Scientific discoverers and inventors have a place in the industrial organization. The work of inventors and of the large class of scientific experts who bring to light new information is to be classed with that of other active mem bers of the industrial organization. Geographi cal explorers, chemists, geologists, biologists, no less than machinists, electricians, or physicians, are all needed in the performance of the vast task given to the human race, viz., the conquest of nature for the more complete satisfaction of all human wants. It is not essential that the inventor should be conscious of making any direct contribution to the social product. His motive may be the mere satisfying of intellect ual curiosity. Many manual laborers feel no concern or interest in the completed product, and the ordinary motive is often the day's wage. A contribution to the product is, nevertheless, made by his labor, and there is no discovery of science that does not have its social significance.
The diffusion of knowledge increases the pro ductive power of society by tending to equalize industrial opportunities. Among the various causes of industrial inefficiency none is so glar ing as inequality in the opportunities offered to develop latent powers. There is no real freedom of competition between individuals, one of whom has been put in possession of important informa tion which is withheld from the other ; or one of whom has had opportunities of developing his mental and physical powers which have been denied the other. The chances of securing the best work from all, and of finding the right men for difficult and important places, vary directly with the diffusion of knowledge. Teachers and those engaged in disseminating knowledge through books, newspapers, lectures, or other means are indispensable industrial agents. Directly and indirectly their contribution to the social product is very great.
Industrial cooperation is possible only where producers are put on an equal footing by a com plete diffusion of knowledge. It is generally held that the goal of industrial progress is the securing of a generous product by the labor of those who are able to supply their own capital, materials, and directive enterprise. The present division of society into classes of those who save and those who pay others to do their saving for them, into classes of those who own land and those who pay rental, into classes of employers and employees, is thought to be only a stage in the general development of industrial qualities in all classes. There must always be organization of some sort, and some method must be found of vesting authority in those most competent to exercise it. But there is no reason in the nature. of the case why land, capital, and management of industry should not belong ultimately to the laborers. There is no insuperable obstacle to the success at present of any industry organized on that basis except the unequal diffusion of knowledge and mental training. Any group of persons now has the perfect legal right to establish such an industry, and in fact there are some such industries in successful operation. Industrial cooperation cannot become the rule until pro ducers are put on an equal footing by the complete diffusion of knowledge throughout society. All persons will not show equal capacity, but every genius will have an oppor tunity for healthy development and no one will be denied opportunity for full mental growth because of unfavorable circumstances. We shall learn to exploit to the full our na tional intellectual resources as we now attempt to exploit our natural 1 Professor E. J. James, Address before the American Insti tute of Education, at Bethlehem, N.H., 1891.