, no hope or advantage to
OF railroads. This branch OF socialism,
like socialism as q whole. seems TO me ut
teriy unfruitful and even inJurious; but ]
repeat, thar since we are inevitably welded
to an i~ndiviaualistlc system of government,
ana since history shows contrast between
what Mr. Bryce calls the HAYES and the
''havenots" has become 80 vast that Il Is no
longer ~tolerable, It is the part of foreseeing
and prudent Craftsmanship to anticipate
the tendency of events and adopt such
BRlutary measures rs may correct the evils
before the revolutionist's knife is needed
Nor is it wholly, or perhaps even mainly
q matter Of statesmanship, The first re-
quisite is the enlightenment of public
When we speak Of the contrast between
the rich and the poor, we have in mind Al
the latter the extreme, the wage-earneri
who own no property and whose livelihood
depends on their daily earnings, which
though generally assured. are sometimes
precarious. / am not saying that this class
II has been in the past. On the contrary
believe It is. Not only have their wages
been. Increased. but the hours of labor have
reduced and the sanitary and other con
ditions greatly improved. Let the concret'
example give you measure Of the improve
ment .t-t w.