The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-03-17

SALTWATER
cow from which it would be the bnsi-
ness of every one to get as much as pos
sible, and his business also to give as
little AS possible in return.
What would be the result of all this
upon production? AS things are at
present, ir multitude of occupations
reward is according to effort-no work,
no pay. On the other hand, exertion
is encouraged by the hope of extra re-
ward for extra effort. The inventions
that are constantly being made. that
tend to increase production, that tend
to increase wealth and that tend to the
comfort and convenience of the world
at large, are the outcome of the thoughts
and the endeavors of original minds,
stimulated by the incentive which large
rewards offer to every man.
We have heard quoted the saying of
Napoleon that he got the lest out of
his soldiers because ''every man carried
a marshal's baton in his knapsack."
| This means no more and no less than
that merit and achievement to every
soldier, no matter how humble, might
some day bring him the marshal's
baton.
By tie hope of reward all that is best,
all that is keenest, all that is creative
in man, is stimulated to the utmost.
And this reward comes in the ordinary
way through the wealth, the emolu-
ments, and the dignities that man may
achieve as a result of what he is able
to accomplish.
Socialism could not fail to reduce, if
not utterly destroy, the stimulus which
this hope of reward gives to individual
effort. 1t is the very essence of Social
ism that Inequalities" of condition
and Inequalities" of wealth aud "in-
equalities' of reward should be reduced
to zero.
! 1t is argued-a d with certain
, amount of truth-that if the total pro-
duction of the community is, as it must
be. a certain quantity-varying it may
) be from year to year, but the total ii
any one year being fixed damount-tht
i result of an undue proportion of this
8 going tv one individual must mean tha
f some other individual goes short. Now
hn f,f no tn ,,rl
e to each individual, as far as possible
l. an equal reward for an equal amour
s of labor of whatever kind. This hOl,
It to be an absurdity, for half an hour
Q labor of one person may be equal in it
}. value to the State, to ten hours labor O
q another But the Socialistic Stat
/. would have the utmost difficulty il
It practically recognizing such aprincipl
d as this. In fact, it would be imposs
It BILE, except by full and free competitio
to apprase the true value to the con
al munity of the work of any man, or bod
70 of men, How then could Socialism
N practice fail to reduce the sum tOts
to of human activity and energy2
10 Apart from the desire for rewar'
~ there is another stimulus to exertlol
to which is the desire of every -individu'
IN to provide against the possible col
he tingency of hardship and wal
ne coming sooner or later. We may ca
ch this the stimulus of the fear of cons
quences. To some natures this appea
st. more strongly than even the hope
rk reward. Many men who are not grea
ne ly attracted by the prospect of got
ch things held out to them for Weldon
to are intimidated by the possibility
alt punishment for ilIdoiug and act accor
% F.? ingly. The punishment for ceasing
to exert oneself against possible @
De- future day is that which particular
rlv referred to iii the present instance
nal Now, in the Socialstic State eve
as one having the right to demand frC
the State according to his necessiti
his do we not almost entirely eliminate
TO fear of consequences, which with ma
his people is so potent?
ays Hope of reward and fear of puni
all ment aIe an essential part of ma
,tic nature. lie has not achieved tn,
his qualities by accident. They are clea
he given him to fit him for the struggl
the the moral struggle and the .physi
me struggle which every man must nnd
g a 60 in life.
nee What would be the result in hun
iva society if reward and punishment "
it. entirely eliminated from the me
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