New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-06-01

|
| year thousands are thrown into bankruptcy and
lastly, to that Unsuitable pleasure seeking of the
great mass of the people of day. There hum
dreds. thousands, of wOrkngmcn, bO could
rise IN the social scale If the other Of the fore
gong vices were not continually lowering their
standing in society Hence the assertions of Socialists
IN regard 10 private capital unwarrantabic and
Their principal demand, that il should be abolished
rests 40 iso on false premises. But this is not ALL The
compulsory adjustment of private capital would be
acrlmc committed against tho sacred right of the
individual To own and make use of capital as an in
strument of production. The great evil and sin I'M
| DERIVING the present method of industry does not
consist in the fact that the individual is permitted
to produce fer his own interests by his own means
but that this nalicnabe right and privilege is exer
cised mostly without regard to the Ilgit OF his
| fellow men.
! In reference 10 the second dcmand-that labor
should be organized and conducted by the com
| munity or Statc-!t may be admitted that TO
certain extent the idea of cooperation is found in
the Christian community of the New Testament,
and in the teachings of Christ and His apostles.
Besides this, there examples record in history
which to prove that blending together of COM
mon interests may become an excellent means OF
improving the condition of the laboring class. ard
TO countcract onc-slcd nammonisin. But as soon
as Socialism attempts To Introduce such organizl
ton b. fOrce-and II could not bc done III any other
way-lt tTamples under foot individual liberty.
Besides, who could for n moment suppose TIA; such
compulsory arrangement would work satisfactorily
10 all as long the members of the present society
tIiicT so widely ~ to quality Of adaptatIOn cduca-
ton, opinions, customs, etc 1t Is certainly no mat
ter OF surprise 10 find that even the inner history OF
the International Labor Association IL but record
OF jealous insinuatlons. mutual accusations and ex-
communications
As to the third demand--thc laDorer must
ceive the full return of his work-we have to make
the somewhat humiliating confession that in thou
sands of the workman is paid i'll proportion
TO the work actually furnished. 1t is certainly not
for the honor and glory of our far advanced and
enlightened time that labor il indeed more or less
an article Of merchandise. Socialism, therefore. is
right in demanding for the suppressed working
class fuller, more prOportlonate compensation.
But when, in doing SO, it AYERS that nothing but
labor actually performed creates value, and that, III
consequence of that. nothing but labor is entitled
10 the profit II makes itself guilty OF ml're2rc'en-
tatlon and of Injustice 10 those essential factors
which, besides bodily cXCrtIon, contribute to
the value of article. namely, the intellectual
management of the employer. and capital in the form
al money. buildings. machinery, etc. But II the
social question Is eyer 10 be solved, the thIco pro-
ducers Of value, bodily and mental labor and capt.
tai must receive each one It's full just and adequate
reward.
TIE OVERTHROW or RELIGION.
Tie most fatal error, however, Socialism is com
hitting by pcrsistcutly attempting to uproot all
religion and 10 establish atheism. For the past his
tory of mankind has proved beyond shadow of
doubt the following two facts ~ The nations of
the earth, from the beginning of time up 10 the
present day. have sunk down into idOlatry, moral
degradation, and bodily misery inst in proportion
they have separated themselves from the belief III
personal holy and just God and from the power aud
influence of genuine religion. (2l Wherever the
Gospel of Jcus Christ has been permitted to become
a power over the individual or a nation. the moral
religious. social aud national life. even among the
most degraded and dcgcncratcd tribes. has been cle
waited to a standard of which previously TO that
time they had no conception. Now, rs Socialism
ignores and sets aside these wc-attcsted historical
facts II rrars building without foundation and
open, the door to the inccssant inroad Of wee and
crime. For ~ soon - a higher holy and de-
terminating VIII of a personal God Is denied,
moral responsibility ceases, and the dis
tiuction between right and wrong. good
aud evil, l. AZ once abolished. Socialism ltscu
has furnished some alarming examples IN tins re-
sycct. IL II well known that Eufcnun used the cX-
preston: Nv hat exists Is God. Hence the desires
wants ~ the flesh are of diyiuena'ure. Fourier
and Cthrt declared: " The enjoyment l. the high
ct and last good. MI inc,IuatI"us ara good; hut
that all cannot bc satisfied l. SIN. The end and ann
% lie is the greatest possible satisfaction of all de
j. good" In 1873, tine most influential SocIalI.Ic
paper in Germany. the JOksstdf, protested against
the eternal principles Of right and morality IN
the following manner: "Of two things We must aC-
ccpt one: either there - no God. and then We are
permitted 10 alter The old laws just rs We please or
there /, tiod. and then of course we would he III
bad in But fortunately nobody has ever dscoN-
cred tn home Of God hence We have night to as
sumo that the conceptions of morals and right,
a, we'll H. their ant hc-', fixed by man. and may
Therefore bc altered rs circumstances require. And
the so-cdcd eternal principle. remain only so long
a, We consider them pIsslb
Now where such misrhryOus doctrines are pro-
mulgitcd We certainly need not wonder that social
is = recording such fearful alteration. IN regard
10 that most ethical relation of human liic. mar
Iiagc. They are but inevitable consequences OF us
matcTiali~tlc creed and pronounced atheism. And
If a. any time II ,houd succeed III cNtIugshng the
l.st residue of CONSCIOUSNESS 81 moral icspOnSI-
b.litN then the rrclIcIoUs and uupilucilrd masses
will call up "A spirit Of anarchy and destruction,
which Will oycrturn all existing laws and orders oi
human society.