"CONSIDER THE OTHER FELLOW."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16120, 8 July 1914, Page 11

"CONSIDER THE OTHER FELLOW."

DEPENDENCE ON CAPITAL. Mr Henry L. Higginson contributes a thoughtful article to the .Survey (New York) on the vital issues between capital and labour. The editor reminds his readers that Mr Hipgiiison was founder of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the donor 6f Soldiers , Field to Harvard, and " doer of other signal acts in the field of philanthropy, and in the business world one of uio foremost financiers of the time." Mr Higginson writes: —

"Just now a prominent Socialist etates that no man should have more than so and so much income, naming a small figure. How does he or anybody know what the earnings or income of anyone should be, end would the wage-earner, of all men tolerate a limit? Should not the rewards be in a measure governed by the value of the individual to the community? Men are born with different natures, different powers, different -wishes; some men like to work constantly, and more men wish to work as little as possible. As a rule, mankind is lazy, and works chiefly to avoid hunger and want; therefore', some achieve great tHings, some achieve little things and some achieve nothing at all, or just enough to keep the ■wolf from the door.

"As civilisation goes on, men are moved by their better feelings to help each other, and to do each other kindnesses, and this mood again breeds.a further wish to understand the oth«r side, and to give and to receive help. But a large class of tlhe community is being trained to hate the rich man, and would strip htm of his property—that is, the result of his saved earnings. Yet that everybody craves property ie to be seen by the records of the savings banks, where the deposit* of the -wage-earner daily increase, and in our country largely outstrip the savings in any other country. For ft long time it has been recognjsed that tp make a man a householder goes far towards giving him self-respect and statfding in the community; and the same is true of his deposits in the savings banks. These things make him a better citizen. "Now, to consider the rioh men of the country. Almost all of them, starting with no money, have gained their riches through industry and brains; they have seen a chance, have used it., have increased it, have gone on with their industry and their ventures, and in time have reached a high pint of power and wealth. Perhaps this result is to be deprecated, but it is the work of men who have made their own way, and, in doing bo, have helped to make the country what it is. More than that, it is what most men would like to do. Perhaps some of these men have done things which at the time they thought honest, but which later on they have thought dishonest, and of which they have been ashamed. But where is the man who has gone through fife and done nothing for which he should and does blush?

After all is said and done, the industry and brains of these mem have produced this great pile of -wealth, and as they cannot take it out of' the world, it remains here for use, and our country will use it and benefit by it. This accumulated •wealth is not an end, but a gateway through which material progress marches on and blesses the whole nation. One man builds a railroad, and a million use it; a few men opened_ the West, risking their earnings, and millions of men have profited thereby. Without these venturesome men, our western lands might be a wilderness to-day. "Of course, it often happens that men of nnusual ability and courage, but without money, undertake a risky enterprise and succeed or fail; but to these very men the capitalists are necessary. Such work cannot be done on credit and hope alone.

"Unless property is_ treated fairly, iu> less, in case of new inventions, the venturers are to receive rewards adequate to their brains, their boldness, and their energy, how can people be induced to undertake all kinds of new work? Many men working in the markets of the world have tried sundry experiments, have lost much money, and have also made much money. Have you a notion how a man feels who has invested hours, days, years, and a good part of his earnings in risky or good enterprises and receives nothing in return ? Work does not kill, but worry does kill, or brings paralysis. Has the prosperity of this and many other countries come from legs and arms alone, or from brains, -or from both?

"The telephone company is a fair case to lay before your readers. The first struggles of Mr Bell were really grievous, and yet he and others worked hard, and at last made a machine enabling people to talk a short distance. Presently other men took hold of the when it was in failing condition, helped it, battled for it, risked large sums of money, were laughed at; but, by dint of unusual courage, brains, work, and knowledge, succeeded; and we have a machine of the greatest benefit to the whole country— indeed, to the whole world. What should ■we do now without the telephone? Those men knew that if the venture failed they ■would lose all their money and their time. Had they known that if they succeeded they would get little or nothing for it, would they have so freely spent their strength and time? (The severe struggle actually killed three able, highminded men.) It is a question; for men must be tempted to work and take risks, and, after all, well-to-do men can easily lose their property by such risks. The early history of many enterprises would reveal the same sort of facts; and if corporations which by and by may become successful, are the subject of attack or of severe criticism by a powerful magazine like yours, is it likely to forward the civilisation of our country?

"Inventors and bold investors go hand in hand in developing new processes in electricity and machinery, in treating soils and crops, in handling metals, in treating ores, and in many other ways; and it is indeed due to them that -we have such available supplies of iron and copper ore, let alone gold and silver, which we could not have got without the help of the chemists and the metallurgists; and they in turn could not have done their work unless they had given their time and such money as they could bee and borrow to treat the ores. And all these men need the capitalists. If tho daylabourer alone is to be considered, or if he is the chief thing, or if he is to guide and limit experiments, it will be hard to find work for him, and harder ,to help him to a better condition. "Well-to-do men and women are thinking of and helping their less fortunate fellows more than formerly, and are using their means freely for public institutions like galleries, playgrounds, concerts, and libraries. ' Everyone needs wholesome amusements and refreshment, for life is painful as well as joyful, and, while manv amusements are within the reach of well-to-do people, they are bevond the reach of poorer people. Galleries, orchestras, playgrounds, and the like, which simply educate or solace, cannot exist without

subsidy. I am grateful for this fact, for we would far better work and worry even

to aching, and go without this or that, in our effort to help other people. Otherwise, why live at all? But whatever people have done, they must do much more. The tid-e is rising daily, and will cleanse some ugly places; for morals, reliscion, and common sense require a higher, broader, national life. Mutual understanding and trust will foster kindlv feelings. Ignorance and abuse will chill them. \

"But I get back to the arms and the legs and the brains, and the fact that, however the wage-workei , suffers, the mnn who leads and risks is apt to suffer still more. The truth is that everybody is selfish, the wage-worker with the rest of us; the truth is that most men think first of themselves, and not of others: and it does require civilisation and religion and morals to induce people to remember others. Charity is your cornerstone; charitv in its great sense is needed, and the belief that God made all the other fellows as well as—me."