Page:Alexander Jonas - Reporter and Socialist (1885).djvu/29

 But now I am going to ask you a question of vital importance: Is it at all possible for mankind to produce as much as is necessary to give comfort and ease, and sufficient of food and the luxuries of life to every human being? Is it possible to produce a sufficient quantity of the means of life in order to guarantee an existence worthy of the dignity of man to every individual? There was a time in history when this was not possible; but, whether it be possible ought to be seen by comparing the figures representing the increase of the national wealth of the different countries of the earth.

There you have hit the nail on the head almost directly. You know from the study of history that in ages gone by political oppression—not to speak of wars and other slaughter of human beings by which unimaginable wealth was destroyed—was one of the principal causes of the misery of nations; and that even in those ages the masses of the people might have lived better and more comfortably, if they had not been compelled to give up too large an amount of the products of their toil for the support of all sorts of idlers and parasites. But, it may be admitted that formerly, owing to the simplicity and insufficiency of the tools and other means of production used upon the different fields of industry, agriculture etc., and to the slowness of commerce and transportation, the necessary aggregate of commodities could not be produced and distributed in order to make life easy and agreeable to every one. But, since the steam engine has been invented and since the development of modern machinery, there is not the least shadow of a doubt but that a superabundance of the means of life could be produced for the whole of humanity. You mention the phrase "National Wealth." It is a stupid phrase, for, at present all wealth is owned by private individuals, and not by "Nations." Yet, let us assume that in reality nations did possess wealth; and let us assume that it was true what Mr. "Jim" Blaine said in the letter by which he accepted the nomination for the Presidency, that the "National wealth" of the United States had increased from 1860 to 1880 about 30,000 millions of dollars. If that sum had been distributed in a manner at least of some degree of equity and justice to all, every American would have received $600 of this increase, and every