The Labor enquirer., 1886-06-12
as men will and are beginning to see
through this scare-crow argument OF the
money power.
THE ovERsHADowIse QUESTION

THE OVERSHADOWING QUEsIioN
But little over year ago the capi'
talistic papers of Denver piophisled
that Socialism would have less follow,
ers and believers a year hence, as II
could not gain converts among 1ntelll'
gent people and would naturally die Of
its own inherent uselessness. This was
said when they saw few red badges in
the parade of the workingmen on Wash
ington's birthday of last year. -.s
Those same papers had a report Of the
speech delivered by Mr.. E. o. Wolcott
the other day, before the students Of
the Colorado college. /asH
Mr.. Wolcott is the general attorney
for the Denver and Rio Grande railroad
and it is not necessary to say he is an
ardent hater of those who work for q
hling. 1t is also unnecessary to state
that he hates Socialism, and would say
nothing in its favor if he could possibly
avoid it. But in his speech he admits
the strength IF Socialism simply becaus
he is forced TO. In the course of his
address he calls attention to the gravity
of the situation IN this re :ubllc at the
present time.
He Gays: Grave problems have
arisen, and are now arising, which NO
man yet can solve. The great, the over
shadowing question is that of Socialism
associated and interviewed with what
is known as the labor question"
OF course Mr.. Wolcott's object in
touching upon Socialism was to trv by
the aid of his influence, to keep the
students from studying up the subject
for themselves. He would have effected
his purpose, or at least would have come
nearer effectlng it, bv saving nothing on
the sui ject.. His anxiety on this subject
is demonstrated when he tells the stu
dents, "You1 professors will show you
where truth is to be found" A profes-
sor in Cornell university the other day
addressed the students of that institu
ton upon the subject of Socialism, and
there was little of condemnation in his
address. What would Mr. WolCott do
in such case as that? What ridicu
lous figure Mr. W. cuts when he in his
great desire to prevent those intelligent
nineteenth century students from getting
an insight into Socialism, actually i'm.
plores them to let 1t alone Let me
beg of you to form no definite theories
upon this question" said he.
He then attacks those ministers who
are discussing Socialism and charges
them with preaching the gospel of dis
content and calls them a few dema
gogues of the pulpit"
He refers to the darkness which h,
says enshrouds the labor question, ant
Iaments the fact that the workingman il
allowed to vote, for he saws "the murki-
ness is intensified by the fact that the
laboring man has vote
Mr.. W. and his class seek to have the
idea 90 out that Socialism is a doctrine
which gains followers only in the slum!
and beer cellars where thieves, murder
ers and criminals of all degrees are
found, and that those classes are natur
ally attracted to it. Yet Mr. w. says
there is no more dangerous Socialist
than the Socialist of the study"
The object in devoting space to a re-
view of this railroad attorneys remarks
on Socialism is not simply to demon.
strate to the capitalistic Denver papers
their fallibilltY when making predic,
tions on the length of time Socialism
will live, but also to call the attention of
the advance guard in the cause to the
cheering fact that the money power is
obliged to send railroad attorneys to the
colleges to argue the case Of Socialism
against capitalism.