The Osceola times., 1880-12-25
STATE SOCIALISM.
Bismsrck's Extraordinary Movement =
What Does This Mean!
New Yorf Tribune.

New Yorif Tribune.
The humanitarian socialism that wa.
preached in Berlin few years ago by the
court chaplains became very unf.lshion-
able when assassins opened fire upon the
Emperor Ii is now 10 be revived by the
iron-handed Chancellor who has enforced
the rigorous DEGREES against social de-
mocracy. Bismarck seems 10 have shiftel
upon his own shoulders the heavy bur
dens Of the ministry Of trade and COM
merce, in order that he might point out
this new path. Consultations with econ
omists, experts and theorists have fol-
lowed, and the Chancellor has avowed
his intentions Of bringing before the
Prussian parliament some positive meas
ures for allaying popular discomfort and
helping the working classes TO get on in
the world. The new policy has not been
formulated, but the main idea seems to
bo the organization of trade guilds, or
workingmen's insurance and mutual aid
societies, whose corporate funds are to be
guaranteed and augmented by the state,
membership being compulsory, and EN-
ployers as well as laborers being liable To
assessments. The scheme can not be in
telligently discussed when it is so vaguely
outlined a. at present, but We direct at
tention to it as movement that should
be closely watched and carefully studied.
We do this for two reasons:
First, because it is the strangest transit
ton of Bismarck's changeful career. 1t
is true that his apologists are now re-
minding the public that as far back as
alSAa, when he was raw country squire
motion e a. the legislature, he supported
become members r,l'Pg Yi all workingmen to
guild. 1t is also true thai n1''an E"m uaue vn"rs
afterward he was impressed with s a.s
logic of Lasalle the father of German So
cialism, and did not hesitate to take ad-
vantage Of his political support; and,
furthermore, that the disciple and literary
executor of that socialist philosopher has
been to this day u trusted adviser and
confidential secretary in the foreign Of
flee. Yet the appearance of the cham
pion of militarism and force legislation
in the role of state socialist has the effect
of startling surprise. He has never
had the reputation of being a humani-
tartan statesman. He has always been
as practical as blood and iron. What can
be the meaning of this abrupt outbreak
of sentimentalism? Is he in earnest in
i'' 1o'hNh iiuBuiot W dIltlOTdtt tnt
condition Of the workingmen? Or does
he fear the political power of socialism
and despise the influence of the middle
classes? Does he perceive the grim irony
of the Napoleonic problem: "Given a
triangle; one side represents the church.
another the army, another the people,
and in the center you have the middle
classes well inclosed or suppressed" Is
he lengthening the bottom line of the
triangle of German unity?
Secondly, because the development of
this form of state socialism may lead to
momentous results. Those trade guilds
supported by grants from the national
treasury may be regarded as a tumble of
poor law and mutual insurance; but mas
much as they embody the fundamental
idea of the substitution of collective for
individual capital and labor, they will
MARIAN alarming advsaoe IN the ditec-
fnidr Of saksl.' ',epasS Srssy ~, Iasalle and
M~sss sfhssr+yood i %'ae Spectator, tol-
erah'y' &sa aOesSer; fredIc,s' 'tn!. the
leNo ge oIsuch Afrsxct would shake the
cp Mes n aasEnsihd also, from end
to end, .snids)nls ii would seem to the
entire proletariat of Europe that Prince
Bismarck had realized their dreams.