The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-01
HE'D FIRE THE AGITATORS
C. b. Hoffman Says Cool Headed So
cialists Are Needed.

Kansas City, June I've don't want
agitators in socialism. Socialism is not
o fever: it's a science. We want COO
headed business men like Victor Berger
of Acknowledgement who are economists
and thinkers, not fire eaters and brawl-
ers. 1 only wish there were some way
of diving out of the Socialist party
every man who conceives one of these
twist-of-the-wrist Utopias. Socialism
Is an inevitable result of time and evo-
luton"
The speaker was c. B. Hoffman, mil
honaire miller of Enterprise, Kan, who
was one OF the debaters on economies
at the Casino hall this week. He owns
one of the largest flour mills in the
state at Enterprise, has elevators all
ever the western part of the state, is
director in four banks and spends
the rest of his time working for social
ism. There is nothing of the dreamer
about him. 1t is questionable whether
he would dream after a midnight lunch
OF Welsh rarebit and ice cream
Profits for Big Concerns.
Il believe in socialism because 1 can't
help it," Mr.. Hoffman said, in his Kan
sas City Office at 80 Portsmouth build
ing, Kansas City, Kan. It's like ex-
fstence or the tariff-you can't get away
from it Every time L turn it slaps
me in the face.
Here's how it works: l have 40
grain elevators in Kansas. AS a big
concern our facilities exceed those OF
small, one-elevator, independent con-
Germs, consequently it costs us less to
handle the grain and we can make
better profit than the little fellow. Our
own elevators supply our own mills. We
don't have to depend upon what the
mills will pay US for our grain. The
little fellow does. Result: The little
fellow eventually goes out of business.
It's very simple.
Some day. no doubt, greater grain
company will absorb mine. The bigger
the company is, the more complete it's
facilities, and the less its cost of opera
ton That is what makes trusts
But you're not praeticing socialism, y
objected the listener.
Mr.. Hoffman laughed
mo" he answered. I'm not living
under a socialistic system. 1t would be
very foolish for a fish which is having
success in tine river to crawl out on the
land and die, because it happened to
realize that the rivers will ultimately
dry up."
But can socialism be expected with
the same certainty?'
VITA an immensely great certain
ty. rather" replied Mr.. Hoffman with
tight iawed assurance. why, here:
The trusts are getting stronger all the
time, aren't they? One company con-
trolls sugar, another tobacco, another
OIL another meat, and so on. These
companies make immense profits which
profits must be invested. Presently the
sugar rust has control of the world S
supply of sugar; the profits still keep
rolling in. The money must be invest
ed. It goes into some other product
of labor. In time that product, too, is
absolutely controlled. Another is cor
Eered, and then another. 1t is exactly
the same principle as the old one of the
SNOWFALL and the hill. Eventually, of
course, all the little snowballs amalga-
mate and there is only one SNOWFALL,
containing all the snow on the hill,
But what has that to do with social
ism?''
That" said Mr.. Hoffman, softly, lis
ociahsm-only the whole people WI"
own that great trust. Would you rath-
er have it owned that way. or by linn
tied group of magnates- with no idea
hut profits? Well 1 guess you see that
one or the other is inevitable.