The Labor enquirer., 1884-01-19
Socialism, as Made Clear by
Brothers Wilson and
StarkWeather.
The Poor Poisoned With Adul-
terated Food The Rich
Escape.
Some Plain Talk on Benevolent
Societies. The Relation to
the Poor.
Evolution or Revolution.
ADuLTERATIoN OF FOOD.

L - ~ / 1
ADuLrERATIoN OF FOOD.
1t is self-eyident proposition that
without abundance of wholesome food,
comfortable clothing, large, clean, we'll
ventilated workshops and dwellings, to-
gether with the best hygienic and sani-
tary condition, in individual and social
life, it is impossible to have healthy,
happy and well-developed race Of men. I
Therefore we believe that in those re-
spects we could approach nearest to per
fection under system of governmental
cooperation, as by it the entire infamous
practice of adulteration would be abol-
ished. The people in their collective
capacity would produce only the best
and purest Of everything needed for use
or consumption, there being no incentive
or compulsion from profit or competition
to adulterate, cheat in weight or meas
ure, or otherwise rlisrepresent.
At present nearly every article we eat
or drink is adulterated, and generally
with iniurious substances that act as a
slow but certain poison. 80,
/ Who consumes adulterated food and
drink ? The rich ?, ~. 81. II
/ No. They have money enough to buy
the purest goods in the largest quantities,
SO that wealth has not only the advan-
tage of quality but also the advantage of
cheapness. q, LII s....5.E
The poor man is compelled through
his poverty to purchase the coarsest and
most impure goods in the smallest guam
titles, thus having the threshold disad-
vantage of small quantity bad quality
and dearness. ~ -
The poor man is the helpless victim of
every adverse condition and the defense
less prey of every social shark. from the
cheap hash. house and grocery keeper up
to the giant railroad robber and mann
moth land thief
| Under governmental cooperation, all
dwellings, workshops, towns and cities,
would be built in the healthiest locations
on the most scientific principles, with a
view to securing the best possible sani-
tary conditions, and the largest, healthi-
est and happiest life for all.
BENEYoLENT SOCIETIES
Benevolent, insurance and secret soci-
cites are comparatively modern insti-
tuition, nearly all of them having been
devised and developed within the last
fifty years but society at large is now so
honey-combed with them, that the man
| who does not belong to one or more is a
curiosity and friendless waif; as much
| alone in the city's crowd, and crush, and
tumult, as if he lived in wilderness.
Let us briefly investigate the philoso-
ply of their cause and growth. Shake
speare says, "Man looks before and
after" in contradistinction to the lower
animals that remember but little of yes
| terday and take no thought for to-mor-
row. .-a 49,, -. 80.
Man is peculiarly social animal. He
associates, first, because it is nature to do
so second, because it is his interest to
do SO for self-protection, support and
companionship. Increased facilities OF
communication and transportation have,
as it were, concentrated, introduced,
massed end centralized mankind, which,
together with the press, the. increase OF
commerce, education and general intelli-
gence have made the possibilities of or
ganization almost perfect. .-.. =.
The decay of feudalism and the kingly
power, and the growth of democratic
ideas, have had tendency to destroy
nominal inequalities and unite hitherto
sundered interests and classes.
But the bourgeoise or money power
the trading class, the merchant, em,
ployer and monopolist taking the place
of absolute monarchy and feudalism
gradually assumed all the powers and
prerogatives of tyranny, thereby compel
ling the proletarian to unite in self-de-
fense. III NJ, =.
| 1t is factiwell worth noting that 81
per cent of all secret, benevolent and in
surance societies belong to the so-ealled
slower" and middle" classes of society
such as laborers, mechanics and smal
traders or business men and boor profes
sionals. When they amass wealth sufh-
cient to be ranked with the upper classes
, they either withdraw directly or droI
J out gradually from all such organizations
having no further use for them or neet
of them. The necessity for continuing
| in benevolent societies ceases to exist.
q There are some notable exceptions
however, who do not swithdraw-thest
are the politicians, the Office seeker, thu
ambition sdemagogue. Such men can al
ways have use for a secret organization
! to further their ends.
There is but one secret organization IL
which the majority of the membership
is wealthy, and where if poor men ente
|, they never rise to any prominence, NJ
matter how intelligent or honest, unles
they amass large wealth or WELD grea
political power. 1t is composed chief.