Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-06-19

Co1aS - bue 8eatEotee bS4 DoSsA4@
Ism" 10 The lille Of . strong paper by Z.
L. Codkin. editor Of she Nafiea, in the
June number ofthe LatesGticssi Revisw,
and which was fFst read before the
Ministerial Unicn. ia Dosion. On the
2lst of April. In discussing Socialism
Mr. Gedksn does not undertake to 20
inte ihe philosophical o. speculative side
81 fhe qaession. hut addresses himssli
exclusively % is practical aspects. In
his own langusge be uses the term So
cialism in his pressntpsper ''ss simply
covering all schemes which have Tor
their object to make the State either
wholly or in great part the owner Of the
capital. and either wholly or in great
part the employer Of the labor Of the
country"
He leaves 90 political and social phi-
losophers the theoretical branches Of
the problem, and undertakes 10 answer
the practical question. which be him
self puts. Of "what are you going to do
about II Z" Although the press has de-
voted much space and time to descrip-
tions Of Socialism. its principles and lis
progress, and tboughalarming andnumer-
Gus pictures Of the designs Of the So
cialists have been drawn from time 10
time. there has been q singular dearth
Of anything like practical suggestion on
the part Of those who have written on
the subject. The suggestions that have
been offered have been all pretty much
in the same line. and have pointed to
the prossration Of socialistic designs "by
greater activity in the teaching field, in
the distribution Of books and papers, in
the delivery Of lectures, and above all,
by getting Socialists 10 believe the Chris
tian religion
The objection TO tins solution Of the
problem 10 "that IL presumes far too
much on the ignorance or thoughtless-
aese ofthe Socialist apostles. They are
generally men Of some education; many
Of them are men Of great mental acute
ness" who are not TO be overtbrown by
a dialectical coup de main, and who are
thoroughly posted on all social ques-
tons. II leaves out Of sight also the
fact that the apologists of property are
almost always the owners of property.
Mr.. Godkin believes that the danger
10 which Socialism exposes our society
is overrated; that il is one Of the dis
eases Of our civilization, but that II is
more Of functional arrangement"
shan an "organic" trouble. To ind the
proper remedies We must first discover
the causes. "To put Il aiittle more &C.
eurately, Il win. i think. be found that
the causes which make Socialists so ac-
tive. and make them 20 formidable just
now, indlcate clearly enough the use
lessness Of making any direct attack 90
Il, and the probability that Il win dis
appear with the accomplishment OF some
early attainable economical and social
changes. or wall greatly decline even IL
Il never wholly disappears"
The programme Of 'Socialism-the
award by the State 10 each man Of what
he needs. and the exactioE by the State
from each man Of what he is capable Of
furnishing-involves ''nothing less than
a transformation Of modern society"
Social activity seems to increase or de-
cline M the expectation of fcarrying out
their theory, s.by getting hold Of gov
ernfnent, increases or diminishes.
Socialism made its frst appearance in
Trsnce and hss displayed greater aeliv-
ity there, MOI :beeaRse The Freaeh pep
pie do not believe pFiyate property
for no people are more eager in getting
or more tenacious in kesping-but from
'':he fact that in no other country did II
seem 30 easy TO seize the government,
and by seizing the government to secure
the authority over the whole commu-
nifty" AS long as Il wss possible by
seizing the government Of Paris TO make
themselves masters Of France, Paris
was the centre Of Socialism, but when
Il vas proved in 1870 that "iheeapsure
Of Paris did not necessarily involve the
possession OF the government" the
movement ''transierred itself 90 Ger
many, where universal suffrage and
widespread disconient seemed 10 open
up new and promising feld 10 it."
From these facts Mr. Gedkin deduees
the conclusion thatone ofshe most pow
effnl slimuIi thai can, be given 10 Soei-
alism % TO be found 10 great centrsliza-
hon; that il. in great eoaeentratioa Of
governmental power al > single point.
and ha therefore also thinks thai 1t will
never take ssrcag bold in any commu-
nifty in which there l. great distnba-
ton Of power, and that healthy To-
cal govsrnment win always keep il nn-
der. Socialism has made The deepest
impression npou that class Of society