The Labor enquirer., 1886-02-06
aDAseER AHEAD.'

LYMAN Abbott's paper on "The Danger
Ahead" that was printed in the Novem-
ber edition of the same magazine, and
which appeared also in this paper. The
article of Mr.. Fulton is directed chiefly
against Mr.. Abbott's claim that the gov
ernment should own and control the
telegraph, telephone and railway lines
and the waterways of the country.
Mr.. Fulton assumes an air of intellec-
tual superiority, spiced WITH knownoth-
inqism, and from his elevated position
attempts to show the necessity for
government conducted by a select few,
and holds that the gtowth of Socialism
(',the danger ahead"l is duo to the loose
policy of tie government in inducing
the Old World to unload ito surplus, and
oftentimes lawless population upon u.s."
/ do not deem this worthy of reply
from ole who remembers the source
from whence the founders of this re-
public sprang, and the cosmopolitan
character of the population which has
made and defended our institutions.
But before passing to consideration OF
the main question in Mr. Fulton's ar
ticle desire to correct what l deem
wrong construction of Mr.. Abbotts
danger Ahead" which has been placed
upon It by some writers do not un-
derstand that he means +hat Socialism
is the danger anead," but that the peril
lies in the things which give birth to,
and encourage the spread of Socialistic
ideas, which are based upon desire for
"a more Just form of governments" and
Mr.. Abbotts advocacy of measures of
relief which are purely Socialistic is
proof of the correctness of this defni-
ton of his position.
In speaking against government con-
troll of distribution Mr.. Fulton says:
1.-THE government was established
solely for the projection of the people.
Its departments ware organized for this
purpose only. For the protection of
life, liberty and property. Our funda-
mental law makes the government a
protector, not guardian. 1t is not for
government to assume the functions of
the individual and engage in pursuits
other than those necessary for this pro-
lection. What the people can do for
themselves it is not necessary for the
government to do for them; for 1t
would be useless to form government
for the doing of What could be done be-
fore it was formed. Because, perchance,
the government can carry on some work
better than the Individual, is no reason
it should do so; for by so doing it be-
comes dictator"
Mr.. Fulton either does not under
stand the generally recognized Offices of
government or he is an Anarchist; he
would repudiate the latter, and so he
must admit the former. In the consid-
Grafton of this question he seems to for
get that it is the boast of the class to
which he belongs that in the United
States the government is OF, for and by
the people; therefore it is the people,
and that when it ceases to be full ex-
preston of the peoples will, it is no
longer conducted on the principles en-
braced in the "of, for and by" That 1t
has ceased to be such, all intelligent
people admit.
Mr. Fulton stains himself extremely
when he says, z"the government is q
protector, and not guardian" If he
will point out Ills authority for asserting
that protector" and guardian" mean
different things, he will confer favor
on humanity, and especially the die
tionary makers. Such expressions as the
above are simply nonsensical vaporings.
would ask Mr.. Fulton if a govern
ment which is controlled by class can
perform the functions of protecting the
life, liberty ancl property of the peo-
ple?" Are not thousands annually
starved, murdered, under the present
government, which fails to provide them
with the means of obtaining bare sub
sistence, while the land is over-bur-
dened with the necessaries of life? Is
this protecting the ''life" of the people 2
When the great army of producers are
enslaved by the iron law of wages for
the aggrandizement of few, is the "lIb-
erty" of the people insured? While the
land of the nation is owned by few
corporations snd syndicates, is the prop
erty of the people guarded2 A refer
ence to what Mr.. Fulton considers "the
functions of government" is not very
appropriate under the present circum-
stances of the American people.
Because, perchance, the government
can carry on some work better than an
Individuals no reason it should do so /;
for BY so doing it becomes a dictator" !"
And why why is it not a reason that
the government should do so2 Isitnot
a sterling principle of good societary
customs that everything shall be done
as near perfection as possible II
not, then let organized society be en-
tirely abolished and let individuality,
whether for good or bad, be the only law
--or rather, no Law. And if the gov
ernment Is the people, then who should
1t not be dictator2 If the people have
not ths fehf 70 dictate their own affairs.
then rho hea thai right