Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-21
COMMUNISM AND wsAT MUST CON-
QUER IT.

Communistic legislation is that. the ten
dency of which is to ignore the right of prl-
vate ownership, and assert the right of the
governing power to control and dis
pose of the possessions of men. Now,
there ia one thing that no party,
rnuch less the Republican party, can
afford to do, and that is to encourage the
tendency toward communistic legislation
1t cannot afford to bid for the communistic
vote of the country. 1t must represent the
conservative American element. The Re-
publican party cannot afford, and it must
be SO understood from this time forth, to
conciliate the communistic sentiment, or to
manifest any fear of it. 1t must be met as
a foe to be conquered, not as one
worthy of its mettle, but as an OBJ
stacle in the path, to be swept aside
with other loathsome things. 1t must
not be permitted for a moment to hinder
the party of American ideas and princi-
pies in its march forward to the highest
possibilities Of the Nation. The Repubb-
can party must make clear that its teach
ings are those demonstrating that it is
q moral virtue to submit to the
ordinances of man set up In
right form of government; that
the majesty of the civil authority must be
maintained, for that SIS found in the
rational dignity of humanity itself, where
mankind stand together in collective
capacity.
The Republican party in all it's aims
recognizes that the ultimate rule OF
all action must be found in the desire
to promote happiness, and this is manifest
in its fgllness in furtherance- OF the
broadest personal liberty consistent with
the maintenance of the rights, interests
and security of men and their property, in
their collective capacity in government
Opposed to this is the vicious tendency of
the communistic spirit, which is often most
cunningly disguised in sOphistical argu-
mentation by supposed modern political
economists. These are they who claim
that there is no individual ownership, but
only the permission to use, and who oppose
the doctrine so concisely stated by Bishop
O'Connor in a recent consideration OF the
subject, that the power of communities is
invoked to protect each individual member
in what he has justly acquired, and this
individual ownership has been established
In accordance with reason and the law of
nature. Society did not introduce indi.
vidual ownership and it cannot destroy it.
It had its origin in the needs of human ma
ture it has been sanctioned and upheld IN
all times it is founded in natural justice
and is indispensable to the well-being of
society" The communistic spirit is to be
met and crushed that opposes the natural
right of man to his own property and its
control. a right as clear and well defined as
his right TO the product of his own thought,
or the right to enjoy, and which latter can.
not exist except it is accompanied by the
right of control.
It is not vain to consider the sub
ject, for that the communistic spirit
has gained foothold in this country is
true, and that not a few are unconsc;ously
led by it is also true, and the crushing
out Of the one and the correction of the
other must be the mission of the party