The Labor enquirer., 1886-11-20

| first step, says DR.. Aveling. is to educat
the people in the matter of unpal
labor, and of the remedy. 1t is absur
to suppose that he would have Chicag
wait for Socialistic street cars until tn
whole nation deslred them.
DR.. Aveling repudiates the tern
"State Socialism, as in Europe it signi
fes sort of despotic monarchical 80
cialism, which is not scientific. It be
| ing mere matter of definition, it i
doubtful whether the term will be re-
jected by Americans. State" means
here the administrate plan for carrying
on public works. Thomas Paine wa'
| the founder of American politics. HI
wrote: what is government more
than the management of the affairs of 8
nation? 1t has of itself no rights; they
are altogether duties" This gives ou
meaning of the word state. If Euro
pean Socialists have another meaning, i
will be necessary to agree upon word
but our meaning will remain.
DR.. Aveling SAYS that bv one last pc
litical effort, party politics and the coer.
Give state will pass away. He also says
that no man can be allowed to co nitro
capital and employ Others. fany one
desires to do so and is prevented, surely
that is coercion which must be welded
by supreme power; and the question
whether one man may employ another,
is likely to become party issue. Proc.
ably some question will always divide
the people into factions.
DR.. Aveling recommended Lawrence
Gronlund's "C operative Common
wealth" as a text book on Socialism,
Gronlund holds the American idea of a
state. He says: "The government
the Furnishing and restai oing authority
may possibly be dispensed with at
some future time. Bat the STATE, never.
To dispense with the state would be to
dissolve society,"" His meaning of "gov-
ernment" differs from Paine's, and thus
promotes the general confusion in defni-
tions. Yet the idea pervades the whole
that tie state Is the administrator Of
public affairs.
The time for dispensing with the
furnishing" power will be when no one
needs punlshing-when no man imposes
upon another. The police and militia
will not be abolished they will simply
become needless. Perhaps rudimen,
tarv chief of police will exist long after
the time when justice is established.
Like toe nail, his existence will prove
nothing but his uselessness. ANY pro-
gramme to abolish the furnishing
power" suddenly must also provide a
substitute; for society will not be
pleased with the change, nor will crlml-
nails become angels spontaneously. 1t
is whether Ne shall get up stepaby step,
or at a bound. Better take control 0f
the economic forces that make crimi-
mails, regulate them, and then the police
will disappear with the criminals. Let
Revolutions take care of themselves. 1t
is no part of true reform to become skill
full prophets in such matters.
DR.. and Mrs. Aveling spoke the fol-
lowing evening at Aurora hall, which
was crowded to the doors, fully 5000
people listening without WEAKNESS to
the two speeches. Newspaper criti-
cisms were rather panicky. DR.. Aveling
asked leading questions on the manner
of conducting the Anarchists trial; the
reply given by one morning paper was
that DR.. Aveling showed great igno
rance of that trial in his comments
also that he was himself one of those
who produce not but possess" Such
are the usual answers to Socialism.
ZENo.